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In comparing weight-loss ads from eight national magazines published in 1992 and 2001, the reviewers found that the use of testimonials and before-and-after photos had increased. The percentage of weight-loss ads using testimonials climbed from 12.5 percent in 1992 to 76 percent in 2001. Use of before-and-after photos increased from 12.5 percent to 48 percent.

Another difference noted was that dietary supplements comprised two-thirds of the weight-loss products advertised in 2001. In 1992, meal replacement products were the most commonly advertised product.

In addition, the number of times weight-loss ads appeared in the magazines more than doubled between 1992 and 2001, and the 2001 ads generally included more highly questionable claims.

Need for Critical Evaluation

The FTC’s report notes that deception in weight-loss advertising has worsened despite an “unprecedented level of FTC enforcement.” Since 1990, the FTC has brought more than 80 cases against advertisers for allegedly false and misleading weight-loss claims – more than half the total number filed since the FTC’s first weight-loss case in 1927.

The report calls on government agencies, trade associations, self-regulatory groups, the media, and consumers to consider how they might help reduce the incidence of misleading weight-loss ads.

For consumers, the study provides important information on how to spot deceptive weight-loss products and services, says Walter Gross, an attorney in the FTC’s Division of Enforcement and co-author of the study.

“Claims like ‘rapid weight loss,’ ‘no diet or exercise required,’ ‘eat whatever you want,’ and ‘take it off and keep it off’ are all ‘hot’ buttons advertisers use to get consumers to buy their products and services,” he says. “Knowing how to recognize these will help consumers make more informed choices.”

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Get New Growth On Your Triceps With Triceps Pushdowns

The triceps pushdowns are an excellent bodybuilding exercise to work the triceps. With different cable attachments you can focus on different parts of the triceps.

For example, an overhand grip on a straight bar attachment will stimulate all three heads of the triceps equally.  Using a rope attachment however will emphasize the outer head of the triceps.  Finally, a reverse grip on a straight bar or a single handle will emphasize the inner long head of the triceps.

One thing that I love about this exercise is the constant tension that the cables place on the triceps. Performed properly, this exercise will help you to stimulate new growth on the triceps.

In order to know what the proper execution of this exercise is, please take a look at my Triceps Pushdowns Exercise Description.  For a good triceps routine that makes use of this exercise, you can check out Lee Labrada's Bodybuilding Triceps Routine.

Get New Growth On Your Triceps With Triceps Pushdowns originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 07:33:54.

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Many of you who have embarked on a bodybuilding program recently have emailed me about your muscle soreness and whether that is normal or not.

Muscle soreness is a normal part of the recovery process that begins once you finish your bodybuilding workouts.  Muscle soreness is more pronounced at the beginning of your bodybuilding journey since your muscles are not used at all to lifting weights.  That is the reason why it is of utmost importance that you use the right beginning bodybuilding routine.  By doing so, you avoid getting injured or excessively sore.

There are various types of soreness that you need to be aware of.  The key thing is to be able to distinguish between good muscle soreness, which is the one that indicates you had a good workout, and injury type soreness.  For learning how to differentiate between soreness types, please take a look at my Types of Muscle Soreness article, where not only will you learn about the different types of muscle soreness, but also how to minimize them.

Good Muscle Soreness vs. Bad Muscle Soreness originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 07:21:09.

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