A fit figure will
always be in style, but too often people want the easy way out. While fitness
trends come and go,
the endless supply of infomercials and fitness fads are
often meant for one purpose — to slim down your wallet. From fat-burning pills to the Shake Weight, click through the slideshow to learn about some of the odder, yet strangely popular, ways people have marketed fitness.
Anything in a Chair
Lots of people would
love to lose weight sitting down. They’re willing to slide, rock, and twist
away the pounds from their waistline.
The most blatant opportunistic offender is the Hawaii Chair. Its swiveling base is supposed to tighten your abs while you sit. Unfortunately, sitting is the antithesis of exercise. Nevertheless, the makers of these chairs are millionaires now thanks to people who didn’t know any better.
The most blatant opportunistic offender is the Hawaii Chair. Its swiveling base is supposed to tighten your abs while you sit. Unfortunately, sitting is the antithesis of exercise. Nevertheless, the makers of these chairs are millionaires now thanks to people who didn’t know any better.
Things That Vibrate & Jiggle
Sure, those
vibrating lap belts from the 1950s seemed like a silly way to stay in shape,
but that didn’t stop people from making more jiggly things like the Shake
Weight. This vibrating dumbbell became a media sensation on novelty value
alone.
You’re better off saving the $20, buying regular dumbbells, and doing time-tested exercises like curls, lifts, and presses.
You’re better off saving the $20, buying regular dumbbells, and doing time-tested exercises like curls, lifts, and presses.
Toning Shoes
There are a lot of
shoes on the market that promise to sculpt everything from your butt down just
by walking. Companies like Skechers use celebrities such as Kim
Kardashian and Brooke Burke to promote toning shoes as a good
way to stay fit. At around $100 for the shoes, they probably cost more
than the shoes you’re wearing now but they don’t do anything different,
according to a study by the American Council on Exercise.
Electric Ab Belts
Someone thought
using similar shock technology utilized in some physical therapy treatments was
a way for people to get a six-pack. These belts shoot electrical impulses into
your abs, causing your muscles to contract instantly. The hope is to have abs
lean enough to scrub your shirt while you’re still wearing it.
Top of the line ab belts can run as high as $200, which is money that can be better spent on a gym membership. The belts don’t work, and they can even be dangerous. Would you shock yourself for lower cholesterol? Then don’t do it for tighter muscles!
Top of the line ab belts can run as high as $200, which is money that can be better spent on a gym membership. The belts don’t work, and they can even be dangerous. Would you shock yourself for lower cholesterol? Then don’t do it for tighter muscles!
Pole Dancing
This new exercise
trend is all the rage among young women who want to look sexy while getting
fit. As videos on the Internet illustrate, home poles often come loose or
sweaty hands lose their grip. While pole dancing might bring some spice into
exercise, it’s best left to highly-trained professionals.
Weight Loss Pills & Powders
Weight loss in a pill
sounds too good to be true — and it is. These “miracle” pills that supposedly
boost metabolism often contain hydroxycitric acid, chromium picolinate, or
ephedra, which either have absolutely no nutritional value or can cause adverse
side effects, especially on the heart.
Your money is better spent on healthier food, or even green tea, a tested way to fight obesity and protect your body against disease.
Jane Fonda, Cher,
O.J. Simpson, and that guy from Jersey Shore who’s always pulling up his shirt
might be famous, but that doesn’t make them fitness experts. There’s a lot of
junk peddled out there in the name of celebrity endorsement, so be wary of
these fitness products. You have to wonder if you’ll stick with a DVD longer
than some of their fame will last.
Then again, Chuck Norris made one, so they can’t all be bad
Your money is better spent on healthier food, or even green tea, a tested way to fight obesity and protect your body against disease.
Celebrity Fitness Videos
Then again, Chuck Norris made one, so they can’t all be bad
Most Everything in an Informercial
If it includes bad
actors, awkward equipment, unbelievable promises, fine print, and bleach-bottle
blondes, it’s probably garbage. And that’s the formula for almost all those
late-night infomercials hocking magic equipment that target abs, buns, or
anything else you want turned into steel.
If you think obtaining the body of a Greek goddess for four easy installments of $19.99 sounds ridiculous, then you’ve got your head on straight.
The moral of the
story: it’s not a workout if there’s no work involved.
The key to staying in shape is getting exercise, eating a balanced diet, and drinking adequate amounts of water. The important part of fitness is sticking to an activity. Find one you like and stick to it to get fit and stay in shape.
If you think obtaining the body of a Greek goddess for four easy installments of $19.99 sounds ridiculous, then you’ve got your head on straight.
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The key to staying in shape is getting exercise, eating a balanced diet, and drinking adequate amounts of water. The important part of fitness is sticking to an activity. Find one you like and stick to it to get fit and stay in shape.
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