Five weight loss products you shouldn’t buy

The weight loss industry is worth BILLIONS of dollars. So, it comes as no surprise that they’ll sell pretty much anything to get you to spend your money.

Problem is, majority of these product don’t work. And the companies know this. They will release their latest and greatest weight loss product and promise this time you’ll lose weight.

Unfortunately, these companies prey on your desire to lose weight and know that it is a struggle for most people. After trying many diets, they know you’re feeling desperate to try ANYHTING that will help you lose weight.

As a dietitian, I grow frustrated with the number of BS weight loss products out there. So, I’m here today to tell you five weight loss products you shouldn’t buy and are a complete waste of your money.

1.Weight loss/detox teas

Weight loss teas are often recommended on social media as a way to lose weight. They’ll contain different ingredients such as green tea, licorice root, cayenne pepper, lemon, caraway, etc.

These teas don’t promote fat loss, but they might help you lose “weight”. Let me explain.

Some of the ingredients, such as licorice root, act as a diuretic, which means it helps promote bowel movements. If you’re going to the washroom a lot, you’re going to lose water weight through urine and feces. So, yeah, you might see the number on the scale change a little bit.

But once you rehydrate and eat, it’ll go back up. And the cycle continues.

By no means will these products promote FAT loss, which is what most people are actually trying to do. Some ingredients, such as green tea and cayenne pepper, may slightly increase the body’s metabolic rate, but it’s not to any meaningful amount and wouldn’t cause much weight loss.

Problem is, the companies that sell these products use before and after photos of people’s stomachs to say their product is slimming their waists and bellies.

But what’s actually happening is that in one picture someone is hydrated and likely full of food and in the other photo they’re dehydrated, so of course you’re going to see more definition.

Just don’t be fooled – these products aren’t actually going to promote any meaningful fat loss and overusing laxatives and diuretics isn’t good for us.

Look, at the end of the day, if you’re trying to better your health through losing some weight, please remember that you should also focus on HEALTHY ways to achieve this.

So, you can safely remove any weight loss teas from your Amazon cart.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Good old apple cider vinegar. Just when I thought we were done talking about it, I’ve recently seen a lot of people starting to promote it again.

Apple cider vinegar isn’t magical. I repeat: apple cider vinegar is NOT magical.

Some very small studies have shown that apple cider vinegar might help promote fullness after a meal by delaying gastric emptying – or the rate at which food leaves your stomach. If you’re feeling fuller after a meal, then you’re less likely to keep eating and therefore may consume fewer calories.

But, a recent 2021 studyw.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8136602/ found that there isn’t much evidence that supports it boosting your metabolism to the point it would lead to weight loss.

Also, it might help with blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, so in theory you may not have blood sugar changes that may cause you to feel hungry to quickly after a meal.

While taking ACV is considered safe for most people – usually two tablespoons is the common dose – it’s unnecessary in my opinion. Plus, it’s awful for your teeth.

If you want to increase fullness from a meal, I would rather you have foods high in protein and fiber, which are actually going to support your gut heath and promote muscle synthesis, which may actually help promote a better metabolism.

3. Greens powders

I talk a lot about greens powders on my social media pages because they’re very popular.

Often, they’re advertised as a way to lose weight. And of course, they don’t really.

Greens powders don’t contain any special ingredients that are going to magically boost your metabolism to any meaningful amount.

In theory, you might find yourself losing weight because a lot of people become motivated to live a healthier lifestyle when they start taking greens powders. For example, you might start watching what you’re eating, being a bit more active, focusing on quality sleep, etc.

Also, if you’re taking a greens powder with water, you’re increasing your water intake, which can also help improve digestion and have you feeling less bloated.

But the moment I see a greens powder company say they can promote weight loss, they get a pretty big side eye from me.

If you want to try a greens powder, I’d really mostly focus on using it to get in some extra nutrients if you struggle to eat enough vegetables and fruit each day.

As for weight loss? It’s not worth your money.

4. Meal plans

Meal plans can be a really helpful tool for weight loss when they’re done by a professional such as a registered dietitian.

I see so many unqualified people making meal plans for people, such as personal trainers, doctors, or holistic nutritionists.

The biggest issue with meal plans, especially the ones you buy online, is that they’re rarely customized to your specific needs, preferences, and budget. Instead, they’re designed for the general population and expected to somehow also work for you.

They’re also usually very restrictive and low in calories, meaning that you’re less likely to actually stick to them long term.

Plus, unless you’re working one-on-one with someone, it’s unlikely that you’ll learn any valuable skills, such as planning your own nutritious meals, reading nutrition labels, and learning how to adapt your diet based on normal life activities, such as going to a birthday dinner.

Ultimately, I find most people try meal plans and then give up after a few weeks.

So, I would much rather you spend your money one getting quality advice from a registered dietitian so that YOU can be the one in control of your food decisions, rather than letting some random person tell you that carrots are too high in sugar (which, they’re not).

5. Sweat Bands/Waist Trainers

Sweat bands are those neoprene wraps that you’ll see on social media (*cough* Kylie Jenner).

The person wears them while they’re working out and then peel it off after the workout to reveal huge pools of sweat. And from the look of it, it does look like the person had a “better” workout because they’re sweating a lot.

But sweating is not necessarily a sign you did a good workout, it really just means you got your heart rate and body temperature up.

When you see that pool of sweat, it means you’ve lost a lot of water weight, so again, you might see a change on the scale but that’s not fat loss and it’s only temporary.

Once you rehydrate – which you absolutely 100% should – you’ll see the number go back up.

The other issue is that if you’re sweating so much, you’re actually losing a lot of electrolytes along with water. So, you’ll want to make sure you replace those as soon as possible.

You don’t want super low electrolytes or to be dehydrated as it can be really bad for your health.

You might notice you’re lightheaded, your heart is beating fast, you have a headache, you are getting muscle cramps, or experience nausea and vomiting. It can get a lot more severe the more dehydrated you get.

So instead of wasting your money on sweat bands, you’re better off just focusing on quality workouts and ensuring you’re fueling your body properly

And please don’t buy waist trainers, which essentially cinch your waist. They’re very compressive on your organs and they also can weaken your core muscles over time. It’s not worth it.

I hope this article was helpful for you. If you want to learn more about this topic, check out my YouTube video!