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Have you ever been in the situation of eating/exercising the way you were once told was right, only to be corrected and informed that you're doing it all wrong based off of some new study? With all of the "fad" diets out there and SO many people looking to "get rich quick", it can be so difficult to decipher who is in our corner and who is just plain full of "it". It has been estimated (by the Center for Disease Control) that an astonishing 66% of Americans are overweight, 32% of them categorized as obese.
According to the Women's Center for Healthy Living, the weight loss industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the Unites States. It is estimated by analysts that almost 30 billion dollars a year is spent on all different types of weight loss products and collateral materials. While the industry continues to develop more and more methods of weight loss which include, nutrients, supplements, fitness centers, tapes, books and diets, Americans continue to gain weight. In fact, in the United States, medical experts are calling obesity a modern-day epidemic.
So, with all of these programs, literature, and supplements that are so readily available, where can we get the hard FACTS about what really works? The Wall Street Journal posted a Consumer Action article that detailed the top 10 FACTS that these "miracle" cure creators and others in the weight loss industry DON'T want you to know:
- "The thing most likely to shrink is your wallet." Based on the fact that nearly 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, weight-loss marketers are motivated to squeeze every penny from desperate dieters, irregardless of their effectiveness.
- "We're big fat liars." Fact is, most claims made by weight-loss programs are likely to be false. In September 2007, the Federal Trade Commission released a study that found 55% of ads strain credibility by making such claims as "works three times faster than fasting itself" or "lose up to 2 pounds daily." Says Richard Cleland, an assistant director at the FTC: "The ads are filled with testimonials about amounts of weight that are just physiologically impossible for a person to lose. You just don't lose 30 pounds in 30 days."
- "Qualifications? Check out these photos." Even though weight loss should be more about health than about squeezing into one dress size smaller, don't expect your local weight-loss center or diet pill supplier to be staffed with certified nutritionists.
- "Our supplements could kill you . . ." Just because it's "all natural" or "herbal" doesn't make it safe. In 2005, Metabolife (the largest maker of Ephedra) was found to be responsible for over 100 deaths and thousands of other health complaints.
- ". . . and no one's regulating us." Because dietary supplements are not drugs, they don't need to be proven safe before they reach the marketplace. Manufacturers don't even have to register with the Food and Drug Administration or get approval before they sell supplements. What is required? Not much, except that product labels cannot be misleading. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean you'll always get the full story when purchasing a supplement. For example, instead of listing ephedra [on the label], manufacturers might list its Chinese name, ma huang. Not many people know that they're the same thing.
- "Don't blame us. We just sell the stuff." Increasingly, retailers are being named along with manufacturers as defendants in wrongful death lawsuits involving ephedra. So far, many of the cases involve individuals who used supplements to improve athletic performance, not to lose weight. But with more people (especially teenagers) using ephedra-containing supplements for dietary reasons, retailers are becoming targets for litigation. To avoid problems, some are changing sales policies. GNC now cards people who want to buy supplements intended for use by adults
- "Welcome to fat camp, kid. Get ready to starve." The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 15% of children ages six through 19 are overweight, or nearly triple the percentage from 1980. For kids who won't lay off the Big Macs, more parents are looking into camps that specialize in trimming down chubby children with regimented menus and exercise programs. Sounds promising — just beware: though not all, there are some camps that are like boot camps. The trainers operate from the 'no pain, no gain' mentality.
- "We'll tuck your tummy — and maybe keep you ticking." Over 200,000 gastric bypass surgeries are performed each year. Unfortunately, not everyone can stomach the operation. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the death rate for gastric bypass is three in every 1,000 patients.
- "Forget 'lite' food. Just eat less." The sales of food products labeled "lite," "lean" and "better for you" keep expanding, but so do American waistlines. In June the American Heart Association reported that foods made with fat substitutes can provide some flexibility in a diet but shouldn't be a strategy for weight loss. Why? Reduced-fat versions of products often have the same or even more calories than full-fat versions. Ultimately, says Dr. Robert Eckel of the American Heart Association, obesity is a calorie problem. As he puts it, "Some diets blame obesity on carbohydrates. You can't do that. You have to blame it on calories."
- "Our guarantee: We'll drive you crazy." In the world of weight-loss products, money-back guarantees are routine. The FTC found that 52% of the weight-loss ads it studied contained promises of guaranteed results. But as Ron Berry, senior vice president of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, cautions, "Guarantees are only as good as the company behind them." The FTC is now suing multiple companies involved in marketing various products, alleging that consumers who sought refunds could not reach a customer-service operator.
WOW! That's a lot of information! So, what do these hidden truths tell us?
Basically, what you already know but are afraid to admit: there IS no miracle "skinny" pill, piece of equipment or routine that you can BUY, that will "GUARANTEE" instant results. You're best choice to "guarantee" results is to do what you KNOW works...healthy eating and routine exercise. Read labels, portion control and monitor your calories. Participate in 30-90 minutes of exercise every day. Eat less than you burn & drink plenty of water. The only pills you should be poppin' are daily vitamins and prescriptions.
And, just for fun, here are some other "interesting" facts I found that I though may give you a laugh. (Don't say I never taught you anything!) :D
- Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie. (Well, that explains everything!)
- Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
- It takes 17 muscles to smile, 43 to frown.
- The most push ups ever performed in one day was 46,001 (You can see my picture in the new 2010 Guinness World Book of Records. Sorry, no autographs!)
Hope you learned something and that I made you SMILE!
Until tomorrow...Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!Have an awesome day!
©Fit~NOW~Girl©
