Summer is in full swing, and if you've got a holiday booked for somewhere warm, you might be taking on a last-minute diet and exercise plan to help you feel your best.
But in order to get results that actually last, the summer months may not be the ideal time to do this.
That's according to scientists at Oxford University who have carried out a study to find out the best month of the year to go on a diet and see long-lasting health benefits.
The experts say that dieters that start in January often see the best results, as they see the most weight fall off throughout the year.
People that begin their lifestyle overhaul at the start of the year lose around 5.6lbs on average - compared to 3.5lbs lost by people who diet in August, the worst month overall.
The 'fresh start' mentality of a new year may be why people are so successful at shedding the pounds, whereas in the summer, it's harder to stick to a routine, the Telegraph reports.
Oxford University researchers led by dietitian Dr Dimitrios Koutoukidis, monitored 85,514 people in England, aged 65 on average, who started the NHS Diabetes Prevention Program between January 2017 and December 2018.
These participants hadn't developed diabetes yet, but they all reported high blood sugar.
They took part in online and face-to-face sessions with experts where they were encouraged to eat healthier and do more exercise in order to improve their overall wellbeing.
And the results, posted in the journal Obesity, showed that those who started dieting in January lost more weight than those starting a new health regime at any other time of the year.
August was the least successful month, followed by July (1.65kg), September (1.79kg) and December (1.83kg).
A possible reason for January dieters to be more successful is because of the 'fresh start' aspect of that time of year, when many people make their New Year's resolutions and vow to become healthier.
This can help people to be more motivated and determined to succeed, engaging more with their diet and exercise plans.
However, the lack of routine in August thanks to summer plans and holidays may be why dieters in that month struggled to shed the pounds the most.
But beginning your year with a lifestyle overhaul doesn't come without its risks.
The British Dietician Association has warned people previously that having a 'new year, new me' mindset leaves people more at risk of falling victim to fad diets which often don't give the best results.
It urges people to think about what they should be eating more of — such as fibre — rather than focusing on restricting their diet.
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