Weight Loss Ads Full of Baloney

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

http://news1.iwon.com/article/id/522267|top|09-17-2002::14:10|cbs.html

As a former employee of one of those "take this pill, lose weight" companies and I can tell THEY DON"T WORK and they aren't always safe.

 

[preshi]

Gee really... I can't believe people fall for these ad's it's sad and deserate and these companies prey on it. Makes me ill.

 

[anniet]

A couple of years ago I asked my doctor if I could try Metabolife.

She said "Absolutely NOT".

I said "But they say it's All Natural"

Her Reply:

"So is poison Ivy"

 

[Serena]

anniet, that's exactly what I tell my sister every time she comes to me wanting to buy something she's seen on tv.
Not that she needs my permission, and she always gets angry with me, but oh well.

 

[anniet]

I guess I never thought of it like that until my doc put it so bluntly.

I cracked up when she said that, and I never did try it.

 

[binny]

But it's all natural

So's a snake bite you dont see people seeking those out!

Thats what I always tell a freind of mine who insists that if it is natural it is good for you!

 

[snoopy]

Someone here once told us the story of taking one of those Diet pills, I think it was Metabolife. Apparently, she started shaking and then felt dizzy, and thought she might be having a heart attack. That was enough for me to hear. I've never really had a big weight problem, but I can understand how people would get desparate enough to lose weight that they would try anything, but hopefully they will go to Weight Watchers instead. Those pills are scary.

 

[anniet]

I work for an HMO and when people ask if we cover prescription weight loss drugs, I tell them we don't. A couple have gotten very upset with me and I want to say, "Ummm.....excuse me, but were you sleeping through the Phen Phen debacle?"

We did cover phen phen when it was on the market, and I think it's problems are one of the reasons we don't cover any anymore.

 

[Kermit]

Even if there were pills that worked and didn't cause health problems, I don't know how people expect to maintain it. Surely they don't intend to keep taking the pills for the rest of their lives, and unless they learn to modify their diet and exercise routine, it will all come back.

I'm glad to see the FDA taking a stand against such a big industry.

 

[Goofyposter]

weight management is always within our own control....if we are individually willing to do what it takes!....portion control....the type of food we ingest....exercise....count'in calories!!!.....we all have the mechanic's that enable us to determine what we weight......the key is hav'in the mindset to turn that key!

 

[DocRafiki]

So's a snake bite you dont see people seeking those out!

I'm glad to see some sensible people out there who realize that natural doesn't = healthy.

I always list off a bunch of natural poisons, too, when people start on the "natural" bandwagon. That's a huge pet peeve of mine.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Glad to see everyone knows that All Natural does NOT equal All Good.

Most of these pills have ephredra in them, which is natural. But besides speeding up your metabolism, it also speeds up your heart. It's kind of like a "natural" upper. To get to sleep at night you might need a "natural" downer.

What assumed me (not really) was on the product line that I once worked for there were doctor's quotes about how wonderful the products where. One of the "doctors" who raved about it was the CFO of the company! And he was a PhD to boot (not that I'm putting PhDs down...I've got one myself). This guy was raving about the products...meanwhile I can honestly say that this guy was the nastiest ___ (you fill in the blank) and looked like he was about 70, even though he was only in his 50s. It would make me happy if the FDS managed to shut a few of these places down.