Is this how “diets” might fit into “lifestyle changes”?

I’m thinking about how I might fit an occasional diet or a “mini diet“ into my maintenance plan.

I lost about 50 pounds over the last two years by changing how I eat. Learning about portion control, choosing higher fiber foods, avoiding high calorie, low nutrition, items like cream, sauces, mashed potatoes, etc. I firmly believed and touted that I was not dieting, but was changing how I eat so I could maintain it. I would lose some weight, my program would recommend I trim more calories in order to lose more and I would agree… Until we got down to 2500 cal when I thought “that’s it – I can’t trim anymore without feeling like I’m punishing myself.” And that’s where I am now – I wouldn’t mind if I lost a pound or two, but I really just want to try to maintain where I’m at.

So far so good, but I did enjoy myself on the July 4 holiday. Ate more than usual, ate high calorie low nutrition foods, and drank more than usual. If I stick with my “maintenance plan,“ then I won’t lose the couple pounds that I gained this past weekend and that is fine, but every time I overdo it, it’ll be another pound gained. I think that’s where what I will call a “mini diet“ can come in into play. Instead of changing my entire routine to lose that little amount of weight, I’ll do a short term diet just to bring me back into my maintenance faze. Today I’m experimenting with having three 200 cal protein bars for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack, with an 800 cal dinner and a reasonable dessert – maybe 200 or 300 cal. That will put me in about an 800 cal deficit. If this goes well, I can try to do this twice per week and that extra weight should be off in 2 weeks.

And then maybe if I continue to do that once per week, it will create a “buffer“ so that I can generally stay on my maintenance program, but overindulge once in a while. Do you think I am thinking about this correctly? Are there pitfalls or suggestions you have? Thank you.