Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.

Crazy Marketing Claims in Ads

123578

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,197 Member

    Shame on you MFP. You should know better than that.

    c0615vzpxcbz.jpeg

    The actual article isn't bad, IMO, and it does say at one point that one loses fat, gains muscle. (". . . you could shed 15 pounds of fat and build 15 pounds of muscle mass but see no difference on the scale. That’s body recomposition at work!").

    But they don't directly debunk their own clickbait tagline explicitly, and even repeat it ("Body recomposition is a long-term process of turning fat into muscle — but this isn’t something you can half-commit to. You’ll need to focus on your nutrition, fitness plans, and other lifestyle choices."). That's tacky and misleading.

    One fun fact: When they repeat the clickbait-y idea, the words "turning fat into muscle" link this article, which says "Stem cells from fat tissue have the potential to become muscle, bone, or fat, according to a study by Rodriguez and colleagues".

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2213185/

    Read in context, that's a limited finding, and not directly on point to their blog post's situation IMO. 🙄
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,281 Member
    yes I know - it's got the hyperbole of 'scientifically backed' and says a poetic licence catch phrase of a few words rather than "Learn the science-backed way to reduce fat and increase muscle".

    It is an ad.


    But to me that isnt that far off the mark and doing what it suggests - ie strenthening excercises as pictured - would acheive what people are expecting it to achieve.

    Just doesn't seem anywhere near the league of 'lose weight with crystals' and co

    But hey, dont let me ruin the fun.

    Do carry on...
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,428 Member
    This one isn’t weight related but can I just stomp my foot for a moment at how it and similar ones are pissing me off?

    kwq54hxd2nt4.jpeg

    I get fighting mad every time I see this fake AI senior goddess and her magic cream.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,197 Member
    os7ixt630oca.png
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,991 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    os7ixt630oca.png

    The Forbidden Tater Tot!
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,991 Member
    An ad on my Facebook feed

    They’re getting absolutely roasted in the comments, for making some claims that are dubious.

    4gtt6axcgtrs.jpeg
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,428 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    os7ixt630oca.png

    Egregiously false advertising. Burns me up.

    And how many people will the discount “oral semiglutide” poison?
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    Hey kwebz8dcl7r1.jpg
    Hey all.... look what got posted in the health section this morning 🤣 We can all lose 60-70 pounds in 2 months if we just sign up with this health coach on whatsapp!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,980 Member
    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    Hey kwebz8dcl7r1.jpg
    Hey all.... look what got posted in the health section this morning 🤣 We can all lose 60-70 pounds in 2 months if we just sign up with this health coach on whatsapp!
    Dude isn't even a certified instructor of any type.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,991 Member
    edited May 26
    The scammers are out in force lately

    I reported one recently that was using these photos
    Reverse image search showed she’s a busy girl. Showing off her “natural” weight loss here in the forums, and telling people how to lose 50 pounds in 2 months, while also shilling weight loss supplements in a Medium blog post, while also working as an underwear model for Walmart!

    o65b3sngkjs1.jpeg
    1qce7ro01ohz.jpeg

    And there’s this one, whose username is as good as a url to a weight loss scam site.

    I flagged it and added my can-o-spam meme.

    They’re gone now, but the reliance on five flags to get a post like this taken down is suboptimal, because it took more than 12 hours.

    nrza8nyiato7.png
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    If people want to help the scammers go away quicker, go ahead and flag them but also report them at the link below...

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10002226/please-flag-the-spam/p1

    Many of the admins, moderators, and spam killers have that thread bookmarked, so anything reported can usually be killed fairly quickly.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,819 Member
    Phew, this one's a doozy as well. With 10k likes!

    0isjhvfco1y2.jpg

    z4ycvk38yw3u.jpg
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,980 Member
    Wonder whatever happened LEG MAGIC?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,428 Member
    I’ve got a couple folks in my family that are obsessive head scratchers, and we’re not talking the four-legged family members.

    If head scratching to lose weight were really a thing, both would look like stick figures by now.
  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 871 Member
    Vette8828 wrote: »
    I'm going to try 1 and 2 to lose 79 lbs then 3 to triple that loss to 222 lbs in one month!
    Wish me luck.

    That. Is. Hilarious. 😂
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,428 Member
    Wait a doggone minute!

    Scrolled up to see what 1 and 2 are. Happened to relook at @MargaretYakoda ’s screen shot.

    Is my mind playing tricks on me or do I really see a link to an automotive shop for “honeycomb briefs/underwear for vaginal and body shaping”?

    WT utter absolute unbelievable F?!!!!!!

    I. Just. Can’t. Believe. My. Eyes.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,991 Member
    Wait a doggone minute!

    Scrolled up to see what 1 and 2 are. Happened to relook at @MargaretYakoda ’s screen shot.

    Is my mind playing tricks on me or do I really see a link to an automotive shop for “honeycomb briefs/underwear for vaginal and body shaping”?

    WT utter absolute unbelievable F?!!!!!!

    I. Just. Can’t. Believe. My. Eyes.

    PT Barnum would have loved the internet
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,991 Member
    edited July 1
    So. On topic but a bit of a deep dive so maybe off topic? I dunno.

    Anyway.

    I enjoy YouTube anti MLM content. Especially those creators that back their content up with hard facts and education.

    Mack Attack is a Pharm PHD who washed out of being a pharmacist due to a personal situation, but now uses his education and enthusiasm to debunk the BS in a series of YouTube videos.

    Here he is discussing (and completely debunking/shredding to pieces) Shakeology, which is a Beach Body (now BODi) pseudo-scientific diet program.
    https://youtu.be/xzZOA8h5uHY?si=VLLDT45lbCjxn-p7
    Many of Mack’s videos have very good information about a variety of quackery, including Kangen water and Prüvit keto supplements.
    Absolutely worth the time, imo.


    Another good channel that I have just found is Brinnah Jewel, who is a certified personal trainer, and is studying to be a registered dietitian. She is very knowledgeable and clear about the limitations of her current training.
    She covers Beach Body (BODi) in both the quack nutritional aspects AND the exercise “training” that their “consultants” provide to their customers.

    Her videos frequently show the BODi people doing exercises, and she critiques them, focusing on why they’re not great, how they can be potentially harmful to people, and then she shows how to do the exercises properly.
    Most of her videos are in the 20 minute range so good for watching during a break.

    https://youtube.com/@briannahjewel?si=no8P1sm7YlVv7yS0

    I know the folks in this discussion are with me on the topic of not spreading quackery and dangerous diet and fitness advice, so I hope that over time y’all will be able to help get the word out about this stuff, with the assistance of videos like these.

  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    lsb4rnpzr8mq.png

    This one is 100% legit. This is one of my neighbors that is 85 years old. Not only did she get fit but her hair darkened back up and grew a great length.

  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    zpluri93a7uw.png

    Lose 30% fat and gain 25% muscle in two hours. What's not to like?
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,819 Member
    robertw486 wrote: »
    zpluri93a7uw.png

    Lose 30% fat and gain 25% muscle in two hours. What's not to like?

    Losing fat is one thing, but actually gaining muscle by sculpting, that's downright miraculous :mrgreen:
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,604 Member
    robertw486 wrote: »
    zpluri93a7uw.png

    Lose 30% fat and gain 25% muscle in two hours. What's not to like?
    Wow. Where can I sign up?!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,197 Member
    I admit this is only distantly health and fitness related, but maybe brain fitness counts, too. I'd bet this guy is a neurologist as much as I'd bet I'd look younger if I played the dumb game . . . though maybe he looks Doogie Howser aged because he played it a bunch himself? SMH.

    6zizcj8r19zd.png
  • Hobartlemagne
    Hobartlemagne Posts: 564 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @BZAH10, "weight loss pants"? That's hysterical! Thanks for sharing that. Who thinks of these things . . . and who buys them? :grimace:

    Reminds me of the Monty Python skit about "Trim Jeans"

    2xe8ctkftfl4.png
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,428 Member
    tunpce0f7km5.jpeg
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,612 Member
    Falls under the same category as my gym selling alcohol, I guess.