Advertising is a world that’s largely made of illusions and a dressed-up reality. But even in this world of dazzle, it seems that fitness infomercials are a breed of their own.
Some fitness infomercials contain elements that are simply infuriating in the way that they play with the minds of those watching. I have nothing against trying to sell a product, but I feel that good products can be sold with other methods which are less likely to mislead consumers.
Here are some of the things that you should be aware of when watching an infomercial for a fitness product:
The Models Were Hired Because They Were Already Fit
In order to tempt you to buy their product, infomercial producers hire sexy and fit models. This is similar to how clothes manufacturers sell their products with one major difference: in the infomercial, you may believe that these models actually got fit by using this product. In fact, they were hired because they already had a lean and fit body which they most likely got with no connection to the product itself.
In some cases, the product will have a “face” of a famous model or fitness professional to act as spokesperson. For instance, Jennifer Nicole Lee acts as the “face” of the Ab Circle Pro (a popular ab machine) even though she already won a fitness contest before the product was invented.
I believe that the models in the Shake Weight For Men commercial were also already fit when they were hired to appear in it.
This doesn’t mean that the actual product is bad. There are good reviews of both of the products I mentioned above. What it means is that you need to judge the product on its merits and not due to how the models in the infomercial look.
Just a partial solution
The focus of each infomercial is the product being sold. Often, you get the feeling that all you need in order to lose weight/get flat abs/burn body fat fast/build muscle is this product.
However, at some point during the infomercial, usually in small print, a message will appear that will make it quite clear that this isn’t the case. Usually, this message will say something about how this product needs to be used with regular exercise and a healthy diet plan.
At other times, the fitness machine will come with a diet plan and additional exercise guidelines. All this should raise the question of whether this product is needed at all or whether traditional exercise and dieting is the actual solution.
Smiling Models
This is one of the things that aggravates me the most: seeing smiling fit people using a product that’s supposed to give me a formidable workout experience.
Working out is not for amusement, it’s about working hard to burn fat, improve health, and change your body. If you’re smiling during a workout then you’re not putting enough effort into it and your results will likely be dismal.
These smiling models in fitness infomercials make it seem all so east, don’t they? That’s the idea: selling you the illusion of results with little effort. Well, don’t fall for that. You need to push yourself hard to burn body fat and get lean. So forget about smiling.
The Limited Time Offer That Runs Indefinitely
This is something that you can also find on a lot of websites. I’m talking about the limited time sale or the offer for bonuses which are about to run out unless you order straight away. Many times, this limited time offer is going to run for an indefinite period of time.
The main thing is to not panic or feel the urge that you have to order this exact second. Most likely, you can wait and nothing will happen. Don’t buy any product out of pressure. Always do so after giving it some though and doing your own research.
In Conclusion
While good products and bad ones are sold through infomercials, it can sometime be hard to tell them apart. You need to resist the pull of these clever marketing ploys and be able to make an informed decision about what you buy. Take your time, think things over, research, and only then decide.
The bottom line is that losing weight or getting lean is never done without hard work and a change in lifestyle. Don’t believe anyone who says different.
