By Shari Fitness of FIT TALK NEWS
I know this article is going to upset many people I know personally as well as professionally, and I don’t want to spoil things for those who are honest and credible over a few bad apples, but I just have to speak up about this.
Trust me, while I am certainly not against anyone trying to earn a living or make extra money to supplement their income, the health and fitness industry is undated with all kinds of scams. Admittedly, I do promote other people’s products and services and supplement my income by doing so. However, I AM a certified Fitness Professional and certified in Fitness Nutrition. I’ve been in the industry selling many good products that contain digestive enzyme with probiotic. I have never promoted any product or service by making ridiculous false claims. Should I have ANY questions, I do have several VERY credible resources in the field of health, fitness, nutrition and sports supplements from supplementsden.com that I can turn to, to double check that I am not unknowingly supporting a product/service making a false claim. Weight loss techniques like the endospheres therapy etc, are recommended by many and one could check for reviews, understand the science of it and then go for it.
I absolutely use, support and recommend nutritional and sports supplements and know that not all products are created equally so please don’t think that I’m against these types of products. I am very choosy with the product lines I use for my own personal use as well as those of my clients.
Buyer beware
There’s a sign posted in a gym that says “Make money while you lose weight. Lose 20 pounds in 30 days “. Can you say SCAM? When you see signs like this, do yourself, your health and your wallet a favor – run the other way!!!
When focusing on weight loss, you want to lose BODY FAT, NOT water and muscle tissue. Sorry but all the weight loss supplements in the world will not help you lose 20 pounds of excess weight and body fat in 30 days. Losing that much weight in a short period of time can actually be harmful to your health and chances are you will gain back the weight you lost plus more which can do further damage to your health.
The people making these false claims are usually NOT credentialed in health, fitness, weight loss or nutrition. Again, I know I will probably anger a lot of people, but the bottom line is that these “distributors” are strictly interested in getting you to buy product and become a product distributor. As a potential consumer or potential distributor, you should do your due diligence to get as much information as possible about the product line.
In some cases, some of these distributors may be credentialed in health, fitness and nutrition and will have a good understanding of the product line and more than likely won’t be claiming that you can lose 20 pounds in 30 days. A responsible product distributor should ask if you are taking any prescription medications or other products, and advise you to check with your doctor before purchasing a product and is an indication of someone you do want to do business with.
People want so desperately to lose weight and even though they logically know that someone promising them they can lose 20 pounds in 30 days is probably a scam, out of desperation, they think they can hit “The Easy Button” and will miraculously lose the weight.
When meeting with a new client, I’m always asked the same question, “How much weight do you think I can lose in a month?” While everyone is different, when I tell them they can lose approximately 5 pounds in a month, they always look at me disappointed. Losing 5 pounds in a month is fantastic!!! If you’re losing approximately 1 pound per week, and if done properly, you’re losing body fat and gaining lean muscle; not losing muscle, tissue and water. By losing body fat and putting on lean muscle, you have a better chance of not regaining the weight you lost.
Another thing I make sure to do is find out if the client is on any prescription medication or taking any sports or nutritional supplements before I recommend any product for them. If they are on any prescription medication, I ask them to check with their doctor first and also check in with my friends in the field of sports nutrition who are also Registered Dieticians. (Note: while I am certified in Fitness Nutrition, I am NOT a Registered Dietician)
Getting back to basics – Exercise and good Nutrition
I know you’ve all heard this before, but it all comes down to good nutrition and exercise. You can take all the product you want, but if you’re not following a nutrition and exercise program, it’s not going to do you any good.
Can the right sports and nutritional supplements help? Yes, they can help provided you are following a proper exercise and nutritional plan, however, you should NOT rely only on product.
Continue with a good nutrition and exercise program and over 12 weeks you can lose 15-20 pounds. You will have dropped body fat and put on lean shapely muscle. Once you’ve reached your goal, that doesn’t mean you should stop exercising and eating right. There are so many fitness options nowadays that everyone can find their best one. Recently I have had a chance to check out Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course designs and I loved it. It combines sports and adventure. I believe it’s a perfect combination.
One of the most respected people in the fitness industry, my friend and fat loss guru, Tom Venuto, does have a great program I highly recommend that can safely and effectively get you on your way towards a better body and improved health with diet and exercise in 49 days. However, he’s not promoting that you’ll lose 20 pounds in 49 days. There’s a big difference.
You can check out his fat loss video here —> Tom Venuto Fat Loss Video
