FitSugar

Warning Signs in Diet Advertisements

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:30:00 PDT

We've all seen the ads on TV and in magazines that promise rapid weight loss and immediate results, but most of these claims are false. It's definitely hard to decipher the good from the bad but here are a few trigger statements that should raise a warning flag for the product you're about to spend money on:

"Lose weight without diet or exercise!"
Achieving a healthy weight takes work. Take a pass on any product that promises miraculous results without the effort. Buy one and the only thing you’ll lose is money.
“Lose weight no matter how much you eat of your favorite foods!”
Beware of any product that claims that you can eat all you want of high-calorie foods and still lose weight. Losing weight requires sensible food choices. Filling up on healthy vegetables and fruits can make it easier to say no to fattening sweets and snacks.
“Lose weight permanently! Never diet again!”
Even if you’re successful in taking the weight off, permanent weight loss requires permanent lifestyle changes. Don’t trust any product that promises once-and-for-all results without ongoing maintenance.

What about miracle creams? Probably false too, so

“Block the absorption of fat, carbs, or calories!” Doctors, dieticians, and other experts agree that there’s simply no magic non-prescription pill that will allow you to block the absorption of fat, carbs, or calories. The key to curbing your craving for those “downfall foods” is portion control. Limit yourself to a smaller serving or a slimmer slice.
“Lose 30 pounds in 30 days!” Losing weight at the rate of a pound or two a week is the most effective way to take it off and keep it off. At best, products promising lightning-fast weight loss are false. At worst, they can ruin your health.
“Everybody will lose weight!” Your habits and health concerns are unique. There is simply no one-size-fits-all product guaranteed to work for everyone. Team up with your health care provider to design a personalized nutrition and exercise program suited to your lifestyle and metabolism.
“Lose weight with our miracle diet patch or cream!” You’ve seen the ads for diet patches or creams that claim to melt away the pounds. Don’t believe them. There’s nothing you can wear or apply to your skin that will cause you to lose weight.

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Foxy Knoxy: 8 Things to Know About Amanda's Crazy Case

Annie Scudder — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:50:59 PDT

"The nightmare is over," explained Deana Knox, after an Italian jury decided to overturn her sister Amanda Knox's murder conviction today. The bad dream continues for the family of the victim, Meredith Kercher, but after a generally shady legal drama filled with shaky evidence and sensational statements made in the press and the courtroom, many onlookers believe justice has finally been served for 24-year-old Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. The pair will be free to leave prison now, after spending four years behind bars for Meredith's murder. As the bizarre case continues to capture the attention of people around the world, here are some of the details you might want to know.

Who was the victim? "Meredith has been completely forgotten in all of this," the sister of the victim lamented at a press conference before today's verdict. On the night she died, 21-year-old English exchange student Meredith Kercher had decided to watch The Notebook and eat pizza with her English friends before heading home. Known to those close to her as "Mez," Meredith's family described her as "a lovely, intelligent person," and she had earned a degree in European studies.
Why Foxy Knoxy? Many murders happen every day without catching the attention of international media. Amanda Knox's youthful good looks brought her the tabloid nickname "Foxy Knoxy" (originally given to her for her sly performance on the soccer field) and many strong opinions based not on the evidence, but the public's perception of her.
Was she Jessica Rabbit or a she-devil? It's not just the press who paid attention to Amanda's looks. In court she's been called a "she-devil," a "witch," and a "femme fatale" by the prosecution, and her attorney called her an "angel face" similar to Jessica Rabbit. He said, "Jessica Rabbit looks like a man-eater, but she is a faithful and loving woman," he continued, she "is not bad, she's just drawn that way."
Who is Rudy Guede? Following the murder, Ivory Coast immigrant Rudy Guede, an acquaintance of Meredith, fled Italy. His fingerprints and DNA were found in Meredith's room and on her body, and he was convicted of the murder and sexual assault after being granted a fast-track trial. He originally said he had sex with Meredith and then came out of the bathroom to find a strange man standing over her with a knife, but later changed his story to fit the prosecution's, saying it was Raffaele and Amanda participating in a sex game gone wrong. He is now serving his prison sentence, and some protesters outside the courthouse today chanted, "Shame, shame. They condemned the black man."
What about the dark sex games? The prosecution alleged that Amanda and Raffaele killed Meredith in a drug-induced orgy, and the fact that Meredith dressed as a vampire the night before her death - as it was Halloween - fueled rumors that Amanda had a thing for witchcraft. In fact, the prosecutor in Amanda's case, Giuliano Mignini, had used this reasoning before, reopening a previous murder investigation on the theory that the killer was a satanist from a cult.
How was her sexual history used against her? Much was made of the fact that Meredith had become upset with Amanda for leaving a sex toy around their flat. There were also mentions in the press of Amanda's "visible cold sores" on her lips. And when she went out with Raffaele to buy underwear after being locked out of her crime-scene flat, it was considered an insensitive reaction to the murder. Footage of them shopping for the thong underwear, recorded by the store's cameras, was played across the TV and Internet. Amanda's sexuality was meant to somehow prove her guilt.

Find out more about her bizarre behavior and the bad evidence below.

Reebok to Refund $25 Million Over False Claims of Toning Shoes

Susi May — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:02:00 PDT

It's not all that surprising that Reebok settled a law suit over claims used to pimp its toning shoes. The lawsuit, brought by the Federal Trade Commission, comes on the heels of a report released last year by the American Council of Exercise, which found toning shoes to be no better than sneakers.

Makers of the EasyTone and RunTone toning shoes, Reebok has agreed to pay $25 million in refunds to consumers for false claims that its toning shoes worked muscles more than regular athletic shoes - ads included, among other stats, that the shoes work the glutes 28 percent more than walking shoes. The FTC investigation found that Reebok had no evidence to back up its data. Announcing the settlement, David Vladeck, director of the agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, "Consumers expected to get a workout, not to get worked over." The company stands by its shoes and the balance ball technology used in the shoe to supposedly increases the work in your legs. If you purchased a pair of People Reebok toning shoes after Dec. 5, 2008, you apply for a refund through the FTC.

I tested more than a few brands of toning shoes over the years and didn't really feel a difference toning wise. Wearing MBTs, however, really helped keep my troublesome back pain-free while teaching Pilates eight hours a day. What about you? Do you have a pair of toning shoes in your closet or on your feet?

What's in a Word? Decoding Sunscreen Terminology

Heather Dale — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 01:26:58 PDT

While sunscreen companies work on rolling out their new bottle labels - thanks to the new regulations put into place by the FDA - there are still some basic sunscreen terms that are confusing to many. For instance, what's the difference between UVA and UVB? And is water-resistant just as effective as waterproof? Let's get all of our "burning" sunscreen questions answered!

SPF: SPF stands for "Sun Protection Factor." According to WebMD, SPF is the ability of a sunscreen to block UVB rays, which cause sunburns, but not UVA rays, which can penetrate skin more deeply. The number, however, doesn't indicate how long a person can be outside in the sun before suffering from a burn. Some doctors argue that ditching your bottle of SPF 30 for a higher SPF may lead to a false sense of security about staying in the sun longer without reapplying. With the new regulations about labeling, the FDA has proposed a rule that would ban companies from labeling its sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or higher. Research suggests that there aren't any additional benefits once the SPF gets that high.

Find out what other sunscreen terms mean.

Katie Holmes Makes a Sleek and Shiny Exit While Untrue Drug Rumors Are Put to Rest

Katie Henry — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 01:35:00 PDT

Katie Holmes debuted a sleek and shiny head of hair leaving an appointment and heading to a studio in LA yesterday. On Tuesday, she made a fashionable appearance on behalf of Ann Taylor at a catered lunch thrown in the penthouse of the Chateau Marmont. She's the face of their Spring ad campaign and showed up in a bright, colorful, red skirt for the party. It's been a busy month for Katie, Tom Cruise, and their daughter Suri who marked her 5th birthday with friends and family at a luxurious outdoor soiree. Katie has another reason to celebrate after settling her lawsuit against Star magazine for their false claims of drug use. Tom's also in high spirits as Top Gun turns 25 and is honored with special screenings at AMC Theaters nationwide.

Taco Bell Beef Lawsuit Has Been Dropped

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:12:11 PDT

Remember that little Taco Bell lawsuit everyone was talking about? The one where a woman was suing the Tex-Mex chain for falsely advertising its "seasoned beef?" Well, the firm behind the suit has withdrawn its claims.

After the lawsuit hit the food world in January, Taco Bell went to extreme measures to stand behind its beef, spending between $3-4 million in advertising to counter the allegations made against the chain.

No money has been exchanged between Taco Bell and the firm; also, the Bell maintains no products have changed since the incident.

In response to the withdrawal, Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed said, "This sets the record straight about the high quality of our seasoned beef and the integrity of our advertising." Considering that I'm still craving a Taco Bell beef taco after all of this, it looks like the fast food chain came out on top.

Source: Flickr User quinn.anya

Believe It or Not, Ripley's Is Helping Women Get Pregnant

LilSugar — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:55:39 PDT

Would you lay your hands on a fertility god in the hope of having a baby? Many women do. According to Ripley Entertainment, more than 2,000 women (including its own employees) claim that rubbing the company's two statues that were carved by an African tribe on the Ivory Coast has aided them in pregnancy. The latest person to come forward is Rachel Taylor of New Jersey. She and her husband were told they had no chance of naturally conceiving a child before she paid a visit to the statues and became pregnant. Her son is due in August.

The works of art are currently on tour, so other aspiring moms can touch them. While it's an interesting phenomenon, sex obviously plays the primary role in becoming biological parents. Do you think stories like these give challenged couples false hopes of having a family?

5 Internet Scams and Viruses to Watch Out For

GeekSugar — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:47:42 PDT

There's been a lot of news recently about Internet scams and viruses, some of which target social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, while others just want to sucker you into giving them your email passwords in exchange for a gadget. I don't need to tell you how important it is to be vigilant - scammers and hackers are becoming increasingly sneaky, and it's a pain in the rear to gain control of your accounts again - so get a quick overview of some of the latest scams and virus warnings to hit the Internet after the break.