FitSugar

What's the Deal With Wearable Weights?

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:13 -0700

The magic pill to weight loss is a mirage in my opinion, but companies continue to design products to help you burn more calories and drop pounds. As if the seven shady weight loss products I recently posted about weren't enough, I just discovered Body Togs Wearable Weights.

At first I thought they were for strength training exercises instead of dumbbells or resistance bands. Since you didn't have to hold them, they seemed like a cool idea. But taking a closer look, these aren't meant for the gym - they're meant to be worn all day long to help boost the amount of calories you burn and tone your muscles while doing day-to-day activities. Tiny weights are evenly distributed around each sleeve, adding about one to three pounds to each limb, depending on the size you choose. You're supposed to wear these arm and calve sleeves under your clothes. I guess if it's hot that day, you just wear them to match your favorite dress. Aside from looking completely idiotic, they're very pricey ($55 to $59 a pair), and also a health risk. To find out why read more.

Performing strength training exercises that are specifically designed to target certain muscles are excellent for your body. When you use correct form, and the appropriate amount of weight, there is little risk of injury. On the other hand, carrying around extra weight on your arms and legs while going about your day may burn extra calories, but it will also increase your risk for a torn muscle or injury to your joint. Just like walking with dumbbells or ankle weight is a big no-no, you don't want to do regular activities while carrying weights because it puts too much stress on your body.

If you want to burn extra calories during your day, fit in an extra 30 minutes of cardio. If toning your muscles is your goal, it's more effective to use dumbbells, resistance bands, or weight machines and do actual exercises that are meant for strengthening your muscles. Setting aside time to exercise will not only produce better results, but it's a great way to relieve stress and give you the much-deserved break we all need during the day.

Buyer Beware: Shady Weight-Loss Products

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:50:38 -0700

Putting in the miles on the treadmill, skipping dessert, passing over potato chips - none of these are easy tasks, but they are surefire ways to shape up and lose weight. It's easy to crave the magic pill that helps us shed pounds while watching TV, but there really is no such thing. Our collective desire for easy fitness is strong and many manufacturers prey on it. Here are some products I have come across that scream "buyer beware!" Check out some gadgets, drinks, and suits whose weight-loss claims I just don't buy.

Source: Getty

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I Don't Buy It: Shake Weight

FitSugar — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Who isn't looking for a quick and easy way to get toned arms? That's just what the Shake Weight ($20) promises - in just six minutes a day. Weighing in at just 2.5 pounds, it supposedly tones your upper body faster than regular dumbbells. I'm not buying it though. I'm sticking with regular hand weights since they're effective and don't require you to gyrate your body up and down. Dumbbells are also fairly inexpensive, easy to use, and offer more variety since they come in a range of weights. Another plus is that you can use dumbbells to tone just about every part of your body, depending on how you use them. The Shake Weight only works your upper body (if it works it at all).

If you aren't convinced and want to learn more about the Shake Weight, check out the infomercial when you read more.

I Don't Buy It: ThighGlider

FitSugar — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:33:00 -0700

A toned tush and lean thighs are something most of us strive for, so the ThighGlider may pique your interest. At $60, this machine is specifically designed for women to target the inner and outer thighs and buns. Of course, it all happens in just "minutes a day."

The ThighGlider is like a Thigh Master on wheels! I'm not denying that the fluid arch-movement of your thighs squeezing in and out won't tone your legs and rear, but if you have a lot of weight in that area, you still need to do some type of cardio to burn the fat. Although ThighGlider doesn't mention that part of it. They do guarantee that if you use their system, complete with ThighGlider, resistance band, and instructional DVD, it'll "give you the best thighs of your life." That's quite a statement right there, but I'm not falling for it. To lose weight in your lower body and tone your buns and thighs, I'd stick to squats, lunges, uphill walking, and jogging. They're not only effective, but they're free!

If you're curious about the ThighGlider, check out their infomercial when you read more.

I Don't Buy It: Ab Circle

FitSugar — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Why yes, of course, I want a flat washboard belly in just weeks. Who doesn't? The problem is this $15 Ab Circle is not the way to make it happen. This foldable ab machine promises to target your entire core with its fun, swiveling, circular motion. It combines cardio and core work, and all it takes is three minutes a day, and "in just a few weeks - not months - you'll firm and flatten your stomach. We guarantee it."

Well I'm happy they got the part right that you need cardio in order to get rid of the layer of fat covering your abs, but what they got wrong is how much cardio a person will need in order to make it happen. Three minutes a day isn't going to do much. The Ab Circle is a total scam, and hopefully those looking to whittle their middle won't fall for it.

If you want a flat and toned stomach, work on getting at least 30 minutes of cardio a day. You can also follow an ab routine like this one to tone up, so when the pounds of fat start to melt away, it'll reveal your toned abs.

I Don't Buy It: $59 Brassage Bra Prevents Breast Cancer

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

We all wish there was a cure for breast cancer since almost 200,000 woman are diagnosed with it each year. Wouldn't it be great if the cure was as easy as getting dressed in the morning? That's the notion behind the Brassage - a bra that massages your lymph nodes while you wear it. It's based on the patented LETflow Technology, a design by chiropractor Dr. Jayson Sher, which involves bumpy side panels on the bra that massage the lymph nodes. This "enhances the body's natural breast cleansing flow" and releases toxins, thereby making the breast tissue healthy. Christina Erteszek (daughter of famous lingerie designer Olga) loved the idea so much that she started manufacturing the Brassage. She claims it's not a cure-all for breast cancer, but it "helps relieve possible infection and disease." Hmm. While we all wish this bra was the answer, there's absolutely no medical research to back up the fact that massaging toxins out of our breasts will prevent breast cancer.

To see the video interview from Good Morning America questioning the claims made by the Brassage read more.

It's wrong to suggest to women that something could help prevent such a serious and life-threatening condition such as breast cancer. Thankfully though, now that some light has been shed on the Brassage and it's non-medical claims, Intimate Health has stopped manufacturing it.

I Don't Buy It: Celsius Calorie Burning Beverage

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:00:11 -0800

Products that seem too good to be true typically leave me feeling cold, and Celsius is no exception. Hoping to be a super soft drink, the new beverage is being marketed with claims that you can burn 100 calories simply by guzzling one can of the carbonated stuff. The drink apparently boosts your metabolism and causes your body to burn more calories, creating a net-negative-calorie effect.

With enough caffeine to cover about two cups of coffee (one can has 200 milligrams), this beverage is not for the caffeine sensitive. Steve Haley, CEO of Celsius Holdings Inc., defends the product's calorie-burning claims by citing clinical studies paid for by his company and mentions the drink's vitamin components that he says counteract the effect of caffeine on buyers' bones.

There are still many unknowns about the effectiveness of Celsius, and I agree with one nutritionist who commented, "Exercise is a better way to jump-start your metabolism, and it's healthier as well." I prefer to drink metabolism-stimulating green tea for a natural, inexpensive way to benefit my health.

I Don't Buy It: Vertical Neck Traction Kit

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Many people suffer from neck pain and they see chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists to find some relief. I recently came across this vertical neck traction kit, and I have to say I am not buying it. I love a neck stretch as much as the next yoga instructor, but this piece of equipment looks very scary. If used incorrectly, which seems easy to do, it could cause some serious damage to your already tender neck. You fill the plastic bag with water, which adds weight to the cord that's attached to the door strap, which is attached to the head sling. What if you're trying this out alone and you add too much water? You could end up in more pain than when you started. Not to mention, it just looks so wrong, like a medieval torture device. I think I'll stick to having a real person apply some hands-on cervical traction when I need neck pain relief.

If you have chronic neck pain, would you consider using this? Tell me in the comments section below.

I Don't Buy It: Lifemax Sneezer Beam

FitSugar — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

I'm all for anything that can eliminate allergies, but don't tease me. This Lifemax Sneezer Beam claims it can vaporize your sneezing, congestion, and runny noses with light. All you do is plug your nostrils with these ~~mini light sabers~~ light beam rods and the photons supposedly inhibit the cells that release histamines, which protect the body against allergens such as dust, dander, and pollen but that the body over produces when you have an allergy. It'd be amazing if this Sneezer Beam could stop the histamine and prevent runny noses and congestion, but I don't believe it works. This device kind of reminds me of the rhino horn neti pot, but the neti post is no hoax since it actually works.

If you suffer from allergies, I'm sure you're willing to try anything at this point. Too bad the manufacturer says treatment involves three minutes of this light therapy, three times a day for a month until you start seeing results. I've never tried this Sneezer Beam but it sounds a little too cosmic for my taste. I think I'll save my $60.

I Don't Buy It: H2Om

FitSugar — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I'm all for promoting peace and positive energy, but this world's going to need a whole lot more than these H2Om water bottles. Fusing the chemical symbol for water, H2O, with the sound of the universe, "om," makes for a pretty catchy product name. And this is water with intention - not water infused with fruit juice, vitamins, electrolytes, or anything else you'd expect to pay extra for. And no, it won't help you with your yoga or meditation practice. H2Om is all about the idea that if a person thinks positive thoughts, then drinks this water that the vibrations of their thoughts will spread through the universe and make the world a better place. Hmm . . .

To hear more about this water read more

On their website, they even go on to explain that "water exposed to loving words and music showed brilliant, and complex crystallized patterns under the microscope at near freezing temperatures. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts and words, formed incomplete, asymmetrical patterns." I'm not sure where they got their "data" from, but it's just a little too out there for me. I think their slogan above is really sweet, and I do believe that changes and ideas are first born in your thoughts and that your mind is a powerful tool, and I do hate to be a party pooper, but I'm just not buying this bottled water.