Vacation is time to celebrate your new lifestyle by not cheating. I think it's really important in the first phase. Your friends seem to be looking at their "diet" as some kind of purgatory and perhaps even hell.

You on the other hand know better! And besides, you'll feel really lousy afterwards.

Where does it end?

I've been really good so I'm going to reward myself with a chocolate bar!

I'm feeling bad so I'm going to reward myself with a chocolate bar!

I'm going on vacation so I'm going to reward myself by pigging out!

It doesn't seem to make sense to reward or comfort yourself with what harms you.

Karen