How to lose 10 pounds in 30 minutes

Friday night I was watching 20/20 on TV and the topic of discussion was deception in weight-loss advertising which piqued my interest. Apparently, those before and after shots are taken the same day! How is it possible to look like you’ve lost weight in one day? The answer: lighting, a spray tan, and proper posture.

To replicate these results, the producers asked three men, who were fairly lean to begin with, to slouch and stick out their guts for the before photos. None of these men looked fat in the before photos, but they did look like they could lose a few pounds and tone up. Then the three men shaved their chests and got a professional spray tan. Next the men did sit ups and push ups to pump blood into their muscles to make them look more muscular. The men posed for the after shots, with perfect poses, stomachs sucked in, and arms flexed. It was amazing to see the transformation: from flabby to fit. Abdominal muscles were now apparent and strong biceps emerged.

This type of advertising is deceptive, but effective. To replicate these results, stand up straight with shoulders back and smile…you’ve now lost ten pounds!