Hey, have you heard about the new miracle fat-loss product?
It’s a special tea.
Or a lollipop.
Or a rubber vest you zip tight around your abdomen.
Or… or… or…
We’ve all seen countless “too good to be true” products guaranteeing help with losing weight “melting” fat and “boosting” metabolism.
It’s easy to chuckle at most of these. They might seem harmless to more than your wallet, although that’s not necessarily true of all of them.
Health scams cost consumers countless millions. And older people are often the target of phone and email rip-offs; those might not be related to health and nutrition products, but they show how con artists prey on vulnerabilities of older people.
Hormones change as we age, for men and women. Our metabolisms slow down. Fat gets distributed in new ways. For correct information and strategies, trust us and your doctor – not someone advertising a quick solution or miracle cure on the Internet.
But even among people with healthy skepticism, some of these ads can be effective and get us curious to try the “latest thing.”
Anthony Wilkins is co-owner of a studio for mature women, and he says clients frequently ask him about a new product. Maybe they’re told they have to sweat a lot or suffer soreness to prove they got a good workout. The false ads often promote similar falsehoods. So, Anthony started addressing them in a series of posts on social media. Here are three of his “favorites.”
Fat Fact #1: Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat!
“This myth should die now and die fast! One pound of fat weighs the exact same as one pound of muscle. That same pound of muscle takes up less space than that pound of fat. This means that you cannot have lost any weight but still be much leaner and drop inches… If you are doing the right things consistently look for other wins that you are having besides simply what you weigh.”
Fat Fact #2: You cannot spot reduce and lose fat EXACTY where you want to!
“You can train certain body parts to make them better, but you have absolutely no control over where you lose fat. Your genetics play a major role in your basic body composition, and you can only change so much. Your focus instead should be on maintaining a consistent level of strength training and good nutrition habits which will lead to long term fat loss success.”
Fat Fact #3: Wearing a waist trainer will not make you healthier!
“It will give you the appearance that you have a slim waist you’re wearing it. But it does not burn fat, build muscle or anything else health related. Where exactly do your internal organs go when they are squeezed together anyway?”
There is no quick fix. No miracle cure. For long-term, healthy living, the key is consistently exercising and eating well.
We’re here to help with these realistic goals. Our only promise? You’ll never regret it.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.