3 Weight Loss Gimmicks You Should Never Try, According to Experts

The most fundamental truth regarding weight loss, is that reducing your calories and subscribing to fitness and diet gimmicks does not result in losing weight. If you want to shed excess pounds and retain your health in the process, you need to be consistent with what you do, meaning exercise and with what you eat, meaning a nutritionally balanced diet. Being overweight is almost always a matter of an unhealthy practices and a lack of consistency.

Detox Diets & Juice Cleanses

Juice cleanses can be effective when used correctly and for short periods of time. When used as a means to jumpstart your metabolism or as a starting point to transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. But diets that severely restrict calories or large varieties of food, typically don’t lead to lasting weight loss and may not provide all the nutrients you need. Juice cleanses are usually low in protein, and can lead to muscle breakdown and nutritional deficiencies. Depriving the body of vitamins and minerals we get from food can actually weaken the body’s ability to fight infections. When purchasing juice cleanses be mindful that some are not pasteurized and can contain harmful bacteria that can make you sick. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there have been several actions taken against companies selling detox/cleansing products because they contained potentially harmful ingredients.

Waist Trainers

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian credit corsets—which are designed to squeeze you so tight that you actually stay that way—for their slim waists and killer curves. But in reality, waist cinching is more likely to just make you uncomfortable and cause several short or long term damage. Waist trainers can cause heartburn, increase indigestion, decreased lung capacity, chafing, bruising and bloating due to increased pressure on the bowels. In fact, the National Institute of Health has found not clinical links to the effectiveness of waist trainers. So why put yourself through such discomfort for little to no return on your investment?

‘Weight Loss’ Teas

According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, teas that claim to aid in weight loss can contain potentially harmful ingredients like senna which can cause issues like bowel dependency and other potentially harmful side effects such as, bloating, gas, nausea and diarrhea. Increased usage often causes potassium depletion and other electrolyte abnormalities. While some of these teas may cause some initial weight loss, it’s usually a result of dehydration and temporary metabolism changes that are very unlikely to last without overall changes in diet and exercising.

Retailers are constantly trying to trick consumers into buying into fitness and diet fads that will allegedly make getting fit easy and effortless, but the truth of the matter is that there is absolutely no substitute for hard work. Consistency and hard work are the two most important factors when it comes to achieving sustainable weight loss. Don’t allow yourself to be fooled by gimmicks. Working out and sticking to a healthy diet should complement one another in order to lose weight in a healthy way. Losing weight requires a lifestyle change, especially if you want it to stay off. Get up, start moving, eat a nutritionally balanced diet and you’ll be well on your way!