Body Wraps and Waist Wraps - The difference between losing fat and losing inches
By: Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA
www.BurnTheFat.com
www.BurnTheFatInnerCircle.com
"Body wraps" have been around for ages in the weight
loss and spa industry. Claims include loss of body weight, loss
of body fat, and loss of inches. Infomercials for rubber “waist
belts" are also back on TV and similar claims are made for these
types of wraps as well. What few people realize is that there is
a huge difference between losing fat and losing inches. When your
body fat decreases, your circumference measurements will usually
also decrease, but “fat” loss and “inch” loss are not one in the
same. If you don’t know how to tell the difference, you could be
falling for one of the oldest, most notorious fitness and weight
loss scams in the book.
The truth is, body wraps and waist belts do not shrink fat cells
or burn body fat - no matter what type of wrap is used: bandages,
plastic, foil, vinyl, or rubber and regardless of what you are wrapped
in: herbs, minerals, enzymes, seaweed, clay, or mud - it doesn't
matter. Fat can only be lost with a caloric deficit from a reduction
in food intake, an increase in activity or ideally, a combination
of both.
Whenever you see fat loss claims for wraps or any other product
which doesn't involve a caloric deficit created though nutrition
or exercise, the “scam alarm” should go off in your head, and you
should always stay away, no matter how compelling the sales pitch.
Furthermore, the companies making fat loss claims would be in hot
water with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if they were investigated
and caught because claims for body fat reduction from wraps cannot
be supported with scientific evidence.
The FTC as well as numerous state attorney general's offices have
already taken action against body wrap companies in the past for
false advertising and unsupported claims. Some companies simply
had to stop making false claims, others had to pay stiff fines as
well. The problem, from a legal and ethical standpoint, is the claim
being made. Remember, "inches" and "fat" are not the same thing.
Some types of wraps can definitely take off inches (for example,
they might reduce the circumference measurement of your waist, hips,
arms and legs), but it's not fat, its water weight and fluid, and
the results are temporary.
Suppose this claim is made in an advertisement:
* Lose Up To 15 inches in 1 Hour! *
This is legal advertising because the claim "lose inches" might
be supportable (if enough circumference measurements are taken with
a tape measure at enough sites, that might add up to a total of
15 inches in circumference loss)
However I believe that these types of claims are misleading (and
probably intentionally so), because "inches" is not the same as
body fat but the product vendors know that you might easily confuse
"inches" with "fat."
Contrast that claim with this one:
* Lose Body Fat without diet or exercise in 1 Hour!*
That claim is totally false and scientifically unsupportable.
Again, body wraps cannot burn fat or "shrink fat cells."
If fat loss could be achieved with body wraps, it would be very
easy to test and prove.
Body composition (body fat) testing (rather than measurements of
inches) could be performed before and after the wrap, and the answer
("does it work") would become easily exposed.
Since it doesn't work, you won't find any wrap people accepting
your challenge to allow you to do independent body composition testing,
nor will you find a shred of scientific evidence showing reduction
of bodyfat from wraps.
Unfortunately, bogus fat loss claims are still quite widespread,
as a simple Internet search for "body wrap" will demonstrate. The
most frequently used claims however, are for loss of "inches."
The inches lost simply come from loss of fluid. And guess what
- those inches (and or water weight) will come right back in days
if not hours, as soon as you completely re-hydrate yourself.
Other claims made for body wraps include detoxification, improved
circulation and tighter, smoother and clearer skin. Most health
and fitness researchers, as well as government agencies such as
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will tell you that these
claims are "debatable" and mostly anecdotal.
Some experts even warn that certain types of wraps can be dangerous,
mainly due to the rapid and excessive fluid loss/dehydration.
If you want to get wrapped because you find it relaxing or you
consider it a "spa-like" treatment, that's one thing. Just remember,
wraps have absolutely nothing to do with fat loss.
I'd suggest completely avoiding any companies that advertise fat
loss when it's only water and inches you're losing, because a dishonest
company is one you don't want to patronize at all.
One last thing – this is a timely subject because although "body
wraps" have been around for ages and it's old news, I noticed that
infomercials for "waist belts" or “sauna wraps” are back on TV in
force and I see that they are replaying the ads over and over again,
which means people are buying it.
Everything I just said about body wraps also applies to those rubber
waist belts too.
On a web search I just did for those rubber belt waist wraps, I
noticed some of the websites are STILL making claims like "Melt
fat" (totally bogus, unsupported and illegal claim).
Other sites seem to be wary of the FTC paying them a visit, so they
do a whole song and dance around the legal issues by saying stuff
like, "sweat away inches," "therapeutic heat", "target your problem
areas" and so on. Even if these claims are not illegal, the promotions
are still deceptive…
The professional fitness model is pictured taking off the rubber
belt, revealing ripped six pack abs below... as if those abs are
a result of wearing the belt! Wishful thinking! These are professional
models, folks. They got the abs the same way everyone else with
abs got them - with a calorie deficit from a combination of strict
diet and hard training!
Wraps and waist belt products might take off some inches or water
weight, but they can’t take off a single ounce of fat. Buyer beware.
Programs like Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle are focused on FAT
LOSS, not water loss or loss of inches. When body fat decreases,
circumferences in inches will also decrease, but "fat" lost and
"inches" lost are not one in the same.
Also See: Weight
Loss For Idiots
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified
personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist
(CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat,
Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written hundreds of articles and has been
featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN,
Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and
Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For
information on Tom's Fat Loss program, visit: www.BurnTheFat.com.
To learn more about Tom's Fat Loss Support Community, visit: www.BurnTheFat.com
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