Acai Berry Diet Promotes Profits Not Weight Loss
Expect Only Good Food Choices and Exercise to Help You Lose Weight
Mar 23, 2009
The Acai Berry diet promises fast and easy weight loss or your money back. These deceptive claims have left thousands of unsuspecting and well-intentioned, weight-minded individuals with hefty credit card bills, but no thinner, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the Better Business Bureau, and the Connecticut Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, at a jointly held press conference.
With the click of the "free trial" button, and the illusion of celebrity endorsements like Oprah and Rachel Ray —who do not support these products—the Acai Berry diet has become a hugely profitable scam. Don't be fooled. Weight loss, it seems, is not the real goal. Not only are the claims of weight loss scientifically unfounded, unproven, and fake, but the financial costs to consumers who respond to the promises of easy weight loss are high; hence, the basis for the public announcement, which is likely the basis for anticipated legal action.
"The appeal of ordering Acai Berry pills with the guarantee of a full refund has been very effective, drawing in hundreds of consumers. However, there's no chance of getting any money back if unsatisfied because the order process is actually a scheme known as, 'Negative Options Marketing'," says David Schardt, of CSPI and repeated by Mr. Blumenthal. Once credit card or bank account information is provided, consumers cannot opt out or even request a refund. There are more than 75 blogs endorsing the Acai Berry diet as the most effective and safest method of weight loss available. Some even use the Better Business Bureau (BBB) logo. This, it turns out, is another ploy. The best known marketer, FWM labs, has a “F” rating from the BBB. If you click the BBB logo, and you aren't automatically taken the BBB website, it is a sure indication that the site is not on the up-and-up. Be suspicious and simply log off the site without taking further action.
You can always go the the Better Business Bureau site and check on the company to confirm their registration.
Achieving Real Weight Loss
Without the Acai wonder berry as an option for foolproof weight loss, you'll need a plan B. If you want simplicity, commit to eating at least 2 fruits and 3 vegetables (5 is better) daily and choose carbohydrates that are whole grain based, and walk 60-90 minutes (or an equivalent amount of physical activity) daily to promote weight loss.
If you are really serious, skip the quick fix promises, and seek guidance from a registered dietitian who can create a personal eating plan that will support your desire to lose weight as well as to help you develop lifelong healthy eating practices. Do not jeopardize your pocket book and your health, based on false promises from too-good-to-be true diet products like the Acai Berry diet. Do take matters into your own hands by seeking assistance to develop a better lifestyle aimed to promote lifelong health and heathful aging.
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