Truth about weight-loss supplements

Here is his interpretation of common phrases used in the marketing of weight-loss products.
* “Amazing new discovery!” means “Old idea repackaged.”
* “Lose 12 pounds in a week!” means “Lose a lot of muscle and water.”
* “Inexpensive” means “expensive for what you get.”
* “Weight loss made easy” means “If we say it is hard work, you won’t buy our product.”
* “Feel wonderful!” means “Feel tired, irritable and constipated.”
* “No exercise necessary!” means “We’re telling lies.”
* “Results guaranteed or your money back” means “Results guaranteed for the first week only. After that, it’s your problem!”
* “Keep the weight off!” means “By the time you realize it doesn’t work, you’ll probably blame yourself for the failure.”
* “Scientific breakthrough” means “The only breakthrough is how to pull the wool over your eyes.”

Exaggerated promises

Here is her take on those catchy phrases (from her article “The 10 Commandments of Buying Fitness Gadgets on TV”):

* “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days.” The fact is, no one can accurately predict how much or how fast you’ll drop weight. You should be wary of anything that guarantees quick, permanent results.

* “Melts fat from your hips, thighs or stomach.” There is no way to diet or exercise away fat from a specific part of your body. This so-called “spot reducing”—one of the most oft-mentioned pledges you’ll see in ads for fitness equipment—is simply a physiological impossibility, period.

* “No sweat, no effort.” No dice. If you’re not working hard enough to work up a sweat, you’re not working hard enough. Exercise doesn’t have to be grueling and painful, but if it’s effortless, don’t expect results.

* “Total-body workout.” On many machines, the arm mechanism is linked to the leg mechanism, so even though your arms are pumping, they’re just along for the ride. You aren’t getting a better workout, and you aren’t necessarily burning more calories.

* “Get fit in minutes a day.” How much fitness can you expect from working out just a few minutes a day? Not much. Most reputable fitness experts maintain that you need to exercise aerobically for at least 20 minutes a session to derive cardiovascular benefits and even longer if your main goal is weight loss.

* “Awarded a US patent.” You can patent a nose-hair clipper for mice if you wanted to. To get a patent, you need to have an original idea, not necessarily a good one.

* “Guaranteed or your money back.” Read the fine print. The manufacturers may promise that you’ll lose four inches in one month—if you stick to a low-fat diet and a far more extensive exercise program.

* “Expert endorsements.” Don’t think for a minute that a three-time Mr. Universe built his biceps with some plastic contraption that looks like a model of the Star Ship Enterprise. And never buy anything hawked by an actress who hasn’t had a decent gig in more than five years.

Here are more translations of stereotypical marketing phrases in fitness and weight loss ads, according to Page Waehner, website host of Exercise.About.com.

* “Lose weight in just minutes a day!” actually translates to “If you believe this, you’re really stupid.” Yes, there are some things you can do in just minutes a day but, unfortunately, losing weight isn’t one of them.

* “Results may vary,” or “Results not typical.” Translation: “We paid this person to say they lost weight with our product.” Okay, to be fair, maybe some of these people are real and have seen results, but, like the disclaimer says, those results probably aren’t typical.

Andtz, good thinking bro!!! keep posting for more!!!