New diets come and go but one that is gaining popularity, (probably partly due to its name) is the Cheater's Diet. This diet actually encourages you to cheat and indulge yourself every now and then. It says that you can have the odd pizza or ice cream and a burger won't really mess things up.

The diet claims many advocates and it works by using a 5 days on and 2 days cheating pattern. So basically you are allowed to cheat on the weekend and eat the occasional fatty food item. Because you are allowed to indulge yourself and you know that the weekend is not too far off people tend to stick to the diet during the week, giving a higher chance of success for the dieter.

The diet has been designed to be practical and realistic and takes into account that the weekend is a very difficult time to diet. Many people decide to break off their diets completely when they have broken it once and thus they start eating unhealthily again. This diet tells you its OK and that helps people to get back on track.

The diet's authors also claim that the weekend of eating more sends a trigger to the metabolism and actually increases the metabolic rate so that when you start dieting again during the week your body is burning calories faster. This can make your diet more effective and work faster and more efficiently.

It's not all a bed of roses though, as there is cheating and there is cheating. You are allowed to have a few slip ups each weekend, it is not a free for all for two days. Plan ahead if necessary and work out when you are going to cheat. If you know you are going to a good restaurant allow yourself a break then.

This diet works for a certain type of person and not all nutrionists think it is a good idea. Some say that the constant exposure to banned foods each weekend means that the person is more likely to cheat during the week. Choosing a weight loss program is something that must be considered with care and must be suitable for your lifestyle. For some the cheaters diet is perfect.