Ok let's say you are in a caloric deficit of 600 calories a day Monday through Friday (3000 total).

And then over the weekend you eat an EXCESS of 4000 calories. Does that mean you are actually making negative progress?? Or does fat loss/gain with regards to caloric intake just not work that way?

Yup. Calories in vs. calories out.

Eating a bunch at once might upregulate your metabolic rate slightly, but ultimately, anything you eat will be used (i.e. burned) or stored (i.e. glycogen, fat, etc.).

Yikes!!

Well, that may be why I've been having so much trouble. DAMN I looked forward to those cheats (weekends sometimes haha)...

How do you guys go about dieting without cheating for weeks/months on end?? This is going to be tough...

I use to do refeeds on every saturday, but found that wasn't getting me anywhere...I switched it to every other saturday and it's amazing so far, like those days before the refeed I get the cravings bad...Like today i'm getting the cravings real badly, but HEAT is helping me tons with them tho.

Anecdotally, no. I've done something similar and still made progress or at least not gained fat.

It all depends on your partitioning (aka your genetics). So some people can get away with it others can not.

Sesathin helps with this. Take a full cap whenever you hit one of those big meals.

I imagine the amount of activity you get during the weekend to offset the calories would also be important. If you are exercising or just being very active, or are one of those people who increases NEAT subconciously, you'll be alright. If you sit in front of the tv and down a 12 pack, then you got a problem.

Yep--it helps me BIG TIME in this department.