"Body wraps" have been around for ages in the weight loss and spa
industry. Claims include loss of body weight, loss of body fat, and
loss of inches. Infomercials for rubber “waist belts" are also back on
TV and similar claims are made for these types of wraps as well. What
few people realize is that there is a huge difference between losing
fat and losing inches. When your body fat decreases, your circumference
measurements will usually also decrease, but “fat” loss and “inch” loss
are not one in the same. If you don’t know how to tell the difference,
you could be falling for one of the oldest, most notorious fitness and
weight loss scams in the book.

The truth is, body wraps and waist belts do not shrink fat cells or
burn body fat - no matter what type of wrap is used: bandages, plastic,
foil, vinyl, or rubber and regardless of what you are wrapped in:
herbs, minerals, enzymes, seaweed, clay, or mud - it doesn't matter.
Fat can only be lost with a caloric deficit from a reduction in food
intake, an increase in activity or ideally, a combination of both.

Whenever you see fat loss claims for wraps or any other product
which doesn't involve a caloric deficit created though nutrition or
exercise, the “scam alarm” should go off in your head, and you should
always stay away, no matter how compelling the sales pitch.

Furthermore, the companies making fat loss claims would be in hot
water with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if they were investigated
and caught because claims for body fat reduction from wraps cannot be
supported with scientific evidence.

The FTC as well as numerous state attorney general's offices have
already taken action against body wrap companies in the past for false
advertising and unsupported claims. Some companies simply had to stop
making false claims, others had to pay stiff fines as well. The
problem, from a legal and ethical standpoint, is the claim being made.
Remember, "inches" and "fat" are not the same thing.

Some types of wraps can definitely take off inches (for example,
they might reduce the circumference measurement of your waist, hips,
arms and legs), but it's not fat, its water weight and fluid, and the
results are temporary.

Suppose this claim is made in an advertisement:

* Lose Up To 15 inches in 1 Hour! *

This is legal advertising because the claim "lose inches" might be
supportable (if enough circumference measurements are taken with a tape
measure at enough sites, that might add up to a total of 15 inches in
circumference loss)

However I believe that these types of claims are misleading (and
probably intentionally so), because "inches" is not the same as body
fat but the product vendors know that you might easily confuse "inches"
with "fat."

Contrast that claim with this one:

* Lose Body Fat without diet or exercise in 1 Hour!*

That claim is totally false and scientifically unsupportable.

Again, body wraps cannot burn fat or "shrink fat cells."

If fat loss could be achieved with body wraps, it would be very easy to test and prove.

Body composition (body fat) testing (rather than measurements of
inches) could be performed before and after the wrap, and the answer
("does it work") would become easily exposed.

Since it doesn't work, you won't find any wrap people accepting your
challenge to allow you to do independent body composition testing, nor
will you find a shred of scientific evidence showing reduction of
bodyfat from wraps.

Unfortunately, bogus fat loss claims are still quite widespread, as
a simple Internet search for "body wrap" will demonstrate. The most
frequently used claims however, are for loss of "inches."

The inches lost simply come from loss of fluid. And guess what -
those inches (and or water weight) will come right back in days if not
hours, as soon as you completely re-hydrate yourself.

Other claims made for body wraps include detoxification, improved
circulation and tighter, smoother and clearer skin. Most health and
fitness researchers, as well as government agencies such as the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) will tell you that these claims are
"debatable" and mostly anecdotal.

Some experts even warn that certain types of wraps can be dangerous,
mainly due to the rapid and excessive fluid loss/dehydration.

If you want to get wrapped because you find it relaxing or you
consider it a "spa-like" treatment, that's one thing. Just remember,
wraps have absolutely nothing to do with fat loss.

I'd suggest completely avoiding any companies that advertise fat
loss when it's only water and inches you're losing, because a dishonest
company is one you don't want to patronize at all.

One last thing – this is a timely subject because although "body
wraps" have been around for ages and it's old news, I noticed that
infomercials for "waist belts" or “sauna wraps” are back on TV in force
and I see that they are replaying the ads over and over again, which
means people are buying it.

Everything I just said about body wraps also applies to those rubber waist belts too.

On a web search I just did for those rubber belt waist wraps, I
noticed some of the websites are STILL making claims like "Melt fat"
(totally bogus, unsupported and illegal claim).

Other sites seem to be wary of the FTC paying them a visit, so they
do a whole song and dance around the legal issues by saying stuff like,
"sweat away inches," "therapeutic heat", "target your problem areas"
and so on. Even if these claims are not illegal, the promotions are
still deceptive…

The professional fitness model is pictured taking off the rubber
belt, revealing ripped six pack abs below... as if those abs are a
result of wearing the belt! Wishful thinking! These are professional
models, folks. They got the abs the same way everyone else with abs got
them - with a calorie deficit from a combination of strict diet and
hard training!

Wraps and waist belt products might take off some inches or water
weight, but they can’t take off a single ounce of fat. Buyer beware.

Programs like "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" are focused on FAT LOSS, not water loss or loss of inches. When body
fat decreases, circumferences in inches will also decrease, but "fat"
lost and "inches" lost are not one in the same.

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto

www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified
personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning
specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle"
Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print
magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding,
Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as
on hundreds of websites worldwide.

For information on Tom's Fat Loss
program, visit: www.BurnTheFat.com