Cheat Days - Are You A Believer?

Yes Yes Yes Alcohol.

I dont see it as a cheat day though just moderation.

But I still stay away from certain foods like pastry

I do. Lately I experienced a plateau: controlled everything, even ate up to 250kcal less than needed, etc. and couldn't drop the weight. Looking at my diary I realized I didn't "cheat" for several weeks. Then I tried doing some cheat days -which I did every week/two weeks before this period of "no-cheat"- and ended up "upping" my calorie intake for a few days. After one week and some days of eating more I started losing again and went back to losing 2pound/week.

Anyhow if you maintain your cheat below your manteinance there won't be any gain. It will, yes, make it maybe a bit slower - if your are eating to have a deficit of 3500/week, caused by eating just a deficit of 3000/week/min. Anyhow you'll be losing steadily, not gaining anything and, in my personal case, I'm giving my metabolism a "boost" that I've seen it needs time to time. Anyhow I don't think having a "religiously" habit of cheating once a week is convenient to readapting -changing habits. I'm pretty sure any of us between 1-3 weeks has a moment when you could easily eat a bit more, a party, going out or just because, w/e. I see planning them as doing little favor to yourself, cheating should be part of adapting your new diet and habits to your real lifestyle - in my life there are somedays when I just eat more or I crave something. That's it. Maybe there's people that won't need them, but hey, if you want to eat +300kcal a day, go at it. I'll take care, only, to not surpass maintenance. Also I won't have them more frequently that once a week, I try to make then every one-to-two weeks more or less, when I think I have the mood to do so. Also it doesn't mean eating some ****, you can have a caloric surpluss of lettuce if you want to - maybe that's a little difficult but hey, it's possible nonetheless :drinker: