WOODBURY — As the 2023 calendar turns to its third month, New Year’s resolutions are seemingly a distant memory. The top five most popular resolutions of 2023 were to improve mental health (45%), improve fitness (39%), lose weight (37%), improve diet (33%), and improve my finances (30%), according to a Forbes health survey data. 

According to Viruagym, almost every gym in America experiences a 12% increase in enrollment in just the month of January … then loses 50% of new members in the first six months of the year. This phenomenon has been going on for years.

It is scary going into a gym or trying to start a healthy well-rounded fitness journey when you know nothing. There is so much misinformation about health and food, specifically on the internet.

It is so overwhelming at this point because if you research anything in the health industry you have seven different people stating seven completely different things about the same product while saying they are all credible sources.

So how do you choose? Who is credible? What isn’t just some gimmick trying to get money? Ultimately, all we want is to be healthy. 

Not only does the gym collect a sizable slice of revenue in January, but the weight loss industry is worth over $246 billion today. There are many companies who capitalize on this magical idea of low effort and fast dramatic weight change. 

“People are looking to better themselves and sometimes find an easy method,” said Dave Green, a wellness teacher at Nonnewaug High School. “[Dieters are seeking] a method favorable to them to lose weight quickly.”  

One of these organizations is Medi-Weightloss, a franchise that was developed in 2005 by Edward Kaloust, who graduated from University of Tampa Sykes College and majored in science-marketing. 

Science-marketing is the study of understanding how a customer is fulfilled. This is done by analyzing the effectiveness of a campaign. 

“[Weight loss gimmicks are] fads, almost every single one of them,” said NHS athletic trainer Sean McGee. “People always think diets are for performance. If you want to lose weight, it won’t be easy. You have to work.” 

For example, Medi-Weightloss says you can lose up to 20 pounds in the first month. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control states that a healthy amount of weight to lose a month is eight pounds.

Medi-Weightloss more than doubles that number by restricting your diet. It includes hunger suppressant pills that result in you only eating around 800 calories a day. 

Within Medi-Weightloss’s operation, members pay $75 to $100 a week to get a B-12 shot to give you energy since your calorie intake is so low. 

“Food affects your performance, period,” McGee says. “Certain micronutrients are needed for your muscles to fire correctly. You need to eat properly to simply survive.” 

As McGee said, it’s not going to be easy. The bottom line is if you want to lose weight there is no magic pill or shot, and there is no magical green smoothie or shake. 

Any franchise saying that they have unlocked “the big secret” and that they know how to shed 20 pounds in one month is either an unhealthy diet, unneeded supplements, or just blatantly lying about their program. 

A healthy diet is a healthy balance between exercising and fueling your body to achieve all of your personal goals.

After all, there’s no magic pill to address laziness.

This is the opinion of Chief Advocate reporter Kaylee Jackson.