do the exercise program cds really work have my suspicions

@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
February 5, 2011 11:32am CST
We get the infommercials here early in the morning. And also inbetween the afternoon shows here, so I have been watching the various exercise cds and doing some of the exercises. I find that when I just walk fast, my heart does not get up and I do have weights, and even with that, and with watching what I eat, I am only losing extremely slowly so wonder how they do it or whether it is just all talk. Do I really have to do the Extreme workout that the muscle guy does - the one more srenuous then the PB-X one to get results? So am I right to be suspicious or has anyone had any imput? Yes I know there is the talk about my just going on the floor and doing situps and pushups, but have been there. And I am more of an active person, not interested in sitting in an Ab Rocket and moving around. So are they being a little exaggerated?
4 people like this
10 responses
@zweeb82 (5653)
• Malaysia
6 Feb 11
Well, as some have mentioned, never believe those skinny or 6-pack models, haha!~I'm sure when they were hired, they already had their figure & nothing of what the commercial has to offer did any "wonders' to them as they came "properly shaped", haha!~But of course certain tips can be applied but yet again, I should say that every individual is different. There's such a thing called the "metabolism" that has to be taken into consideration. I varies from every individual so there you go.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Feb 11
I figure they have not much work to do and possibly they went through the mill did a lot of running, exercise in the gym about an hour a day, had their own personal trainer and a special diet where the food was expensive and top of that, they lived in California where they did not have to worry about six months of snow, where it either was too slippery or too cold to do much walking. A warm climate does have its advantage. Here unless I want to get pneumonia while walking almost a mile to the Mall where you can walk around or paying bus fare to get there, I have to do most of my exercise in the house. I do not think taking the garbage out to the back lane counts.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
11 Feb 11
I do wonder when I look at tv programs of America, why they are gaining weight and I am not talking about people who live in Minnesota or in North Dakota. It snows a lot there and gets cold there as well like here in the Prairie provinces where we have sometimes 6 months of cold, but in places in the Southern States, and where they have a mild winter, they are gaining weight. Must be something they are putting in the food.
1 person likes this
@zweeb82 (5653)
• Malaysia
8 Feb 11
Yeah, maybe they're rich loafers, vain exercise freaks, haha!~Wow!~6 months of snow!? Oh OK, Canada, that explains it. Well, here we only have 3 season - hot, hotter & hottest, hahaha~!We're at the equator so there you go
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42602)
• United States
6 Feb 11
SOme might work but take time to get there. have you tried any of he danceing onesseems like they would take more off faster.
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42602)
• United States
8 Feb 11
yes they do usually about 5 pounds
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
13 Feb 11
I was wondering why there is as different between the scale in my bedroom and the one in the kitchen that I inherited from my mother-in-law.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Feb 11
I did watch the dancing ones and tried the moves, and when I weighed myself Monday am I lost a bit. Of course it could be that I weight myself with just my night gown on and in my bare feet whereas before I usually had on my heavy sweater, bra, undies, and trousers. Apparentlly they do weigh a lot.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
7 Feb 11
I do not believe in these exercise videos at all. You have to learn to eat right before you are actually going to see weightloss no matter how much you exercise. I think if one thing worked the best, they would not be coming out with more and more all of the time. that is the same with diet pills. If one works, then why make other ones?
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Feb 11
That is what concerns me. It is the choices. I can see an exercise dvd or video for those who need an extreme workout lilke that insanity, a dvd for those who are intermediate, and one for beginners because I know if someone is like me, that went to the back of the book to see the answers, that if you have the whole set, you will try for the dvd that you are not ready for. Anbd I suppose it is the music so if you do not like rap, then hip hop aps is not for you, but if you like country, classical and 59s to late 80s pop music then that is the type of exercise program I can use. Too bat they do not have an intermediate use your own music. And with me being in Canada, even if I order one then it says about a month or more while the customs people open the box to see if someone shipped a bomb in or some poison in it.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
5 Feb 11
The thing that gets me about those commercials is that they always show a thin, muscular person doing the exercises. Let me see some fat people doing it!! That would be more convincing to me. That said, I don't watch those or buy the stuff. They are just trying to make money and any machine or exercise that targets just one muscle group isn't ideal for overall health and weight loss. Jack LaLanne used to have a show when I was little and he'd sit in a chair and show housewives how to get a full body workout with just a towel. That's the kind of exercise program I can get behind--cheap and effective!
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Feb 11
It is the fat people not doing the exercises. There is a new exercise program that they show a low impact version of it for people like er me? but it does not say "well you wil not get the results if you do it that way or it will take longer." Now I want on a web site that gives reviews and most of them got 80 percent from of couse, no doubt the ones who did not have that much to loose and when I see the before and after photos, most of them are from those who had already lost weight but needed a bit more definition -as they say the commercials. Besides how can jumping and leaping their way be different from what I do myself. It is probably the food suggestions and the recipes for low cal and they are probably expensive and I would need to get a juicer.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
7 Feb 11
Be careful about believing those reviews! Many of them are written by people like me who use writing to make extra income. People that market these exercise machines and programs hire me and others like me to "review" those products and extoll their virtues! So the review you read may not be written by someone who has actual experience with the product. I can sometimes slip in some truth about such products that gets by the marketer but it is very subtle. One of my more innocuous tricks is to advise the reader to consult their doctor or a physical therapist before doing these things--when you see that the marketer is either adding it so that they can't be sued for damages or the writer knows something that the marketer has tried to hide like some hidden danger or that the product isn't worth the money!
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
9 Feb 11
I would never consult doctor if I knew that I would be charged for the payment and also if I am not a couch potato and already have done exercises and I doubt that someone in the same shape as I would do the same. Of course if I were in bad shape, I would go to a doctor but then he would probably tell me that they do not work. So I am wary about those infommercials. I also a bit of a cheapskate so I do not buy things unless I am sure they work. I did buy a product that after I bought it read other reviews that said it was bad. Then there was this review that the person said that they should not use it on it and I realized that the ones who did the bad reviews were not using the machine properly. So the reviews goes both ways.
@rposta07 (240)
• United States
19 Feb 11
You can get videos from places like Walmart for only $10 and if youstick with hem, I think they could work. I think about anything that gets your heartrate up and that you actually use along with good eating habits will help. The videos available at Walmart are for all skill levels. Some even contain 10 minute segments so you can design your own workout with these segments. You can also choose a variety of workouts from yoga to pilates to dancing to kickboxing. These inexpensive videos can be useful for about anyone! Good luck!
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
19 Feb 11
I will look to see if they have any dvds. I also would have to get a pair of running shoes. Cannot exactly work in my bare feet. I know about Walmart, but they have a limited quantity. I was wondering whether the ones on Tv work as well or is it because they use models who have slim or medium built. I am watching one infommercial right now and I have not seen a large boned model yet. It does get confusing, but it would help in winter when I cannot move as fast as I would like, that is without falling down and slipping.
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Feb 11
I would guess that if a) you are diligent about doing it and b) you do it right, that it could be pretty effective.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
11 Feb 11
They do put this disclaimer down underneath and they do suggest meal plans. But what is the correct one to use? I know for me I want one that has a lot of action, but is not for an expert. I do not want one designed for someone who is very sedentary. And I do lift weights, but I cannot run that fast even though I would like to, that is long enough to have my heart very fast.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
5 Feb 11
Most of them will have some kind of a disclaimer that your results may be different and the results shown are not necessarily typical of the program, or you will have to go on a reduced calorie diet as well. It sounds like your heart is pretty healthy if your heart rate does not go up with fast walking. Some of the more recent diets doe various cycles of calories and food to keep your metabolism guessing. I do not think I would have fast results on any plan, and I also think that has to do with the age we are.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Feb 11
I did do some of the exercises they had and they are pretty hard. They have the disclaimer for the low cal diet. But I suppose that much of the food is expensive and you might need the equipment - I just have the basics and if they say you have to prepare a meal for four and it is not freezable, what then? I was thinking of getting the Jenny Craig food program but when they say food extra, and after I would have to pay so much a month. And then I would have to be home to have them delivered. And besides what exercise program is recommended for over 60s who were not sedentary. If there is a program that says "If you have been exercising, are over 50 or 60 and not getting results, ours will." Then I might be
• United States
6 Feb 11
I usually run for exercise. But we have had lots of snow so I cannot get outside and I don't have a treadmill. So I have been exercising with one of Jillian's dvds. I like it pretty good and feel good when I get done. It's one of hte extreme fat burner ones and is a real good workout. I hope to continue to do it when I get to run again. I want to do both!
@debbie_19 (226)
• Las Pinas City, Philippines
6 Feb 11
Of course, infomercials are kinda tricky. It's a marketing strategy. If you really want to have a good built, you have to consistently work on it. I think all of them can only be effective if you are consistent. :)
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Feb 11
Yes but those models they show, do they work at it? Or do they have the bone structure like small boned or medium boned that make their results shown easier. I can lose weight but guess where it comes off of? My legs and my face but not where I want it to. And I do a lot of walking. The trouble there is a lot of snow and ice outside, so I have a choice, walk on the road and having to be quiet so I can hear the cars or try to walk on a slippery sidewalk. I mean when you are already large boned, you do not notice the loss or the gains either.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
6 Feb 11
You can only get out of an exercise program the effort you are willing to put into it. It doesn't matter if you are at a gyme or at home with your cd. Anything can work and anything can fail. it is up to you to succeed.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Feb 11
I did not ask that question. What I expressed is a doubt that they would work and much of it is hype. I do read the sentences that say that this individual followed a low caloried diet, but unless they say in the commerciall that along with the exercise program a diet plan is included, then I have doubts because not everyone has fast eyes that can see the disclaimer undeneath. Then there is what works. For instance f I have been doing sit ups (not lifting up the wrong way as you would assume so I have to tell you) the right way, the leg ups, the bicycles, and walking fast, lifting weights, and it takes a while to get anything of, obviously I am using the wrong method.