I believe there is benefits to a cheat day.

I feel that one of the biggest causes of failure on a "eating plan" is because deprivation gets to us, we're on a low calorie diet which can make us hungry at times. Sometimes we reach for that food that we don't want to eat that is so tempting. Then we feel unsuccessful with our diet, we feel we have no self control. This can lead to frustration, and even to the point of just giving up on eating better for yourself.

I am a very strong believer in stress and recovery. I feel that everything in our world works on this principal, our heart beat contracts, then it relaxes, we eat(recovery) then we use that energy(stress), we sleep, we awaken, life, death. There is nothing constant, if it is... then it's not alive. How do we get stronger, emotionally, and physically? Stress and recovery. When something is stressed to much, it will give. How long can you go with out food, sleep, high intense exercise non stop... it just won't happen. All these are forms of stress.

You know what a reduce caloric diet is? It's stress on the body. Everything I have mentioned is about recovering energy, and expending energy. We need cycles of stress and cycles of recovery. So how do you recover from a low calorie diet, you eat those foods you want, maybe one day a week, free of guilt.

I don't know any other way to say it but it "replenishes the soul" you kill that desire for it... the next day you go back to your normal eating plan with no urges anymore. One of my friends from this site, made a book about a similar eating plan. He was over weight, and now he's ripped, 6 pack and all. Some of the best body building diet's are based around this principal, so is zigzagging your calories.

The better you get at it, the longer you can go with out this "free day." Keep in mind, this doesn't mean be a glutton. Eat what you want, but eat at your "maintenance calories" not your "restricted calories." A persons's metabolism slows down within 72hrs of a reduce caloric diet. This "free day" will speed your metabolism back up.

You know what happens when you go on a low caloric diet for a long time? You get impaired thyroid functions which will result in a slower metabolism. This free day would offset that effect. Maybe some of you have heard of leptin, leptin keeps track of how much you ate, and how fat you are. Once you start to reduce calories, leptin goes down, pretty much telling you to eat. From my understanding leptin is linked to hunger, to insulin, to glucagon, to pretty much every biochemical that regulates your weight. It's job is to protect you and make sure you weigh the same. Once leptin is down, the urges get stronger, and the harder it is to stick to your diet, you know how to increase leptin? just eat those foods you want... It will increase, with out putting on bodyfat. It "thinks" you gained some weight because you're eating more, and it will be satisfied and not bug you for a little while. Some people just eat completely freely on this "cheat day" they go over their caloric limit big time, and still get good results. So if you're interested in this, experiment and see what works best for you.