The LA Weight Loss Scam
Everyone is looking for an easy answer that makes losing a few pounds a cinch. Is it all about giving up our favorite foods, exercising rigorously and counting calories, consumers wonder? One of the most widespread programs out there — LA Weight Loss — promises to help dieters overcome plateaus and shed 150 pounds through sensible meal plans and highly motivational office visits. Perhaps you’re skeptical of these weight loss programs, but you know several people who swear by them. On one hand, it can really help to have the emotional support, guidance and accountability you need to reach your immediate health and fitness goals. On the other hand, there is no magic bullet and you might be in for more than you bargained for once you give up that credit card information and make yourself vulnerable to these high-powered sales associates.
LA Weight Loss was founded in 1989 by entrepreneur Vahan Karian. Soon more than 800 weight loss program centers opened across North America and Europe. Their message is simple: decrease calories to 1,100 - 1,800, exercise, modify portion sizes and eat a more balanced diet. There is no calorie counting per say, but the diet plans are based on choosing two protein servings, three fruit servings, three vegetable servings, two starch servings, two fat servings and two protein snacks. Dieters will meet with private counselors who will go over medical history, eating habits, lifestyle choices, favorite foods and activity requirements for each individual. At face value, it sounds simple enough. However, a number of former clients and ex-employees are complaining that this method of losing weight is not only misleading and unrealistic, but also not based on any real science.
In 2007, reporter Samantha M. Wender was sent undercover by “20/20″ to investigate LA Weight Loss, one of the nation’s largest weight loss centers. Armed with hidden cameras and an alleged goal of losing ten pounds, she went to three different facilities in three different cities, which advertised $6/week weight loss programs. Their approach seemed basic enough — smaller portions, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, limited fats and oils. Despite the promises, Wender ended up paying $400 just to lose ten pounds. She was offered biscotti, shakes, cereal bars, vitamins, popcorn and pasta, she says, all with the promise of enhancing her weight loss. Anything she wrote in her initial questionnaire or mentioned in her meetings was later used to aggressively sell products. On top of that, only one out of eight counselors had any kind of medical background (as a nursing student) and some had never even completed high school. It appeared that the program was less about helping people lose weight and more about sales.
Before signing up to a program like LA Weight Loss, you should do your homework on the company. Are the people who run the program licensed dieticians with professional college degrees? Or are they high school graduates, nursing students, self-made entrepreneurs and pushy sales associates? The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to look out for too-good-to-be-true guarantees and programs that promise weight loss without dieting or exercising. Often times consumers are lured by seemingly cheap weight loss programs, but soon get suckered into purchasing meal plans and weight loss pill supplements that may not be healthy for their bodies. To check the diet programs in your state, visit www.bbb.org first.
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