Its the time of year where millions of us are looking for an easy way to get rid of our Christmas-induced bulge.
But its never a good idea to try detox teas, diet pills or other appetite suppressants, a top doctor has warned.
Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS medical director, said such products have a slim chance of success and are potentially dangerous.
Some contain ingredients which have a laxative effect, which may cause diarrhoea, unplanned pregnancies and even heart problems.
Professor Powis said:Its always a good time to try to get in shape, and New Years resolutions are a great time to make a change.
But the reality is theres a slim chance of success with diet pills and detox teas and people could end up doing more harm than good.
Making new year goals and shifting a few excess pounds after Christmas can be a good idea but is much easier to maintain when done gradually and safely.
Professor Powis said there are safe ways to lose weight without buying into products, including the NHS 12-week plan.
Other experts supported his advice against quick-fix diet products, but said the NHS plan wasnt the best alternative.
Dr Zoe Harcombe, an independent obesity researcher and diet expert, said: I agree with Professor Powis that theres a slim chance of success with diet pills and detox teas.
The NHS plan being promoted as an alternative is not evidence based. [Its] based on carbs, carbs and more carbs.
If it were based on the most nutritious foods red meat, oily fish, eggs, dairy products and green things I would be shocked and impressed.
Professor Powis advice follows a crackdown on the endorsement of diet products by celebrities on Instagram and Facebook.
The social media giant said age restrictions would be applied to some posts while others would be banned completely if they are linked with a commercial offer.
Advertising agencies have also threatened companies to stop making exaggerated claims about their products with little science-based evidence.
Products which claim to rid your belly or cleanse your insides, such as tea-toxes, sound miraculous.
But experts, such as the British Dietetic Association, say they are marketing myths with wild and exaggerated claims.
Such products have been slammed because they may cause long term damage both physically and mentally.
Ingredients such as senna leaf, yerba mate, fennel seeds and nettle leaves have a laxative effect, which causes frequent trips to the toilet.
This is how the body initially loses weight. But used for prolonged periods, these ingredients can damage the gut lining.
The addition of dandelion has been shown to interact with medications by changing how they are broken down by the liver.
Bootea has previously admitted the tea can affect the reliability of the Pill, with a wave of women having Bootea babies as a result.
Diarrhoea can decrease the efficacy of medication, as it rushes it through the system without being absorbed in the gut into the bloodstream.
The psychological aspects of diet products are of concern because they fuel body image worries among youngsters following celebrities online.
Social media platforms, where diet products are flogged by celebrities, have put new rules in place to help combat the issue.
Instagram and Facebook said this year it will censor posts promoting miraculous fat-burning products or glorifying cosmetic surgery.
Under Instagrams new rules, posts which advertise the sale of weight-loss products or cosmetic procedures will be hidden from users under 18.
It also said any content which makes a miraculous claim about a diet product, and is linked to a commercial offer such as a discount code, will be removed.
The move followed extensive criticism of celebrities by anti-diet movements, such as I Weigh, led by actress and body positivity campaigner Jameela Jamil.
She has repeatedly criticised high-profile online figures including Khlo Kardashian for posting on social media about diet products.
Manufacturers of extreme diet products have also faced a backlash on the advertising front.
Agencies havecome down harder on companies in recent years who falsely advertise the benefits of their products.
For example, Bootea was ordered to remove various unsubstantiated health and weight claims from its website by the Advertising Standards Authority in 2014.
This month, the extent of false advertising and endorsement was laid bare when celebrities, including reality TV star Lauren Goodger, were duped into promoting a fake and poisonous diet drink by the BBC for a documentary.
Miss Goodger was secretly filmed during a meeting where she was asked to promote a fake diet drink named Cyanora, containing hydrogen cyanide, before it was ready to be tasted.
In the show, Miss Goodger admitted she had never tried Skinny Coffee, which she previously claimed had helped her lose 12lbs in three weeks on Instagram.
MailOnline have contacted Bootea, XLS-Medical, Protein World and Skinny Coffee Club for comment.
A statement form XLS-Medical said: XLS-Medical products are clinically proven to help individuals lose more weight than dieting and exercise alone.
All of the weight management products in the XLS-Medical range have been tested in gold-standard, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials and have a well-established safety and tolerability profile.
Given the prevalence and serious health implications of obesity, we believe choosing to lose or maintain weight for a healthier lifestyle is one of the most important self-care decisions.
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England's top doctor warns there's only a tiny chance that quick-fix slimming regimes will work - Infosurhoy
