This may come as a shock to you, but not everyone is honest. Some people legitimately JUST want your money and will do things.. ugly things... nasty things... mean things... to get you to sign over your hard earned dough. I'm not referring to individual PEOPLE when I say this, or anyone that I actually know. I'm referring to companies. And, unfortunately, there ARE some very sweet, dear, trusting people who may at some point promote such companies. The companies may provide promising before/after images that seem too good to be true from "product testers" or "long time users."
There are also some completely legit companies that promote healthy products that will do wonders for you and carry through on the promises that they make, assuming you are correctly using their products. So... I compiled a list of ways to make sure you're not getting duped. I know there are many healthy ways to accomplish goals, I, for one, promote Beachbody, but that's not to say that many many other companies, trainers, or products won't work for you. You find your path and you stick to it! Just make sure you're following something that you can trust by following these principles:
1. Avoid anything that seems "too good to be true."
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Many products can cause great outcomes, but only with work and consistency. Nothing is going to get rid of a "trouble spot" permanently without putting in effort over time. Drastic results are often unhealthy and un-maintainable. When presented with before/after pictures, use other things in the pictures to judge the legitimacy of the pictures. Is there any manipulation of the image? Is there a change in more than one area of the body (for example, are the arms more defined?) Is there a difference in the overall size and shape of the pictures? If you're not sure if it's too good to be true, look to the next few items on the list to help you decide!
2. Avoid products that can not provide research other than support from other consultants.
Your friends are great. They really are. They would not dupe you on purpose, I'm sure. But make sure that whatever they are promoting has some backing other than their occasional before/after pictures and a ton of pictures of strangers they post. Check into the people who claim to be "interested" in joining them and do a little research on your own. Some companies promote having their consultants boost each others' posts by feigning interest in joining a company they already work for. Supportive comments from team members is one thing, but don't fall into a trap of believing that every comment is interest from a brand new "client."
4. Be aware of buzz words.
What's in the product? What ingredients does it boast that have the effects you want? What benefits will you get from the product? There are fancy words like "gluten free," "organic," and "all natural" that make people think that the product is superior. But remember, poop is all-natural, and I don't want to smear that on my face or my toast.
4. Avoid "quick fix" results.
There are some great ways to "fix" your habits or "fix" your mindset. These "fixes" are meant to give you a kick start to something that will last longer. You still have to do work. I know several people who have had procedures, such as having their stomachs stapled, to kick start weight loss. For the ones who maintained new healthy habits after that, they've continued to have amazing results. But for those who did NOT change their lifestyle, they are back to where they started. Do not be fooled, you HAVE to put forth effort to have lasting results.
5. Avoid results that are not maintainable.
You can not cut out a major food group from your diet forever. You can not workout three hours a day for seven straight days for twelve months. You can not pull all of the water out of your body to clear the water weight on a daily basis. You can not severely reduce your food intake for more than a few days at a time. Great programs (like Beachbody's 3 Day Refresh) will give you instructions on how to follow up your kick start success to MAINTAIN your results in a healthy way.
6. Don't make a judgment on a product based on one picture.
The camera CAN lie. If your friend LOVES a product or company, follow up with them. Ask for more results pictures. Again, do some research and see what other people have posted about their results. Ask your friends for pictures of their team mates. See how long your friend has been using said products and do a little profile diving to see what other pictures they have that would back up their results. Unfortunately, there are some people who have a hard time sticking to one plan, or even one company. Direct Sales Jumpers are difficult to follow in terms of results, because their results may not be purely from one product, or they may be hard to trust because they themselves didn't even trust the products long enough to stick around before trying something new.
7. Avoid anything that says it will do the work for you.
It won't. YOU have to put in work. YOU have to put in effort. YOUR mentality has to change. YOU have to want it. I always feel weird about products that "eliminate" something that you're eating ("Hey, I can eat Taco Bell tonight because my Fat Ninja pills will eliminate all the calories from what I'm eating!") because it makes me wonder a) where does the eliminated fat go? and b) why wouldn't you just feed your body correctly in the first place and use the calories or fat to fuel the other things you need to do with your life? (Plus, it's totally fine to enjoy the occasional Taco Bell without guilt!) And when you find that product that will HELP you reach your goals (because that's what the products SHOULD do), stick to it, put your all into it, and love yourself enough to enjoy the journey!
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