If you don’t live under a rock, and you have social media, chances are you’ve heard of self-proclaimed products that promise significant weight loss and a new lease on life from your friends. Either they have tried it or they are selling it. That’s right, we are talking about belly wraps, Herbalife and other products that claim to help you rapidly lose weight with no extra effort from you. These products fill our Facebook newsfeeds with high promises and even sometimes promise an income in addition to health. But do they really work, are they really safe, do they help keep the weight off, or are they just a scam? We will uncover the truth of health gimmicks, to further help you decide which of these options, if any, are right for you.
Belly wraps are said to be a contouring tool that will help tighten, tone and infuse your belly with high-intensity chemicals that are said to create ultimate results. These claims are intriguing because these claims come with mesmerizing before and after photos that would make anyone take notice and want to try for themselves. They don’t necessarily even have to be placed around the belly, as they can be placed around your neck, arms, thighs etc. and are said to encourage inches upon inches lost during your journey for a better body. For $15 to $25 a pop, you can pick up one of these bad boys to try for yourself. But do they really work?
According to realself.com, the results from body wraps are actually temporary. They say that sure, it would be great to use to look slimmer before a big event, but they have not yet been proven for long-term weight loss. If you go to the “it works” wrap site itself, they note that their product can minimize cellulite appearance, improve skin tightness, and tighten, tone and form the targeted area. Although all of that sounds promising, they do have a disclaimer that notes that results may vary and they are not guaranteed. The FDA notes that “There is no scientific or clinical evidence to support the use of body wraps or sauna suits for controlling weight. Nor is there any data to back up promoters’ claims that these products will eliminate cellulite and bulging fat, or make ‘spot reductions’ possible, or improve the ‘calorie burn rate,’ or control appetite. Accordingly, there are no FDA-approved body wraps or sauna suits”. Furthermore, the “FDA had previously notified the body wrap companies that their products’ labels were false and misleading and that they had failed to register or list their products with FDA as required by law. Listings in the Enforcement Report will not necessarily be the end to FDA dealings with these quacks, as the agency will still be free to use regulatory or legal actions in the cases,” per their website.
When it comes to Herbalife, it is easy to want to take part in such a product that claims to help you significantly reduce weight with no added effort to you. Even Zija falls under this category, as sort of a sister to Herbalife. Let’s face it, our daily activities force us to not have enough time in the day sometimes to really focus on ourselves and health. We may not have time to exercise or even meet the three meal a day requirement. So, by nature, taking supplements and shakes said to help you lose the pounds with no extra effort, sounds divine. The level of Herbalife products range from far and wide. They harbor everything from meal replacement shakes, to vitamins, energy supplements, health supplements and even a line of products for athletes that encourage further bulking and performance enhancement. What people don’t know, is that a lot of the ingredients found in Herbalife and products alike, can be bought over the counter at a health and nutrition store for half the cost. Okay, we get it, having to do research to find out what those supplements are that you would personally need for your personal goals might be challenging, which makes Herbalife all more appealing. The company creates all you ever need into one product in a perfectly wrapped bow, with no research or physical exertion from you to help you meet your weight loss goals.
However, is it too good to be true? Well, according to hesca.org, fructose is a naturally occurring sugar that can be found in Herbalife products. Of course, because the sugar is found in fruits and other natural sources, it’s pretty safe, but not at the level of which you would find in an Herbalife product. Herbalife serves you with 9 grams of sugar, which is much higher than what you would find in products over the counter. Not only do their products exhibit high levels of sugar, but low levels of protein and fiber. In addition, there have been several complaints from those who have tried it, that it took several months to lose just five or six pounds. However, there have been several clinical trials conducted on their products that claim that their products are legitimate and can be of some benefit to you. Yet, Herbalife has been sued and lost and has been investigated as a pyramid scheme as well.
Regardless of your weight loss journey and goals, and whether these products sound appealing to you or not, we always encourage that you take an active part in your health by doing avid research into the products you use. Sometimes, products can be misleading and ineffective. We don’t discourage or encourage the use of any products like these. The point is to make sure you remain knowledgeable and informed about the things that you put in your body, especially when they come with a hefty price tag like Herbalife and body wraps. Yet, we would never discourage anything that would take away from building a better lifestyle for yourself. Anything that will help catapult a person into a healthier lifestyle when it comes to eating right and exercising, even supplementation, we can definitely get behind.
