Weight loss doesn’t require piles of exotic ingredients

I’m going to offer some unsolicited advice to Beachbody, the multi-level marketing company that made its name selling exercise videos for home use.

But first a look at Fit Extreme, its popular program that aims to turn flab into fitness in just 21 days with intense exercise, dietary advice and a clever system of plastic containers for portion control. And then there’s Shakeology, an assortment of flavoured powders used to make shakes that are an integral part of Fit Extreme.

Shakeology claims to help lose weight, reduce junk-food cravings, provide healthy energy and support digestion and regularity. This is kind of vague, but when I came across the claim that it “helps alkalize the body,” like Elvis, I got all shook up. Ditto for the meaningless “promotes detoxification” and “boosts the immune system” claims. What Shakeology shakes down to is a clever exercise in marketing.

“Protein” has an aura of health, since it is common knowledge that it is the basic component of muscle. So when trying to create a “superfood formula,” another hollow term, it makes sense to start with some protein, never mind that the average person gets more than enough in their daily diet.

Although whey protein is perfectly fine, it sounds too ordinary, so better to include some esoteric sources like chia and quinoa. If you can find a protein source that nobody has ever heard of, like Sacha Inchi, even better. To be fair, there is some evidence that a single large dose of protein may curb hunger, but the source of that protein is irrelevant.

After protein, proceed to throw everything other than powdered kitchen sink into the mix. Scour the scientific literature for any herbs, plants, berries, antioxidants, microbes or enzymes that have ever been shown to have any potential benefit in some laboratory or animal study and toss them into the formula so they can appear in the list of ingredients. Ignore the fact that the amounts added are way, way less than those used in the studies.

Blueberries, spinach, acai berries and pomegranate are the darlings of the antioxidant worshippers, so add some sort of extract of these to garner attention, and hope that nobody asks “how much?”

Ginkgo biloba has been associated with memory improvement, albeit controversially, so include an insignificant amount, and while at it, why not add some fungi like Cordyceps with an undeserved reputation as an aphrodisiac.

There has been a lot of positive discussion about probiotics, so be sure to include some “beneficial” bacteria. And, of course, don’t forget to mention the inclusion of kale, the current dietary sweetheart.

Shakeology’s creator Carl Daikeler explains that his product is completely different and works in a “more sophisticated way, supporting 11 systems in the body, and giving the body the power to heal itself.” Meaningless drivel. The real question is whether Fit Extreme delivers on its promise.

The company has apparently carried out one clinical trial with 50 people, lasting 90 days, that never made it into peer-reviewed literature. Details are murky, but apparently some meals were replaced with shakes, which is not the way the program is currently marketed.

The noted weight loss and cholesterol reduction was attributed to Shakeology. That’s an unwarranted assumption, since the effect could well have been due to reduced calorie intake. And since there was no control group using another protein source, it cannot be assumed that the Shakeology shakes are effective.

But we can assume that if a dedicated person cuts down on portion size, as will be the case by using Beachbody’s containers, and exercises like the dickens, he or she will lose some weight over the 21 days of the Fit Extreme regimen.

I must say I have been impressed by the success of my daughter and son-in-law. They have religiously abided by the program, lost weight, and claim the shake tastes so good that there are no visions of chocolate cake dancing in their heads.

Now for the advice to Beachbody I promised. Cut the flim-flam about the shake’s superfood ingredients, alkalizing and immune boosting properties and concentrate on promoting portion control, exercise and the shake as a tasty replacement for sweet snacks. Finally, I think KC and the Sunshine Band’s 1976 hit (Shake, Shake, Shake), Shake your Booty would be a nice fit for Fit Extreme ads.