Academics have named the best day of the week to start a diet as part of a weight loss journey. It might seem unlikely, but when you decide to start making certain lifestyle choices could be integral to your success.
Starting a new eating or exercise plan can be extremely daunting. Whether or not you have a specific goal in sight, it can be difficult to deviate from your usual routine.
According to experts, picking a specific day to start could be key. Following a study, a team from the University of Pennsylvania in the US, named Monday as the ideal time to make these changes.
Co-author of the findings, Jason Riis, explained some of the psychology behind it. “On certain days, called temporal landmarks, you just have a different view of yourself,” he said. “You become more forward-looking.”
As reported by Today.com, co-author Hengchen Dai added that people think, “I am going to be a new person and … I am no longer going to be a part of the path of failure.
She said: “It’s changing the perception of the self.” To identify these “temporal milestones”, the researchers carried out three experiments. Firstly, they analysed Google Analytics to find out when and how frequently people searched for diet and exercise.
Secondly, they monitored the busiest days at the University of Pennsylvania gym. Lastly, they analysed a website where people made self-contracts to alter a behaviour – which awarded financial penalties for failure.
This doesn’t just apply to dieting and exercise though, Monday could be the best day of the week to make a number of changes. “Monday is going to be a fresh start,” Dai said.
Psychologist at the Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute, Ann Kearney-Cooke agreed. She said: “I think it gives an energy surge to people.”
However, this can come with some problems, as people could be at risk of burning out by the end of the week. But Ann encouraged people to keep going if they give up mid-week, rather than waiting for the next Monday to start again.
“The key to change is at the next meal or the next morning, starting over,” she said.
While there is no evidence of a “bad day” to make changes, Ann advised you not to start something new when you feel low energy and willpower.
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Other dates that were found to be successful for starting a new routine include:
- Birthdays and anniversaries
- First day of the month
- New season or new educational term
- New Year
The study didn’t take into consideration whether people achieved their goals. However, as reported by Today.com, psychologist John Norcross from the University of Scranton said that people who make New Year’s resolutions or quit smoking during events are more successful than expected.
If you are concerned about your weight you can speak to your GP or visit nhs.uk/better-health/lose-weight for support.