However, a new study has revealed that will power alone may not be enough to prevent people from shedding the pounds – a reduction in the amount of calories they consume on a daily basis is also vital.

Researchers at New York's Columbia University, led by Professor Michael Rosenbaum, have discovered that people who have been on a diet and want to keep the weight off have to eat 300 calories fewer each day than before their weight loss regimen to stay trim.

According to the experts, even if somebody slims down to be exactly the same size as their friend is naturally, they will have to eat 300 calories less simply because the body's muscles remember how big they were before and so try to regain that size.

"Weight loss is a relatively brief therapeutic intervention, but trying to keep the weight off requires a lifetime of diligent attention," Professor Rosenbaum explained.

Have you found it difficult to keep weight off after dieting?

Fredrik Karpe, professor of metabolic medicine at Oxford University, conducted a study showing that three teaspoons of fat from a calorific meal are stored in the body within four hours of being consumed.

Furthermore, the body's fat stores continues to grow if people consume more unhealthy food shortly afterwards.

Professor Karpe explained that fat is broken down by the body within 60 minutes and then transported around the body until it is 'caught' by certain areas – with bums, hips and bellies being the most popular.

He also noted that meals eaten later in the day are also likely to be stored around people's middles, as they do less exercise later on and so have no means of burning it off.

Professor Karpe commented: "The process is very fast. The cells in the adipose tissue around the waist catch the fat droplets as the blood carries them and incorporates them into the cells for storage."

As fat is gradually absorbed more and more throughout the day, it is best to have a hearty breakfast, followed by a medium-sized lunch and finally a sensible meal that is not consumed too late, the study suggests.

Do you tend to eat more later in the day, or earlier?

The research, carried out by Fruitdrop, showed that 34 per cent of those surveyed considered sugary flapjacks or cereal bars to be their preferred 'healthy snack', despite these items containing refined sugar that contributes towards tooth decay and weight gain.

Of the respondents, those aged between 35 and 44 are most likely to choose snacks containing hidden sugar rather than more healthy options such as fresh fruit.

Ben Thompson, managing director of Fruitdrop, said that one way of encouraging people to eat more healthily is by having regular deliveries of healthy food in the office.

"By introducing a weekly fruit delivery to the office, employers can improve the health of their workforce, by providing a fresh and healthier option to counter the convenience of sugary snacks," he added.

Do you prefer to snack on cereal bars or fruit?

Dr Ali Tavakkoli, from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Surgery, has led a new study in which he and colleagues determine whether capsaicin – which is the component responsible for a chilli pepper’s heat – can help to boost weight loss.

The experts demonstrated that a procedure known as vagal de-afferentation, which uses capsaicin, significantly reduced total body fat in subjects, particularly around the belly.

Dr Tavakkoli said the results of the study could lead to the development of new ways to lose weight and keep it off.

“High visceral fat volume is a marker of obesity and obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes. Preferentially lost visceral fat after vagal de-afferentation highlights the potential for this procedure,” he added.

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According to Harley Pasternak, who counts Rihanna and Megan Fox among his clients, the easiest way to lose weight is to keep track of how much exercise you are doing during the day – even if this simply means wearing a pedometer.

He told Grazia magazine that he instructs Rihanna to take 10,000 steps a day, though this can vary from person to person, depending on their goals.

Ms Pasternak added: "I've put her on a special 25-minute-day workout that consists of five mini workouts. She does it five days a week, wherever she is in the world… it's easy for her to fit around her busy schedule and even her holidays."

The workout involves five minute cardio warm-up, such as jogging, another five doing an upper body workout, including push ups, five more working the lower body, like doing squats, then five minutes of abdominal work such as sit-ups and finally a five-minute cardio cool-down through skipping or something similar.

That's the secret to a great body and it keeps Rihanna happy,' the trainer revealed.

Will you give the Rihanna workout a try?

The idea of going cold turkey seems to be an unsuccessful one as far as weight loss is concerned, a new YouGov survey revealed.

Of the 7,592 respondents, 63 per cent believed that successful weight loss requires cutting out certain types of food.

However, the truth seems to be the opposite, with 86 per cent of dieters who lost enough weight to improve their health doing so while continuing to eat biscuits, chocolate, pizza, cakes, crisps and ice cream.

Leading weight loss doctor and obesity expert Dr Ian Campbell said people mistakenly tend to class foods as 'good' or 'bad', which is not helpful when trying to change a diet.

"Denying yourself something you enjoy leads to psychologically negative emotions, so many people associate weight loss with denial, hunger and feeling miserable," he added.

Dr Campbell said that many dieters are unnecessarily harsh on themselves, as taking a more relaxed approach can make losing weight "successful and sustainable" through building a long-term positive attitude towards food.

Do you allow yourself to eat 'naughty' food?

A new poll of women carried out by Eat Water and seen by Digital Hub shows that 42 per cent of the 1,000 women surveyed began their weight loss regime after seeing an unflattering picture.

Other weight loss stimuli included passing a shop window or mirror and being shocked at their reflection, as well as realising a favourite pair of jeans no longer fit, or having to buy a bigger dress size when shopping.

A spokesman for Eat Water said it is "all too easy" for people to become complacent with their body shape and size, and think they are doing okay, when the reality is that they are carrying a few extra pounds.

He added: "A photograph can be like a bolt from the blue – often people are absolutely flabbergasted that they could have let things get so bad."

Have you ever been shocked by a photograph of yourself?

Alison Wyndham, physiotherapist and complementary health practitioner, and owner of The Wyndham Centres, said the general quality of food that people eat in the UK is not good enough.

She explained that too many diets contain high proportions of processed food, which has been heated so that vitamins, enzymes and phytonutrients are destroyed.

It has then been further deprived of nutrients by modern processing methods that advocate preserving, freezing, heating, canning and colouring, she added.

"It is high in trans-fats of all kinds and sugar. In 1990 the average consumption of sugar was 10lbs per person annually, it is now 120lbs. The average diet has nine grams a day when the recommended daily intake of salt is two grams," Ms Wyndham explained.

The expert added that salt increases the thickness of blood and slows down the flow, causing an increase in blood pressure.

"Most processed foods are loaded with all kinds of additives like stabilisers, preservatives, artificial colouring and flavouring agents that are foreign chemicals and put an additional load on the body," she noted.

The key, therefore, is to buy fresh food and ensure that a diet is balanced, with a minimal amount of processed food.

Does your diet include lots of processed food?

Anna Mason, founder of Distance Dieters, said that although bloating is not necessarily the same as weight gain, it is just as uncomfortable and has the same impact on people when it comes to their clothing.

She advised people to look at their diet, break it down, and think about what they can do ease their troubles.

"Remove processed foods from the diet.  Flour and wheat-based products will promote bloating and a feeling of discomfort, [and] they will also promote headaches and insomnia. Drink plenty of water – 1.5 to two litres each day," the expert recommended.

Ms Mason said that water helps to "flush out the system", and if people are dehydrated then it will also benefit them.

People who do not drink enough can also suffer from bloat, she noted, adding that the easies way to consume water is to have a large glass with each meal and snack, aiming to have six glasses a day.

Do you drink enough water?

Registered nutritionist Dr Carina Norris said spring is a good idea for a person to take stock of their diet and see where it might have slipped a bit over the winter months.

"Try to cut down on fatty, nutrient-poor foods, and fill up on nutrient-dense foods such as lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, pulses, nuts and seeds, and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Also make sure you stay well hydrated," she recommended.

Recent reports have suggested that the fatty acids in coconut oil can boost metabolism and aid weight loss, though Ms Norris said actual studies on this have shown mixed results.

"I don't yet believe they provide enough evidence to switch to this oil in favour of others for cooking and baking, for this reason at least," she added.

However, she did point to animal studies suggesting that polyphenol compounds in coconut oil can lower total cholesterol and the 'bad' LDL form of cholesterol, as well as raising 'good' HDL cholesterol, which could potentially have heart benefits.

"I think it's a case of 'watch this space' until more research is conducted," Ms Norris concluded.

Have you considered treating your body to a 'spring clean'?