Weight loss scams and how to spot them

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  • Fitnessgirl0913
    Fitnessgirl0913 Posts: 481 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Bump.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    nichole9378 wrote: »
    Hi I’m new to MyFitnessPal and diet supplements. I’ve heard keto os max by pruvit is all the fave. What do y’all think? Scam or real deal?

    They look pretty scammy to me, personally.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    nichole9378 wrote: »
    Hi I’m new to MyFitnessPal and diet supplements. I’ve heard keto os max by pruvit is all the fave. What do y’all think? Scam or real deal?

    Complete, 100% scam.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    nichole9378 wrote: »
    Hi I’m new to MyFitnessPal and diet supplements. I’ve heard keto os max by pruvit is all the fave. What do y’all think? Scam or real deal?

    you dont need diet supplements, just a calorie deficit to lose weight.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Key point - if a product is filed as a supplement then it by very definition cannot support claims of its effectiveness.


  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    I was just marvelling at the placebo effect too.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited May 2018
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    ambrosij wrote: »
    You folks that think Pruvit is a scam, have you tried it? Probably not, just haters pushing an opinion because you think you know everything. Pruvit has changed my life, and not because of weightloss. I had severe depression and PTSD, TBI, brain fog - couldn't even wake up in the mornings to be able to hold a proper job. Ive been on tons of medication and Ive used medicinal cannabis. At one point I turned to amphetamines and cocaine just in hopes to be able to make it through my days.....Pruvit solved those problems with exogenous ketones. You can test your blood - your in ketosis, and providing ketones to my brain has changed the game, changed me and all for the better. Ive lost 25lbs not even trying. Don't bash something you really don't know about.

    yet you can do that with the keto diet and its free. if you lost 25 lbs its because you were in a deficit. I lost weight without trying as well in 2003-2004. I was eating less than my body burned. But didnt realize it. even if you arent counting or trying to lose weight purposely it will happen cause you body still counts calories when you dont.
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
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    PeachyCarol wrote: »
    Anything that claims it blocks the absorption or digestion of fats, carbs or calories. While there is an FDA approved pill to block some dietary fat from being absorbed, testimonials from its use are nightmarish, and successful and comfortable use comes with decreasing dietary fat intake drastically, thereby reducing caloric intake. The pill shames you into reducing your calories.



    I believe you're referring to Alli and it's prescription form. The reviews are scary, some are hilarious as well. I believe it's similar to the reviews for Haribo Sugar Free gummy bears.

    When reviews contain the words "uncontrollable anal eruption", probably not a fun way to lose weight.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    ambrosij wrote: »
    You folks that think Pruvit is a scam, have you tried it? Probably not, just haters pushing an opinion because you think you know everything. Pruvit has changed my life, and not because of weightloss. I had severe depression and PTSD, TBI, brain fog - couldn't even wake up in the mornings to be able to hold a proper job. Ive been on tons of medication and Ive used medicinal cannabis. At one point I turned to amphetamines and cocaine just in hopes to be able to make it through my days.....Pruvit solved those problems with exogenous ketones. You can test your blood - your in ketosis, and providing ketones to my brain has changed the game, changed me and all for the better. Ive lost 25lbs not even trying. Don't bash something you really don't know about.

    I gave you a hug for all that woo. It's not a nice feeling learning you've been scammed, is it? My sympathies.

    The good news is that you cured yourself of those ailments! Yay you!!

    You lost weight because you ate less than you burned, and you took on a challenge and stuck to it!

    That's a powerful brain boost. Great job!

    You're on MFP. Keep using it as intended. Keep using the forums and learn from all the people who've used MFP with great success.

    Well done for using Community. It's a great resource. I'm sure every one of us has had our own beliefs challenged.

    Best wishes.
  • FlyingMolly
    FlyingMolly Posts: 490 Member
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    ambrosij wrote: »
    You folks that think Pruvit is a scam, have you tried it? Probably not, just haters pushing an opinion because you think you know everything. Pruvit has changed my life, and not because of weightloss. I had severe depression and PTSD, TBI, brain fog - couldn't even wake up in the mornings to be able to hold a proper job. Ive been on tons of medication and Ive used medicinal cannabis. At one point I turned to amphetamines and cocaine just in hopes to be able to make it through my days.....Pruvit solved those problems with exogenous ketones. You can test your blood - your in ketosis, and providing ketones to my brain has changed the game, changed me and all for the better. Ive lost 25lbs not even trying. Don't bash something you really don't know about.

    I’m in ketosis right now, too, and am down 26 pounds, and I didn’t have to pay a dime into a pyramid scheme in order to accomplish those things.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    How to spot a weight loss scam - Summary

    A scam:

    • uses personal testimonials, such as “it worked for me” rather than large scientific studies.
    • demonises food groups
    • insists you need to “detox”
    • is sold outside normal commercial distribution channels, such as through the internet, by unqualified individuals or mail order advertisements and multi-level marketing.
    • claims effortless or fast weight loss such as 'lose 30 kilos in 30 days' or 'lose weight while you sleep'
    • claims that you can achieve weight loss without exercise, or without managing food or energy intake
    • fails to recommend medical supervision, particularly for low-calorie diets
    • claims to target fat or cellulite in specific areas of the body
    • uses terms such as “miraculous” or “metabolism-boosting” or “all-natural”
    • recommends the use of a type of gadget
    • claims it is a treatment for a wide range of ailments, diseases, and nutritional deficiencies
    • promotes a particular ingredient, compound or food as the key factor of success
    • demands large advance payments or requires you to enter into long-term contracts.
    • expects you to believe there is a conspiracy against the product and it’s being suppressed by “big pharma” or “the government”. These things do not happen
    • often has in small print “use in conjunction with diet and exercise”
    • advocates eating less than 1200 calories a day or losing more than 1% of your weight per week.
  • lbrannam2497
    lbrannam2497 Posts: 5 Member
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    Responding to above: Mfp is free? I am paying and this app isn’t user friendly for getting answers.
    I’ve posted things hoping to get help w daily diary and it one reply to help w guidance… I won’t be Re subscribing.

    Perfect example: I had an alert on my phone to ask a md questions this morning… the AP opened to this? I’m confused and annoyed on this lonesome journey that I thought would be different here.
    Though I’ve lost weight, it wasn’t because of assistance here. 😐

    Another money making scheme I too feel.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,984 Member
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    lbrannam2497 wrote: »
    Responding to above: Mfp is free? I am paying and this app isn’t user friendly for getting answers.
    I’ve posted things hoping to get help w daily diary and it one reply to help w guidance… I won’t be Re subscribing.

    Perfect example: I had an alert on my phone to ask a md questions this morning… the AP opened to this? I’m confused and annoyed on this lonesome journey that I thought would be different here.
    Though I’ve lost weight, it wasn’t because of assistance here. 😐

    Another money making scheme I too feel.

    It is free if you don't buy premium. Most people do just fine with the free version, just a few less features and a few more ads.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,602 Member
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    stevencloser wrote: »
    yarwell wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Here is a list of warning signs that should alert you that a product is too good to be true:

    http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/694326

    Warning signs

    The weight loss scheme or product:
    • lacks scientific evidence or demonstrated links between the result and the effects of the program, food, supplement, gadget or process being promoted
    • is sold outside normal commercial distribution channels. For example, through the internet, by unqualified individuals or mail order advertisements

    Can you name any products/diets that fall under these categories?

    MyFitnessPal ? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25402403 "After 6 months, weight change was minimal, with no difference between groups".

    "CONCLUSION:

    Smartphone apps for weight loss may be useful for persons who are ready to self-monitor calories, but introducing a smartphone app is unlikely to produce substantial weight change for most patients."

    oops.
    ariamythe wrote: »
    yarwell wrote: »
    ariamythe wrote: »
    Except that MFP isn't a marketed weight loss product.

    "Free online calorie counter and diet plan. Lose weight by tracking your caloric intake quickly and easily." from web site. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/learn_more etc.

    Again: it's a tool used for tracking calories, offered for free. From your cited study:

    "Compared with patients in the control group, those in the intervention group increased use of a personal calorie goal (mean between-group difference, 2.0 d/wk [CI, 1.1 to 2.9 d/wk]; P < 0.001), although other self-reported behaviors did not differ between groups. Most users reported high satisfaction with MyFitnessPal, but logins decreased sharply after the first month."

    Other behaviors did not change; use declined sharply after the first month; nothing was apparently monitored but self-reported "use of a personal calorie goal". That's not a very impressive study. I definitely agree with its conclusions: if you hand a random person an app and then just let them use it or not as they see fit, you're not likely to get a high success rate. But how is that in any way helpful data?

    Give me a study that considers what the people are actually eating with a diet plan, with a group using MFP regularly to log calories and a control who does not track (or tracks with a traditinal paper method), and I will give the study due consideration. But a study that simply says, "Give 'em an app and they don't do much with it" doesn't impress.

    Gee, I guess if "not using it" counts as it not working, then school should be ignored because you won't learn anything if you don't go to it, so might as well not even start.

    I've absolutely given people that advice about college. There are many people who I've recommended that they not bother going to college, because they won't go and it will be a huge waste of their time and money. So yeah. If you won't use it, it won't help, don't waste your time on it.

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