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CELEBRITY DIETS, VIDEOS, AND EXERCISE FADS

If you do succeed using a celebrity diet "pitched" by a movie star or other well known person you may gain the weight back and then some because few "fat burning" shortcuts may work over the long term unless it involves lots exercise. Regardless, consider never plunging into a diet if it costs a lot of money.

Fad diets advocating that you skip meals or replace meals with liquids you may find that you actually gain weight instead of lose weight because you may tend to overeat when eating at fewer intervals!

When it comes to specific exercise routines and dieting being advocated by a celebrity it may be a luxury for many of us to be able fulfill the routine and diet mandates offered up by the celebrity and, consequently, unrealistic because most of us do not have the lifestyle, time, resources and motivations that celebrities have to be a successful dieter or body builder. The celebrities do not mention they may also have a personal trainer that most of us will never have!

Liquid diets often fail because who wants to drink their meals? Furthermore, liquid diet drinks may be high in protein and/or other questionable substances leading to a possible electrolyte imbalance which may contribute to an irregular heartbeat in those who drink the stuff!

Low calorie celebrity diets may produce "ketones" which may make you sick and impair your metabolism. Celebrity diet supplements of herbs and other compounds and formulas may also be made up of questionable susbstances.

Your best bet for losing weight and keeping it off may be to try and find a program with a longstanding trackrecord of successful testimonial results where you eat regular, everyday restaurant and supermarket food FROM DAY ONE so you are not ever having to be weaned off some gimmicky liquid or pre-packaged meals and/or supplements.

Celebrity exercise videos may not disclose that the routines advocated may contribute t o or even cause injury! Some celebrity-instructor exercise videos have also been criticized for demonstrating less than effective exercises.

Butt and thigh firming exercise equipment, often sold by celebrities, may only exercise just a few muscles while there are hundreds of muscles that need exercising if you are ever to really notice a significant change or improvement in overall shape, strength and firmness.

The firming-up exercise regimens and routines that claim you can see results in just a few weeks, do not hold your breath expecting you can ever look like the genetically perfect bodies portrayed in the advertisements. Like hair shampoo advertisements, using any kind of shampoo, how many people can ever achieve a beautiful head of hair like that portrayed in the ads?

Walking regularly or using a treadmill may end up doing more for your whole body compared to gimmicky exercise equipment and the faster motions you can make when walking the better, of course, without injuring yourself in the process.

A typical exercise video or instructional kit will not likely provide excellent, personal instruction that you could possibly get at a qualified fitness center or health club.

SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCES: CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 1997 and MIAMI HERALD NEWSPAPER 1/30/96 and ONE SOURCE MAGAZINE WINTER 1996

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