$30 Billion a Year for Weight Loss?

Posted on July 28, 2008

Yup. $30 billion in one year is what Americans spend for weight loss products and programs according to the Federal Trade Commission. It sounds ridiculous, but somehow people are buying into the hype.

We’ve all seen the TV commercials and the internet/print ads that guarantee fast, miraculous results. Guess what? Those products don’t work. No pill is going to magically make you skinny and in better shape overnight.

I seriously find myself laughing at some of these commercials I see on TV. The black and white “before” pictures with the sad face and then the colorful, happy “after” picture. I always look for the small print too. It’s usually super tiny at the bottom and it says something like “Results not typical. Exercise and a healthy diet are encouraged while taking this product.” You can barely see it on the screen and it isn’t up for long.

Again, no pill is going to magically make you skinny or in better shape. You can’t “melt” away fat by taking a pill. You can’t “flatten your belly” overnight by taking a pill. You can’t “block” fat or calories from a pill either.

Read a great article here from a doctor about diet pills and why you don’t lose anything but money when you believe the hype.

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Comments

  • http://weightloss.dailytidbit.com/weight-loss/30-billion-a-year-for-weight-loss/ Weight Loss » Blog Archive » $30 Billion a Year for Weight Loss?

    [...] Original post by Blake Hagen [...]

  • http://kipandcarolyn.blogspot.com Carolyn Holderness

    This is so true. Kip and I also laugh at those commercials that go from a bleak black-and-white to a happy colorful scene. But like you said, the way to be healthy is not a secret. Eat better and exercise. I think we all know that. I guess lots of folks just want an easier solution!

  • http://katycox.com Katy

    The problem with your suggestion is that it involves work! LOL and I need to lose weight and i don’t want to do all that lol!

    Katy´s last blog post..Got Lose Weight I’m Really Getting Fat Argh!