Treating yourself with occasional food rewards ‑- is it okay to cheat now and then? We asked our Dream Team panel of experts to weigh in on eating whatever you want (once in a while).

Life is about more than restrictive diet plans! Figuring out how to balance the foods we love with health and weight goals is the key for long-term success. For some people that may mean choosing an over-the-top piece of gooey, rich chocolate cake once each week instead of every day. For others it may mean enjoying dessert only when they eat out. The amount of these "forbidden" treats that we eat can be balanced with exercise and eating from a variety of healthier choices so that we can meet our goals and still enjoy favorite foods.

As far as rewards, I encourage people to brainstorm about non-food options. Stuck to your exercise plan for the past week? Instead of celebrating with an ice cream sundae, buy yourself a new piece of workout wear. Kept food records faithfully for a month? Relax with a sensuous bubble bath or reward yourself with an invigorating massage. Why spoil your success with unwanted calories?

Treating yourself is a must. But I definitely wouldn't say it's okay to eat whatever you want a few days a month, on the off chance that what you want is to devour five pizzas and a boatload of french fries. You can do a lot of damage in just a few days. But I do think it's okay to splurge a few times a month. Go out to dinner and order dessert. Eat lasagna. Have a buttered roll (not necessarily all at once).