Did anybody see CNN a few
weeks ago, when the U.S. military announced that 60% of men and 30% of
women in the ranks were overweight? Now, these are our service personnel,
not civilians. And they’ve all been put on weight loss programs ASAP.
I knew that something was
up, because we have several Army reservists and active duty personnel who
train at my gym, and they’d informed me prior to the news announcement
that they all had to lose 10 pounds within the next couple of weeks. Now,
these guys really look like they’re in shape. In fact, they’re
probably the most fit guys around. It should be easy for them to lose
those 10 pounds!
And believe it or not,
right after that CNN report, there came a commercial for the “new” way
to lose weight and tone up your muscles. It was great placement for a
product that promised to do away with exercise! All you need to do is
strap on the advertised electric pod to the area you want to tone, turn on
the current, and voila, instant results! The commercial shows appealing
video of some guy’s ripped six-pack abs pulsing rhythmically as the
machine “stimulates” them. If you need to lose weight and tone up, it
all sounds like a godsend, but don’t fall for it.
Gosh, this type of
machine is making a comeback. Just like bell-bottom jeans and hip huggers,
what goes around comes around. These electric muscle stimulators that
“electrify” your problem body areas were being sold way back in the
1960s and 70s. Now, a whole new generation gets to try these gadgets—or
should I say, waste their money on them. I’m going to save you all some
cash and help you avoid any returns this holiday: these things don’t
work.
Of course, in tiny little
type on the screen, somewhere it says, “when used in conjunction with a
diet and exercise program…the results shown are not typical.” The
enclosed booklet asks you to modify your diet, and it says you need to do
some cardio exercise, too. Could these be the reasons you’ll eventually
see results? Probably. But hooking your fat up to a battery pack probably
doesn’t help too much on its own.
Anyone can lose weight if
you do moderate cardio training several times a week and watch your diet.
You don’t need to spend your money on a machine—which, by the way,
isn’t cheap. In fact, rather than being merely useless, electric muscle
stimulators can be dangerous to someone who has heart problems. The men
and women in the ad sure do look good, though. They say you’ll see
results fast! Call now!
What I don’t understand
is this: you’ll see results from the diet and cardio alone, so why use
an electric muscle stimulator in the first place? Let me repeat this:
there’s no proof that these machines produce the results they claim.
This exaggeration brings
to mind the “juice diets” that seem to be very popular right now. Ads
are touting the “amazing results” you can achieve in just three days.
You can lose 10, 15, even 20 pounds in a weekend, just by drinking
something that looks like ordinary grapefruit juice. But this miracle
drink is pretty expensive – it goes for $30 or more for a 64 ounce
bottle.
I think this stuff acts
like a laxative, so, get the picture? You’ll be busy that weekend for
sure—in the bathroom. Of course, laxatives can be dangerous if abused,
and you can ruin your health if you get into the laxative habit.
There’s another
commercial on TV that really disturbs me. It’s the one where you order a
three-month supply of the “A.M.” diet pills and the “P.M.” diet
pills for FREE. Now ask yourself, free? Nothing is free. Just what is the
catch? The “spokesmodels” have lost tons of weight, and they want you
to call immediately to receive your free diet product. Good grief.
Or should I say, good
luck?
Do you know what
“caveat emptor” means? It means, let the buyer beware. And I highly
recommend that you abide by that phrase. If something seems too good to be
true, it probably is.
Since I’m on a roll
with TV commercials, I’ll ask you, do we really need to see an
infomercial that’s 30 minutes long? On Sunday morning, nearly every
cable TV channel has an infomercial running before 10 a.m., touting the
claims of the latest, greatest product, item, or method to lose weight and
gain loads of muscle. They really tempt you with those fabulous fitness
models (male and female) who act like they got buff just by using some
“butt cruncher” or other gizmo three times a week.
Come on, people. These
are paid professional spokespersons who are pretty to look at, but are
they really telling us the whole truth? I bet not.
Many people are gullible
to the point of believing that if they purchase the advertised product,
they’ll look exactly like Christy Brinkley or Chuck Norris or whomever
else is plugging the product. My favorite is that guy Tony Little, who
claims he’s “The World’s Greatest Personal Trainer.” He sure is
selling everything. Maybe I’m just being cynical.
With the Holidays upon
us, I urge everyone to continue your exercise and diet regimen, because I
know they work. And if you’re tempted to purchase any exercise product
you see on TV, I have two words for you: Caveat Emptor.
Rick
Moore is a personal trainer certified by the American Fitness
Professionals & Associates. Visit his club, Rick’s Fitness &
Health, in Milton, Delaware or www.ricksfitness.net, or call 302-684-3669.
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