As a a strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer i find that the biggest misconception of all is that weight loss is regarded the same as fat loss.. These two should never be confused! Losing weight is easy, just don’t eat or drink for 2 or 3 days and you will be lighter – would that be sensible? Of course not! Way too much focus on weight on a scales and BMI. Body fat percentage should be the only standard.. I have this arguement with GP’s all the time.. My business depends on the failure rate of these gimmicks and fads, including slimming pills, and man am I busy!!
Eventually everyone who tries all the gimmicks out there, sooner or later come to realise that hard work is what gets long term results.
Unfortunately hard work is more difficult to sell than easy dreaming..

I know some people who did these low cal liquid diets. They lost loads of weight, looked aged, grey skinned and miserable and put it all back on within the year! Of course pharmacies are going to defend these kind of diets. It guarantees them about €80 per person per week. And then there’s all those overpriced sugar pills masquerading as “Fat Busters” that should be taken as part of a calorie controlled diet and excercise. So when you lose a couple of stone it was the fat pills that did it! Not the exercise and diet. They’re capitalsing on the desperate and the gullible.

I’m currently on the ELMM system – a revolutionary, new, breakthrough weightloss system. Eat Less. Move More. Nearly a stone gone in 4 weeks eating all the things I love… just not as much and getting my lazy arse out and about for a walk now and again.

I work in a pharmacy and the level of failure on meal replacement programs is incredible. I understand that if used properly you will lose weight-and fast!! But the problem (and customers have told me themselves) is that when you go from solid food to nothing but liquids, not only do you crave food even more-you crave all the worst fattening foods. I’ve seen people lose over 10 stone, incredible willpower required on their part, only to see moving back to solids as an excuse for extreme binge eating when the ideal weight is reached (obviously not in all cases, but many). Then they are back 5 or 6 months later with all the lost weight put back on and more. As I’m only an employee I can not suggest that these frustrated people go to a nutritionist and figure out what foods are best for them, what portion sizes are and how to control boredom eating and many other factors. I know everyone works differently, and food has a stronger hold over some more than others, I also know medication and health issues contribute to obesity, but given the right motivation, and help they will slowly but surely succeed and keep the weight off longer. From years of experience weighing people in, taking €70-€80 a week off them for a few crummy shakes I can honestly say I cannot mention one person out of many hundreds i have met that have succeded. These replacement diets need to be scrapped, they do more harm than good. A very small percentage of people have the willpower to keep all that weight off. healthy eating habits need to be taught now to children and adults, not so that they’re told what to eat, but to help them make the right decisions in the future. Everyone should be allowed pizza or takeaway every now and then, but there needs to be a balance. Also before people attack me, everyone knows what’s healthy, but it is also everyone’s own decision what they want to eat. I’m just expressing my own opinion.

Valid point, and that is your opinion, just as I have mentioned mine. No one is ever going to agree on the topic, but there will be plenty of talk.

FAO: overweight people, stop stuffing your face with s**t, get your lazy arse off the couch and do a little exercise. All these quick fixes are a load of crap.
Balanced diet, regular exercise is all that is needed.

Always wanted a meal pill

Would that also include whey protein?