Gimmicks and Quick Fixes

With the arrival of Memorial Day I’ve noticed a barrage of weight loss commercials and ads.  Glossy photographs of skinny, fit people who have supposedly wrapped, shaked or pilled their way healthy.  It’s time to once again prey upon our panic that it’s bathing suit time and we still live in our winter bodies.   Promises to lose ten pounds in five days.  Promises to drop unwanted belly fat without exercise.   It’s really sad how many people fall victim to these promises.  Thousands of dollars are spent each year looking for the magic and thousands of dollars are wasted.

Lucky for me, I’ve only fallen victim to one or two of these gimmicks.  I’m pretty conservative about what I put in my body.  Anything that involves chemicals is out and most of these gimmicks involve some type of chemical you’ll either ingest or put on your body.  What most people don’t get is that these gimmicks and quick fixes will not bring lasting change because they don’t include a lifestyle change.  So, even in the unlikely event you drop the weight, the minute you stop ingesting or wrapping, you will be right back where you started, minus a few dollars.

This year’s fad involves wrapping your body in chemicals to lose inches.  It amazes me how so many people willingly place chemicals on their skin.  Our skin is one of our largest organs.  Creams and rubs placed on it get right into our body’s systems through our pores.  It’s actually the quickest entry to our body.  Why would you willing rub unknown cancer causing agents on your skin rather than change your eating habits or exercise?   Why would you risk your health to lose inches that will be back in a short time?  It makes no sense and I wish people would hit a pause button and really read and research before rubbing anything on their body.  Would you smoke a pack a day if it meant you’d lose an inch in a week?   Likely not.

Other commercials I’ve watched on sleepless mornings involve drinking our way thin. Some of the shakes contain healthy nutrients, so this could be slightly better.  But, the minute you stop drinking shakes and eating the same old food, your weight will go right back up.  Seriously, do you plan to live on shakes forever?  Without food overhaul it won’t be a lasting change.

What about all these juice cleanses.  Drinking juice all day long.  First, our bodies have the ability to detox themselves.  That’s actually the purpose of our liver.  Filling up on sugar found in juice for hours on end is not healthy.  Juice from organic fruit is healthy, yes, but anything in excess places a strain on our body’s digestive system.  We surely do not need gallons of juice in one day or week.  One glass is quite enough for health purposes.

What about HCG drops, or injections to rapidly drop thirty pounds in less than a month.  These pregnancy hormones are another of the latest trends in weight loss. These drops, coupled with a 500 calorie a day diet promise great results.  People, can we think for a minute here.  Do you really need to take drops that mess with your hormones to get results?  Umm, I think if you starve yourself and only eat 500 calories a day you’d lose weight without the drops.  So, what are you gaining here except chemicals messing with hormone balance and unhealthy eating.   Our bodies need way more than 500 calories to sustain themselves.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone has to say it, there are NO quick fixes or gimmicks that will give you what you seek.  It takes hard work and discipline to win this battle.  There are no answers to be found outside your heart and brain.  You are in the fight for your life and looking for shortcuts in bottles, wraps or pills will likely cause more harm than good.  At the very least, you’ll be a bit poorer and still unhealthy.  At worst, you’ll find yourself in a real health battle for your life.

Today, I’m asking you to rethink the notion that quick is better.  Resist the pressure from friends to jump on the latest bandwagon.  When someone tells you they dropped all their weight through some quick fix, congratulate them and walk away fast.  Resist temptation to plunk your money down because I guarantee within a short time that person will be right back where they started.  Think about it and I’m sure you already know someone whose been through this cycle.  Read and read some more about anything you are thinking to try.  Don’t just read the site of the product or people that sell it.  Read the research and reviews.  If it’s quick and easy I guarantee it’s built on bull—-.

Join me on the long, slow path to lasting change.  Treat your body like your temple and don’t place chemicals in or on it.  Whenever possible eat organic, healthy whole foods.   Commit to moving 30 minutes per day, drink lots of water and get restful sleep each night.  That’s seriously all you need to do to be healthy.  Nothing more and no chemicals required.

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Author: Laura Kump

I'm on a mission to reclaim my health. Life and a high stress job led me to forming many unhealthy habits, leaving me living in fear for my future self. Using a science based plan, I made small changes that have helped me achieve better health and fitness and put me on the path to meet my goals. As a certified health coach, I make healthy living accessible for all by keeping it simple. Many times health can feel overly complicated, but I've found ways to show people that small targeted changes can empower them to live healthier lifestyles. For instance, traffic light eating can totally change your lives. Knowledge is a super power and I look forward to sharing it with you. View all posts by Laura Kump