Weight-loss claims exaggerate real evidence.

Anyone exposed to commercials on television, radio or the Internet has probably witnessed ads for diet products that claim to absorb fat or block calories in the digestive tract.

It is "buyer beware" when choosing weight-loss products

Many of these nonprescription supplements base their claims on a kernel of scientific fact, but the truth is that these claims are usually greatly exaggerated.

The active ingredients in many diet products can often be shown to absorb carbohydrates or fat in a test tube. But they usually don’t contain enough ingredient to cause a significant reduction in weight.

The same problem occurs with diet formulas that swell up in the gut to create a feeling of fullness — supposedly reducing the urge to overeat. While this sounds like a logical approach to lose weight, it ignores the simple fact that many overweight people don’t stop eating when their stomach signals that it is full. Even worse, if the diet aid decreases food absorption, someone may eat more to compensate.

When Australian researchers conducted a comprehensive review of nonprescription weight-loss products, they found that most products’ claims were misleading or unfounded.

An Australian newspaper listed the products that recent scientific studies showed didn’t work. These include: caffeine, capsaicin, L-carnitine, chitosan, chromium picolinate, ginkgo biloba, grapeseed extract, lecithin, horse chestnut, pectin, St. John’s wort and sweet clover.

The old saying “Buyer Beware” applies when dealing with quick weight-loss products.

The only true and lasting way to lose weight is through a well planned program developed by a medical professional.

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Are you ready to lose weight but aren’t sure how to start? Worry no more. Follow these five simple steps to weight loss today. No more delays. No more waiting until next week. No more looking for the perfect diet. No more fad diets that cost bushels of money and don’t work. Follow these simple and effective steps and you’ll get started losing weight today, and keep it off tomorrow.

3 Small Balanced Meals and 2 Healthy Snacks a Day - the Key to Successful Weight Loss

1. Carry a journal.

Make sure you write in that journal! Every single thing that you swallow should be written in your journal, preferably as soon as you swallow it. If you finish your daughter’s leftover Pop-Tart at breakfast, write it down. Sample a cookie at the office? Write it down. Just a “taste” of the stew you’re making for dinner? You’ve got it: Write it down! Writing down what we eat and drink forces us to be aware of what we’re putting in our mouth. It also gives us an easy way to track our intake and decide what changes we want to make.

2. Ask the question “why?”

Every time you start to eat or drink, ask yourself one word: Why? Why am I eating this? Am I hungry, tired, bored, stressed, lonely? The correct answer is simple: hunger. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat. Figure out what you need to do to satisfy that emotion: Take a walk, read a book, call a friend — just don’t eat if you’re not hungry.

3. Eat to lose weight.

That’s right, if you skip meals you won’t lose weight. Why not? Because then you’ll get so hungry that you snack, or eat more than you want to, or end up feeling miserable and quit right away.

Everybody needs to eat and deserves to eat three meals per day. Small healthy snacks, too. And forget those skimpy little diet meals. They just leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. A meal should include whole grains, fruit and vegetables, protein and even a small amount of fat.

4. Enjoy your favorite things.

If you’ve ever tried to completely avoid your favorite food, then completely lost control and devoured the entire bag of cookies, you know what I’m talking about. Stuck on chocolate? Eat one delicious, exquisite piece of high-quality chocolate every evening. Savor that chocolate. Sit down, relax, and do nothing but enjoy the flavor, texture and experience of eating the chocolate. Eat slowly, enjoying every bite. And whatever you do, don’t feel guilty. A small portion of your favorite food will keep you satisfied and happy — and losing weight.

5. Get Your Body Moving – Anyway Possible.

Everyone can move something. If you have bad knees you can still exercise your arms or even do water exercises in a pool.Walk the dog in the morning before work, take the kids for a bike ride after school, or listen to favorite music while using your treadmill. Even housework can become exercise if you move vigorously enough.There simply are no excuses for not moving. Every day. Start with five minutes and add 1-5 additional minutes every week until you’re moving for at least 60 minutes every day. You can spread the activity times apart if you want: vacuum for 10 minutes in the morning, take a brisk 15-minute walk at lunch, ride bikes with your sweetie after dinner for 30 minutes and carry out garbage (at a fast clip) for 5 minutes.

There you have it: five simple, easy-to-start steps toward weight loss and long-term weight management. What’s holding you up? Get moving!

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