Eager to shed pounds, its the more unhealthy and extreme methods and product claims that draw us in.

And the FDA’s take on these claims:

  • Lose weight while you sleep
  • Lose 30 pounds in just 30 days
  • Eat anything you want and still lose weight

Steer clear. That should come as no suprise. I don’t think we really believe them - we just want to.

The Bottom Line - eat less and exercise more.

Whilst there are some products out there that may have a supportive effect, there are no magic bullets. Lose weight too fast and you’re likely to pile it straight back on.

If its a lifestyle and eating pattern that led to weight gain, its logical that only a change in those circumstances will lead to permanent weight loss. And starvation, bingeing, purging and even extremely poor diets that are high in junk food - can all lead to malnourishment. Its odd to think that you can be overweight and malnourished, but its often true. Junk food is a poor source of essential vitamins and minerals.

If you’re looking to buy exercise equipment the FDA has these recommendations:

Be wary of claims a piece of equipment will help you burn calories more easily, and produce ‘effortless results’. Its not true. Unless you’re a top athlete, you’ll still find your body groans a bit under the effort. And you’ll need to put in that effort to get results. But its not all pain - The fitter you get, the more your body seems to like it.

Be wary if equipment is advertised as helping you burn more calories, or lose weight faster than another piece. Here’s their caveat:

“In general, exercise equipment that works the whole body or major parts of it probably helps you burn more calories than devices that work one part of the body. And, the more you use the equipment, the more calories you’ll burn. That’s a good reason to select equipment that suits you and your lifestyle. A study might show that one type of equipment burns more calories per hour than another type. But if the exercise is uncomfortable or the equipment hard to use chances are it will gather dust not help you burn calories.”

And finally - the spot reducing myth!!