Weight loss scams and how to spot them
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Anything sold in a MLM scheme.11
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I wonder how much it cost to discover that people not ready to self-monitor calories won't see substantial weight change by self-monitoring calories.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.
I bet a smartphone app for getting off, say, the couch and running a 5K wouldn't produce substantial results for someone not ready to get off the couch and run a 5K, either.
Or maybe Word and Scrivener don't produce substantial writing from people not ready to write.
It seems like an actual, legitimate, useful question would be whether such apps help people who are ready to undertake the actions for which the app is designed, not whether it can magically produce results for those who aren't.13 -
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.
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I think it would be better to make a list of what "DOES" work.
There would only be one item on the list...
1. Promotes "healthy" weight loss (no more than 2 lbs. per week) through "diet" and "exercise".
The end...:)7 -
- When there is as much pressure (or more) to sell the product yourself as there is to purchase it.11
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bcalvanese wrote: »I think it would be better to make a list of what "DOES" work.
There would only be one item on the list...
1. Promotes "healthy" weight loss (no more than 2 lbs. per week) through "diet" and "exercise".
The end...:)
So true. But sadly, some people don't want to hear that. I've seen more than one thread here that goes something like...
OP: "Hey! I just started using <insert weight loss scam here>! Anyone else using it? I need friends - let's support each other!"
25 different MFP posters: "That's a scam. Please don't waste your money."
Person with 2 previous posts: "Hey! I'm using <insert weight loss scam here> too! Sent you a friend request! Let's do this!"
OP: "Yay! I accepted!"
End of thread.
So, yeah....I love the 'weight loss scams and how to spot them' list. It's well worth it even if it helps only a few folks here who are willing to think it through a bit before falling for the scams.
So true.
It's just a shame that so many people cannot see through the BS, and the scammers are making billions of dollars a year off of that.3 -
Vague claim about how {insert exotic far off or ancient people here} have always known about or benefited from {insert selling point of product/plan here}. And now you can know what they knew, for only {insert price here}.5
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stevencloser 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.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.
Indeed.
And cameras don't take photos because I don't push the button.
And water doesn't clean things because I haven't washed my car.
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If it involves the amputation of a limb.1
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Great conversation, Orphia.
Today my man and I were in Walmart and I was looking for the protein bars. Right above the protein bars were boxes of weight loss products-green tea, hydrocut, raspberry keytones, etc. etc., all right next to the Diuretics. I believe one of those weight loss products had "as endorsed by Dr. Oz" on it.
The thing they all had in common was that they promised miraculous results, and most of them were part of weight loss breakthrough technologies. It was astounding.
What is even more astounding is that about two years ago I was in Kmart looking for those same type of weight loss products. Thanks goodness I didn't buy that green tea that was in my hand, Instead, I figured out that the weight loss product would never make me lose weight but the calorie deficit would, and if I could lose weight eating less than I burn then the weight loss product was completely unnecessary.6 -
Any time that you see a commercial or magazine ad and there is a bunch of super fine print that you can barely read, should be an immediate red flag! Especially when you get a chance to read it and they mention that the participants exercised and were on a low calorie diet while taking the product...3
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Don't mind me. Just bumping useful posts. Nothing to see here...
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Gotta hedge on that one though: the Dr. Oz blogs are given a pass. Several of my favorite apps are there.Liftng4Lis wrote: »
http://blog.doctoroz.com/oz-experts/5-mobile-apps-to-help-you-achieve-21st-century-wellness1 -
This needs immediate favored/most helpful thread status.1
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One Main give-away (usually indicates an MLM)
The seller will post up about how great their weight loss programme is but you have to PM them for more info....
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Bumping with this awesome list from @HippySkoppyHippySkoppy wrote: »Dear Op:
Words/Proclamations that will help show you how to Spot a Weight Loss Scam Woo
Appearing in no particular order of importance:
[*] BOOSTS YOUR METABOLISM
[*] RESET YOUR METABOLISM
[*] CURES *insert random opposing ailments and feels*
[*] Insert credit card number here
[*] Dr OZ
[*] Claims that "THEY" (whoever "They" are) have tried to keep this fat burning miracle formula a secret from the people
[*] MIRACULOUS/UNIQUE
[*] Individual results may vary
[*] Pic of some random with a newspaper/magazine in their hands followed by their testimonial....
[*] Game Changing
[*] Fat Burning
[*] Like no other
[*] Permanent
[*] No need to count calories
[*] Exclusive Diet Plan
[*] No credible studies to show the veracity of their claims
[*] Works only in conjunction with diet and exercise
[*] EXTREME
[*] RIPPED - *number of days*
[*] FAST - *ditto*
[*] SHREDDED - *and again*
[*] Drastic changes in as little as *insert number* Days
[*] Celebrity endorsement *run - Singing La La La, loudly if you see a Kardashian with a bottle/pill of something in their hands*
[*] Guaranteed to work
[*] First shipment FREE......
[*] after which a new shipment will be ordered for you every month.....even when you don't want the damn thing anymore, have tried to cancel the order but the phone doesn't work (or you can't even find a number)...your e-mails languish in limbo and they are NEVER replied to.....
Whew that's me done....I just KNOW others would know many more and I hope they chime in with examples of their own.
OP - I hope you don't feel I am being unkind here with this list....I am trying to inject a bit of humour.
I hope to that my input and other responders here will help you to save your money. These things come and go all the time and scammers will go to incredible lengths to lie to genuine people, in an effort to line their own pockets.
Believe me I have fallen victim to the too good to be true lies myself in the past and many on MFP can relate to that experience themselves.
Please don't buy into this pixie dust....do the CICO...it's free. Weigh and log everything you eat. Eat at a sensible deficit and eat foods you enjoy, exercise for your health....have patience.
All the best.4 -
Zombie !0
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I have tried a huge percentage of 'products' available. You name it and I've probably tried it or researched it heavily in hope that this would be the one that would 'change my life'. I have learnt that any product claiming to change your life or 'drop pounds twice as fast' are money-making scams preying on the vulnerable. Yes - Vulnerable.
Weight loss is such a huge issue all over the world and unfortunately, there are some people out there (I was for sure) who would do anything imaginable to drop those extra pounds. It doesn't matter how shocking the side effects potentially are, as long as those remaining pounds are OFF, Who cares right? Awful. I've learnt not to put anything artificial - any 'diet pill' into my precious, strong body. The body that - YES is carrying a little more weight than I'd like - but has carried me through my entire life and all the testing situations that comes with it. To load myself with god knows what chemicals that are in these little pills and to restrict my body what is NEEDS to survive is just an absolute degradation.
I'm quite passionate about this and if I could tell any young girl (or ANYONE) thinking of trying something that promises them happiness in themselves, I'd say stop right now. By all means lose weight if you feel you would benefit from it, but save your money for awesome new clothes and gifts to yourself after you've done things properly and safely 6 -
Not a zombie thread, this should be a sticky.4
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Very good. Thanks. 
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