5 Weight Loss Gimmicks to Never Try

If you've fallen victim to a fanciful weight loss product that promised you the ability to lose in no time at all with zero effort, this article is meant just for YOU. Listen up and learn how to avoid this mistake in the future.

"Take this pill and lose 20 pounds in one week." "Going on a detox will cleanse the body of all toxins." Do any of these statements sound familiar and too good to be true? Well, they most likely are. Fad diets, cleanse diets, and crash diets may sound tempting, but healthy weight loss is a journey and not a quick flip of the switch. Avoid these five weight loss gimmicks and fill your plate with whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables.

5 Weight Loss Gimmicks to Never Try

1. Weight-Loss Supplements

Taking a pill and losing weight. What is not appealing about such an easy fix? Unfortunately, the appeal does not live up to its expectations. Weight-loss supplements can not only be hard on the wallet, but hard on the body. It is critical to pay special attention to the ingredients and research to validate its use, as supplements are not always tested. The key to any supplement is they work as a supplement and do not stand alone in the diet.

2. Diuretics and Laxatives

There is some logic in the utilization of diuretics and laxatives. The use of diuretics, also known as water pills, eliminates excess water and prescribed for individuals suffering serious health conditions such as heart failure and kidney disease. Because laxatives stimulate bowel movements or loosen the stool, they are prescribed for constipation. The elimination effects of both can in fact result in a few pounds lost in a short amount of time. However, it is important to realize the water and body weight lost with both products is different from fat weight lost with a healthy diet and exercise. Diuretic and laxative abuse can result in harmful side effects like muscle cramps, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, heart palpitations, and even death.

3. Cleanse and Detox Diets

Cleanses and detoxes can range from pills to juices. Regardless of the method, the thought of a cleanse and detox is to remove toxins from the body and increase its effectiveness. In reality, the body already works hard to filter and excrete products consumed, especially by the kidneys and liver. Detox drinks are low in calorie and could lead to weight loss because of its calorie deficit, not because of its cleansing effects. The implementation of these types of diets deprive the body of essential nutrients and fiber found in whole, real foods.

4. Waist Trainers

Celebrities have jumped on the waist training band wagon this year. Essentially, waist trainers are tight corsets. Although their comfort level seems minimal, they are utilized in hope to achieve the "hourglass" body shape. The tightness of the corset is also thought to avoid overeating by compressing the stomach. The compression, however, can be a serious health risk. With the waist trainer tight around the diaphragm and lower half of the body, internal organ complications featuring the lungs, gastrointestinal system, and kidneys could occur.

5. Body Wraps

The mummy wrap look from body wraps claims inches off the waist will be lost in just one session. Like diuretics, the body loses body weight from water loss and will be temporary. Dramatic water loss can induce hypovolemic shock, low blood volume caused by dehydration. Although hypovolemic shock is at the extreme spectrum, dehydration can also create unpleasant side effects of light-headedness and irregular heart rhythms. The high dollar amount of body wraps and health risks should not compete with nutrients from food and regular exercise.

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