Average person will start (and fail) 189 diets in their lifetime

Researchers from Laughing Cow surveyed the health habits of 2,000 people in Britain and revealed, as a nation we attempt three diets every year on average, which will be entirely unsuccessful.

The survey also showed people stick to a diet on average for just seven weeks in total, with both men and women seeing the most weight loss after five days.

But after that, it's all downhill according to the research, with Brits aiming to shift more than 10lb on a diet however the reality is an average 5lb loss MOST of which will be put back on again shortly after giving up on the diet.

In fact, more than half (55%) say they "always" fail when they go on a diet with the nation's men claiming to find it easier to diet than women (26% of the men polled said dieting was "easy", compared to just 13%).

However, when it comes to long term genuine diet success, 61% of Brits believe that females have the upper hand in terms of the weight loss game.

Therefore, it will come as a surprise to learn that in fact women are most likely to throw-in the towel on a diet following just one "snaccident" with over half (51%) saying once they've fallen off the wagon, that's it for the diet.

Juliette Kellow, a registered dietitian which Laughing Cow asked to speak on the study, said: "Snacking is in the spotlight right now with regards to children following a new campaign from Public Health England. However, it's just as important for adults to snack healthily.

"The key to healthier snacking is to cut right down on traditional sugary snack foods that are usually high in calories and low in nutrients such as biscuits, chocolate, sweets and baked goods.

"Instead, opt for foods that are lower in calories and provide plenty of nutrients such as protein for keeping muscles healthy, calcium for bones and teeth, and fibre to help fill us up.

"Paying attention to portion sizes is also vital. Individually wrapped portions of reduced-fat spreadable cheese combined with fresh fruit or vegetables are a great choice."

But the nation's men have a more moderate approach - with 58% of men saying they will carry on regardless of a slip up.

Almost half (43%) of Brits admit they snack out of boredom, with a further 15 percent admitting they sometimes don't even taste the food they snack on.

'Mindful snacking'

The Laughing Cow released the figures as part of its, Snaccident campaign, which promotes what it calls "mindful snacking".

Alexandra Labaisse, brand manager at The Laughing Cow, said: "By being smarter with your snacking you are much more likely to uphold a healthy balanced diet for longer.

"With so many of us partaking in drastic diets, just one snaccident can lead to enough frustration to make us want to throw in the towel, causing millions of diets to prove unsuccessful due to this.

However, if you ensure that you are planning a variety of enjoyable and mindful snacks with plenty of protein and flavour, this won't only satisfy your taste buds but will also make you feel fuller for longer whilst helping you maintain a long-term diet.

"The Laughing Cow offers the perfect portion controlled snacking solution starting from 25 calories per triangle, each of which is packed full of calcium and protein to help you continue a healthier balanced diet.''

When it comes to the foods which are most likely to tempt us away from our diets, beer (29 percent) and curry (13 percent) emerged as men's Achilles heel.

For women, chocolate (45 percent) and crisps (30 percent) were the ultimate weaknesses.

A begrudging 42 percent of women say they HATE it when their partner is more successful on a diet, compared to a more generous spirited 30 percent of men.

When it comes to where we want to see weight loss the nation's men said their stomach (65 percent), whereas 22 percent of women said they would be happier with thinner thighs, and 15 percent said they wanted to shave a couple of pounds off their hips.

Surprisingly, a staggering 61 percent of both men and women ENJOY starting a diet but inevitably lose motivation after a short while.