It's time to start the diet to fit into your LBD
It's that time of year again ladies, the fateful day when the diet begins in order to look our best for the Christmas Party season.
October 25 has cleverly been dubbed LBD Day, as women across the country began dieting in a bid to fit into their favourite Little Black Dress.
Whether you want to lose the inches or simply tone them up, low carb experts Atkins say today is officially the best day to get started.
With six weeks to go before the gruelling round of office parties typically kick off, nutrionists insist starting a diet now leaves enough time to shed the pounds sensibly and with a realistic chance of dropping a dress size or losing a stone.
New research, commissioned by Atkins to coincide with LBD Day, reveals that more than half of women go on a diet before Christmas, rising to almost two thirds of those aged between 25 and 34.
Whilst a fifth are sensible enough to begin around this time, one in ten still crash diet in the week or two before the office party, often with disastrous results when mixed with alcohol.
Atkins chief nutritionist, Linda O'Bryne, says: "There are lots of fad crash diets that can cause more harm than good and we have launched LBD Day to make slimmers aware that there is a sensible way to drop a dress size for the Christmas party season.
"Six weeks is the perfect timeframe to realistically lose a stone in weight. Naturally everybody wants to look and feel great when they are out partying but many people simply leave it too late.
"This is counter-productive as the danger with crash dieting is that you go out drinking on an empty stomach and end up drunker, quicker. Plus any weight you have lost is likely to go straight back on the moment you start tucking into party food. We urge crash dieters to think again, there is another way.
"Sign-up to start your diet on LBD Day and you will leave yourself a realistic time-frame to reach your weight-loss goals."
The research also found that a third of women name the Little Black Dress as their favourite item of clothing, citing Liz Hurley's Versace number at the Four Weddings and a Funeral as one of the most iconic.
Linda contines: "Our research shows that the Little Black Dress is as much a part of the party season as mistletoe and wine. We urge women to take a sensible approach to dieting in the run-up to Christmas because it will enable them not only to look great on their big night out but to feel great too.
"Slimmers must focus on eating and drinking healthily by cutting down on sugar and refined carb intake and getting some exercise. This, along with some patience, is the key to weight loss.
"Cutting calories too low will increase cravings, as will eating a 'low fat' diet as good fats are needed for satiety. Look to lean protein, vegetables, good fats and low sugar snacks; something that can be sustained and become part of a lifestyle and routine."
Femalefirst Taryn Davies