Fitness Fraud: How to Avoid Fad Fitness Products

R. M. Dubuc
Fad fitness products can be found everywhere these days in the media. Many late night infomercials promote fad fitness products, and the back of magazines are often filled with advertisements boasting quick weight loss or magical fitness products. Buyer beware! Fad fitness products are often overrated, at best, and can be dangerous to the health of unsuspecting consumers. The question most consumers have, who are looking for fitness products which will aid in attempts to get fit or lose weight, is whether the fad fitness product will deliver results. Many people struggle with weight loss and fitness, and fad fitness products are designed to appeal to those who are at the edge of desperation in their weight or fitness struggles. Fad fitness products also appeal to those who have failed in traditional fitness method attempts. Fad fitness products entice unsuspecting consumers with promises of amazing fitness or weight loss results, often including personal examples in advertisements. The advertisements may be slick, and the alleged success stories may seem inspiring, but fad fitness products rarely live up to the hype and advertised results.

How to Spot Fad Fitness Products

There are a number of ways to spot fad fitness products on the market. One of the most telling signs of fad fitness product scams is when an advertisement promises unrealistic results. These type of fad fitness products often include personal success stories and sometimes before and after photos. When you come across fad fitness products that show a woman who weighed 250 pounds and lost 100 pounds in six months, now fitting in a size 2, please take caution. Extreme weight loss by non-traditional fitness and diet methods can be dangerous, and no fad fitness product is going to include the photos of the other 95% of consumers who were unsuccessful with their fad fitness product.

Fad fitness products frequently offer miracle cures. Some of the cleverest advertisements will offer miracle overnight rock-solid abs, immediate disappearing cellulite cures, or pills which will help to lose 20 pounds by next month. Though most consumers have initial doubts about fad fitness products with these type of promises, many choose to ignore their disbelief in hopes of miracle cures to weight loss or fitness problems.

Celebrities sometimes act as spokespersons for fad fitness products. This is another advertisement trick designed to entice consumers to buy the fad fitness product. Even when the particular fad fitness product appears to have worked for a certain celebrity, it is likely that most people do not have the resources that many celebrities have available to them to assist in weight loss or fitness goals. Celebrities are also paid for advertising fad fitness products, which encourages positive endorsements.

The ways that fad fitness advertise may differ, but most fad fitness products offer more in promises than actual results. Miracle cures, instant weight loss, and quick-fix solutions are common themes in fad fitness product advertisements. Celebrity endorsements and compelling success stories only add to the confusion for many potential consumers.

Real Solutions

Fad fitness products cannot compare to more traditional fitness and weight loss methods in the long term. Permanent fitness results can take longer, but the methods are often supported by actual outcomes and accepted by both fitness and medical experts. Fad fitness products are often controversial, and should be questioned by more than one expert when considering a purchase. Consulting a fitness professional, reading reviews about the fad fitness product on sites such as associatedcontent.com, or asking a local fitness expert their opinion are just a few ways to avoid fad fitness product scams. The internet can be a valuable tool for searching for real reviews about fad fitness products, written by people who have had successful or unsuccessful outcomes with the specific fad fitness product.

Alternatives to fad fitness products may seem like more work, but many fitness solutions will have better health and fitness outcomes in the end. Those who have been unsuccessful with traditional exercise strategies should not give up. Walking is one of the best fitness exercises for just about anyone. Swimming, light weight lifting, and exercise classes or videos are other healthy alternatives. A jump rope and exercise mat can be both inexpensive and helpful to those looking for increased fitness.

Fad fitness products can come in many forms, from unapproved by the FDA pills to miracle gadgets. The key to avoiding impulse purchases for fad fitness products relies on knowing what your weight loss or fitness goals are and finding a more realistic option for achieving those goals. In the long run, many fad fitness products often fade into infomercial archives and a new miracle product comes along. Real solutions to weight lose and fitness never change, and the most successful methods won't cost $89.99 plus shipping and handling.

Published by R. M. Dubuc

R.M. Dubuc is a counselor, writer, and doctoral student who has published over 400 online articles on a variety of topics.   View profile

  • There are thousands of fad fitness products on the market for consumers
  • Fad fitness products often promise miracle solutions
  • Advertising for fad fitness products is aimed at people who are looking for a quick solution

To comment, please sign in to your Yahoo! account, or sign up for a new account.