Weight loss scams and how to spot them
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And just in time for the holidays...
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Any doubt, assume a scam.
Guilty until proven innocent.0 -
Anything that requires you to do nothing but something easy, like "lose weight by sitting on the couch" or "lose weight by breathing a certain way"... The real ones that work best are the ones that are clearly hard like Insanity and p90x0
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http://www.bbb.org/blog/2015/01/the-skinny-on-weight-loss-scams/
If you made a resolution to shed a few pounds this year, don’t be fooled by get-slim-quick pills, powders, or juices. It may be tempting to think of slathering on a cream or drinking “detox” tea to drop a size, but all you’d likely lose is money.
How do you avoid being taken in by ads claiming you can lose weight quickly? We pulled together three weight-loss scams that fooled hundreds of thousands of consumers in 2014, and we put together tips to help prevent you from wasting cash to fulfill your resolution this year.
The FTC continues to crack down on fad weight-loss products. Marketers of Sensa advertised that dieters could “sprinkle, eat, and lose weight,” but the FTC ruled that the claims were unfounded. On December 10, the FTC announced that refund checks from Sensa’s $26 million settlement were being sent to consumers who purchased Sensa products. Those eligible will receive a check amounting to around $54.
“Resolutions to lose weight are easy to make but hard to keep,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a 2014 release. “And the chances of being successful just by sprinkling something on your food, rubbing cream on your thighs, or using a supplement are slim to none. The science just isn’t there.”
In April of last year, the BBB serving Connecticut aided in another diet product investigation. Up to 400,000 users of LeanSpa were eligible to receive a refund from an FTC settlement for false “acai berry” and “colon cleanse” weight loss claims. The company, which charged buyers $79.95 for a “free trial,” is now no longer in business, after being forced to surrender assets valued at between $5.9 and 7 million to pay the settlement.
Makers of homeopathic HCG drops are the latest to settle false weight-loss advertising claims. HCG, a hormone produced during pregnancy, commonly used to treat fertility issues, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s not FDA-approved for over-the-counter use, and has been found to have no scientific evidence for weight loss. Side effects for diets containing HCG products have been reported to be swelling, fatigue, restlessness, fluid buildup, blood clots, and hormonal issues in men.
Makers of homeopathic HCG drops are the latest to settle false weight-loss advertising claims. HCG, a hormone produced during pregnancy, commonly used to treat fertility issues, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s not FDA-approved for over-the-counter use, and has been found to have no scientific evidence for weight loss. Side effects for diets containing HCG products have been reported to be swelling, fatigue, restlessness, fluid buildup, blood clots, and hormonal issues in men.
Users of HCG Platinum drops were promised they’d shed between 43 and up to 50 pounds by placing the product under the tongue before eating very low-calorie diets. The drops were labeled “homeopathic,” meaning they contained diluted HCG in levels that were undetectable.
“Fad weight-loss products like HCG drops come and go, but consumers shouldn’t be fooled by their empty promises,” stated Rich on December 11. “The foundation of successful weight loss is to eat a healthy diet and to increase physical activity.”
To help avoid losing money to a weight-loss scam, the FDA advises consumers to look for the red flags that a product won’t do what it claims.
Weight-Loss Scam Warning Signs:
Quick-fix promises, like “lose 10 pounds in one week!”
Language like “scientific breakthrough” or “guaranteed”
Products marketed through mass emails or in a foreign language
“Herbal supplements” claiming similar effects to FDA-approved or prescription drugs
Losing Weight Without the Scams:
Check with your doctor or registered dietician about losing weight healthfully or introducing dietary supplements.
Visit bbb.org to check the company’s BBB Business Review for a record of consumer complaints.
Go with your gut. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Be wary of big claims. If the product promises to help shed an unrealistic amount of weight very quickly, it’s probably a scam.
Avoid the extreme. Look for phrases such as “quick and effective” and “totally safe.”
Be skeptical about testimonials. Don’t trust stories of fast weight loss or incredible results from using diet products.
If you’d like to report an online diet product you believe may be tainted, the FDA urges you to report that information. Be sure to check bbb.org for news of weight-loss product claims, to file a complaint, or to find out more about businesses you can—or can’t—trust.
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htimpaired wrote: »
I have to disagree with this one. I don't know what food babe is but I've lost a good amount of weight completing Beachbody's programs.
They are not a "scam" and claim to help you lose weight while doing nothing. All of the programs are challenging and you have to work hard and commit to completing them. I am currently doing Insanity and it is the most challenging workout I've ever done.
And no, I am not a Beachbody coach.3 -
MeganMcBane wrote: »htimpaired wrote: »
I have to disagree with this one. I don't know what food babe is but I've lost a good amount of weight completing Beachbody's programs.
They are not a "scam" and claim to help you lose weight while doing nothing. All of the programs are challenging and you have to work hard and commit to completing them. I am currently doing Insanity and it is the most challenging workout I've ever done.
And no, I am not a Beachbody coach.
I think everyone is in agreement that the workout programs are good. It is the Shakeology part that is unnecessary and overpriced.
Random thoughts from a father and pharmacist.
Shakeology: Shaking up its foundations
http://pharmadaddy.blogspot.ca/2013/07/shakeology-shaking-up-its-foundations.html?m=1
" So, you are paying for 17 g of protein, which you could get anywhere for SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper, and an insignificant quantity of dried plant powders. Just to give an example of the insignificance of these quantities, I have some quinoa kicking around the house. The ingredient listing states there is 617 mg of quinoa in Shakeology. I couldn’t even weigh this at home as my kitchen scale is not sensitive enough to detect anything under 2 g. So I had to use my chemistry scale at work. The resulting mass of quinoa seeds, in a single layer, was about the size of a loonie.
127 seeds, if anyone’s counting."6 -
MeganMcBane wrote: »htimpaired wrote: »
I have to disagree with this one. I don't know what food babe is but I've lost a good amount of weight completing Beachbody's programs.
They are not a "scam" and claim to help you lose weight while doing nothing. All of the programs are challenging and you have to work hard and commit to completing them. I am currently doing Insanity and it is the most challenging workout I've ever done.
And no, I am not a Beachbody coach.
Yes, I was talking about Shakeology. Not the workouts.0 -
This is my favorite video response to things like this.1
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Lose weight just by walking!
Oh yeah, it does mention "Participants also followed the meal plan included with every TreadClimber" at 00:30 in tiny, hard to read letters at the bottom of the screen.
That wouldn't have anything to do with it would it? Maybe eating less than they are buring? Nah!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqnVszE8QEE1 -
Does it sound too good to be true?1
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Anything that tells you to take something, while eating a balanced and/or low calorie diet. Isn't the purpose of taking something, to begin with; so that you don't have to change your diet?1
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Pretty much, if it sounds too good to be true, it isn't true. There is no substitute for eating a good, well balanced diet with the appropriate amount of calories for your weight and activity level and getting off the couch and moving your body enough to get your heart rate up to 60%-80%. Save your money for good food and a membership to a gym.2
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My favorites are the scams that say in fine print "as part of a diet and exercise regimen", as if that's just a minor part of it and the scam pills, drink, etc is the major contributor.0
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htimpaired wrote: »
There's some good programs on beachbody. I don't do shakeology but some people swear by it. But the workout dvds and even 21 day fix which gets you on board with proper portions, are great.1 -
Someone I have been friends with for years has pretty much stopped talking to me now because I refuse to buy into the program she's used to lose 92 pounds (Isagenix). Sorry, but not eating for 2 days to "cleanse" does not sound appealing and apparently I'm poisoning myself by using whey protein that doesn't come from some special type of cow in New Zealand.3
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htimpaired wrote: »
There's some good programs on beachbody. I don't do shakeology but some people swear by it. But the workout dvds and even 21 day fix which gets you on board with proper portions, are great.
+1/2.
I think the portion control piece of 21DF can be a good tool for people (like me) who need more structure than an IIFYM-type approach (I have not purchased the containers from BB; I Googled until I found the measurements). However, I believe the clean eating/food lists go unnecessarily overboard. I also love their workouts. That said, many of their supplements are chock full o' woo, and I'm just not sure that the workouts balance out the woo.1
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