IT is January, the Christmas pies are - thankfully - all gone, the season’s spirit has been well and truly washed away by the cold winter rain and everyone has started desperately longing for a summer holiday.

So it’s no surprise that this is the time of year, with beach bodies on the mind, dieting starts in earnest.

Over the years we have had diets including the Atkins, the South Beach, the Cambridge, and even the cabbage soup diet.

This year the one on everyone’s lips seems to be the so-called 'Milk Diet'.

But what exactly is it and does it work?

We all like to ‘milk’ New Year's resolution cliches, so it probably shouldn’t come as any surprise that there has been a spike in Google searches on diets and weight-loss in recent weeks - including the Milk Diet.

The concept is nothing new.

And as the catchy moniker suggests, the full version of this ‘diet’ is pretty extreme and involves cutting out all foods and other drinks.

Instead, it involves you getting by on just four pints of semi-skimmed milk a day - for a whole month.

Why milk? Well, it’s high in calcium, which is associated with aiding the body in getting rid of fat - but by no means is milk a miracle weight-loss formula in itself.

Our bodies are far more complex - and needy - than that.

The crux of the Milk Diet - as with most fad diets - is that it dramatically cuts your calorie consumption (implying you’ll drop weight fast).

Milk might seem a ‘more filling’ option too, if you’re seduced by the semi-starvation liquid-only form of quick-fix.

Tempted? Before you raid the dairy aisles, the local experts in have waded in to give their view on this fad and others like it.

The Food and Health Team at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust run a range of food and nutrition related sessions and courses in aimed at giving people the knowledge, skills and motivation to eat well and feel well.

Adviser and team leader Lizzie Simister has been part of the team for 10 years.

She said: “We don’t recommend any kind of fad diet.

“A lot of them are quick fixes to weight loss and often not really based on any sound research.

“Even when people do report weight loss it is very difficult to keep up with these kind of diets and it ends up back on again - then you end up yo-yo dieting.

“The milk diet will not work because you are cutting out vital nutrients from your diet.

"It will damage your health in the long term.

“Often people are just thinking in the short-term, aiming to lose weight for an event or holiday.

“It’s about trying to change that mindset and think in the long-term.

“If you can do that, the weight loss will take time but the results will stay with you.”

The British Dietetic Association has published its own guide of pros and cons on the top fad diets of 2017. Among them are the 5:2 diet - based on intermittent fasting; Dukan and New Atkin diet - low-carbohydrate, high-protein; Alkaline diet - based on the idea that modern diets cause our body to produce too much acid, and the Rosemary Conley diet - where you are encouraged to eat food with five per cent or less fat. The list can be found on the NHS Choices website.

Instead of fad diets, Lizzie and experts from across the NHS recommend taking on a few small permanent changes to the way you eat and exercise.

These include managing portion sizes and choosing foods and drinks that are lower in fat and sugar.

If you are overweight, aim to shed about five to 10 per cent of your starting weight by losing 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) a week.

Lizzie adds: “You should be able to lose this amount if you eat about 500 to 600 fewer calories than you need a day.

“An average man needs about 2,500 calories a day and an average woman about 2,000 calories to stay the same weight.”

Top tips for healthy weight loss are:-

- Eat regularly: Aim to eat three main meals a day including breakfast, lunch and tea, with healthy snacks in between if needed.

- Plan your meals and track eating habits.

- Watch your portion sizes.

- Take regular exercise.

- Ask for support from friends and family.

- Seek additional help and support from health services if needed.

There are a number of services in Bolton on hand to help including the Food and Health Tea, Bolton Riteweight Service and Bolton Health Trainers.