Fake before and after pictures, and real ones.

Gigi_licious

Wait....so you're telling me those HCG before and afters were fake?

tbudge

The shake weight cracks me up. Those dudes are already ripped and haven't exercised yet... Then they throw them in the gym to get all pumped and vein y, then hand them the shake weight. LOL

...Like that shake weight is gonna give you a six pack or something lol

but all the pics on the box says it will get you ripped in 90 days....or something along those lines....I agree, it's hilarious! I love the spoof that South Park did on that...bad, but funny!

sharonsjones

Advertising has been lying to us for years. Nothings going to change, still baffles me how people still buy into and then are shocked when they don't get the promised results.

Exactly! People still believe that the product will work. "All you have to do is drink this shake three times a day and you will be thin and beautiful. No working out needed" A bunch of BS!

Because people want to believe in the "quick fix"...nobody wants to do what they know is the only real way to get fit and healthy..work hard and eat good...constantly!

So true. Nobody wants to work for it.

c2sky

Advertising has been lying to us for years. Nothings going to change, still baffles me how people still buy into and then are shocked when they don't get the promised results.

Exactly! People still believe that the product will work. "All you have to do is drink this shake three times a day and you will be thin and beautiful. No working out needed" A bunch of BS!

Because people want to believe in the "quick fix"...nobody wants to do what they know is the only real way to get fit and healthy..work hard and eat good...constantly!

So true. Nobody wants to work for it.

So you have your first marathon coming up in a month! Good for you! I bet you didn't get ready for that overnight, did you? How many months have you been training? So excited for you. I'm doing another 1/2 tomorrow. Haven't done a full in 4 years. Have a great run!

saintspoon

I heard this before... that they pay people to get fat for reversed before & afters....

I have also heard they like to pick-up athletes in the off-season when they aren't working out & have gained pounds & use those as before pics & the atheletes during-season ripped-up look for the afters.

On the program I heard this they were also saying that almost every single before pic of a female is really a woman who is normally in very good shape but JUST had a baby... then they interview them a few months later all glowing & back to normal & they're all "oh I was soooo fat I could barely live with myself" but never mention the baby part LOL

I'm not to bothered by this... advertising is this way.! I used to love when Oprah would have people on her show who had really lost hundreds of pounds & they would bring their old pants out & stand with Oprah in them!..... yeah now THAT'S the real deal

lpeacock06

No $$ amt is worth it to me to gain wt!!!!!!

FearAnLoathing

it does not suprise me or piss me off,thats how companys make money with "creative" advertising.

NinjaMonkey201

I've heard of that before. But what I've always noticed, is that they like to show pics with people with tattoo's. That way "it's the same person". But if you look, the AFTER pics always have newer/fresher looking ink than the BEFORE pics.

anubis609

You mean people got paid to eat like I used to? Sunuvabi*ch.

In all seriousness, that's what I'd do if I were in marketing. Nothing personal. It's just business.

foremant86

one of the many many reasons i don't buy into weight loss products.

You can't beat eating right and working out, no matter what.

I also don't care how much someone offered me, i would never do that to myself.

LorinaLynn

I always assumed they were just photoshopped, at least the ones where the person is in the exact same pose, exact same swimsuit, exact same hairstyle. For that matter, my sister has an app on her phone that makes you fat in any snapshot... photoshop skills aren't even necessary anymore. Yet one more useless obsolete skill I have...

Contrarian

I'm surprised that this surprises anyone. Clearly, I am a very cynical individual.

california_peach

Advertisers lie....I do declare (clutches pearls and tries not to faint).

Tiffanydepiano

I gained almost 300lbs for free.

kleavitt1992

i always thought they were just photo shopped but that makes so much more sense lol

karenbobaren

I am not suprised one bit! It's crazy the lenghts a diet comapany would go just to make a quick buck. Where the hell are their morals? I hope they rott in hell for their deceiving ways and means.

I'm soooo glad I never gave into any of the diet infomercials I saw, and even if I was curious I always looked up reviews because I know the advertising business just feeds you BS.

adamswife01

suprise suprise....

Oishii

A dear, very photogenic, friend has been in loads of magazines with her shake-based weight loss before and afters. It's all true. However, it doesn't show that after the after she almost returned to the before, because she hadn't learnt healthy eating from a shake and, perhaps, her metabolism is a bit messed up.

So even the truth isn't always the full story.

Elizabeth_C34

"Diet" pills and fad diet programs comprise multi-billion dollar industries. They fake everything they do in order to market themselves.

stevenleagle

That's shocking. I guess if you could prove that the "before" shot was really the "after" shot, surely someone should be able to sue the company (perhaps even as a class action) for misleading or deceptive conduct (or whatever the relevant jurisdiction allowed).

If they are going to be shonky in advertising, I guess they may as well use digitally manipulated shots!

narenn

Money rules the world...

ritajean3

I'm surprised that this surprises anyone. Clearly, I am a very cynical individual.

I was thinking the sadest bit is I'm not surprised at all

teephil

Heh, that's pretty clever actually. Not at all shocking, most of these companies are as sleazy and deceptive as they come. They want your money and will tell you anything to get it. I wish more people would realize this.

No such thing as a quick fix when it comes to losing weight!

FairyMiss

oh i have no doubt they lie
i was looking at an add for a diet product, they used an african american man (men).

and not only did this man lose lots of weight but went from a very dark skinned man, to a very light skinned .

so no only does this pill make you lose weight it will also lighten you skin color (someone shoudl have sold it to micheal Jackson)

BradieFit

Guess I'm the only one here who has a success story from one of these big weight loss companies? Nutrisystem worked for me. I'm not touting them, just saying I know for a fact their before and after photos to be the real deal. I lost 67 pounds on their food plan in 2007, THEN sent in my before and after shots on a whim and was invited to Philly for a photo shoot weekend. There were about 100 of us if I remember correctly, in all stages of weight loss, with a great variety of stories about how/why we were overweight and all with our before pics in hand. I, along with the rest of the group, was featured on their website for a year or so. Yes, we were paid $500 for going to Philly, flights and food paid as well but none of us were faked or photoshopped!
What I learned from Nutrisystem, as I've kept off about 40 pounds, was portion size. What I didn't learn was proper nutrition combinations because the food is done for you. But, it was still a great kick start to my lifestyle change, one that has continued in my life.
I'm new to MFP, and enjoying it thoroughly!, and so I haven't figured out how yet or I'd happily upload my own before and after pics!
Good luck to all.:happy:

missyyclaire

And yet one more reason why "products" don't work...it's all based on lies and greed. There is a never ending line of people looking for a quick fix. i know, I've been in that line. That little voice that said "it's calories and calrories out" seemed so dull. It's much more fun to think "I'll drink this shake and be svete, or pop this pill and be perfect". Lies, lies and more lies. If you take the fast way down, you'll be on the fast train back up.

All the more reason for us to perervere, take it slow, lose it slowly but surely and let our brains stay in line with our bodies.

Which is why I think "Biggest Loser" is a pure D crock of BS. One guy this season has lost 70 lbs. Good for him. But he's done it in 3 weeks. 3 WEEKS!!!!! That's ridiculous. He'll never keep it off. Sorry to be a doubter, but I just don't believe his brain is ready for the long haul. And I hate that for him. Life is really not a competition. Weight loss is not a competition. If they wanted to make that show great, they'd keep everyone on it the whole time, not vote people off. Let them all work together, like we're doing here, support each other and cheer each other on. That'd be more interesting to me. Also, teach us more about cooking. Get in that kitchen and show us how to make delicious foods lower in calories. That's the secret. Not some pill, shot or liquid diet....that does fake before and afters. Pooh.

I want to make my own show!!!!!!!

Slammmoo21

Wow....I believe it happens....but its sad

missyyclaire

Guess I'm the only one here who has a success story from one of these big weight loss companies? Nutrisystem worked for me. I'm not touting them, just saying I know for a fact their before and after photos to be the real deal. I lost 67 pounds on their food plan in 2007, THEN sent in my before and after shots on a whim and was invited to Philly for a photo shoot weekend. There were about 100 of us if I remember correctly, in all stages of weight loss, with a great variety of stories about how/why we were overweight and all with our before pics in hand. I, along with the rest of the group, was featured on their website for a year or so. Yes, we were paid $500 for going to Philly, flights and food paid as well but none of us were faked or photoshopped!
What I learned from Nutrisystem, as I've kept off about 40 pounds, was portion size. What I didn't learn was proper nutrition combinations because the food is done for you. But, it was still a great kick start to my lifestyle change, one that has continued in my life.
I'm new to MFP, and enjoying it thoroughly!, and so I haven't figured out how yet or I'd happily upload my own before and after pics!
Good luck to all.:happy:

I like your story. I love that you're here. Stay around a long time. So many folks here are doing this the smart way, the sane way, the slower gentler way.

As for proper nutrition...just eat colors, natural beautiful colors, lots of fiber too, leaner meats and less salt. Which is basically everything that comes from nature and not cellophane. Start seeing processed foods, even most frozen dinners, as JUNK that should be in a JUNK yard and not our bodies. We are not a landfill. We a beautiful, caring, feeling beings that should be fed beautiful colorful food.

Wouldn't it be great to get a cookbook from 100 years ago or more and see the difference in it to the ones now with all the processed ingredients?

MsFitnFabulous

It's sad what people will do to make a buck.

Shame on the guy and the company.

Nikkei1984

Advertising is so skewed. When I did my PT course, we were told about Lucozade advertising that their drink made athletes perform up to 10 times better than water alone. What they didn't say was that the study was based on sugar in water. I also hate the mascara adverts when they use false lashes and there is small print at the bottom of the screen that either says styled with lash inserts or enhanced in post production! RUBBISH!