Don't fall for diet gimmicks.

My husband and I went to the grocery store on Sunday, and since my supply of coupons was dwindling, we decided to purchase the local paper. I read the front page section as I was eating lunch and found this ad underneath an article about Palestine and the Mideast talks:

My first thought was: Really? Followed by: Seriously? And then: Stupid.

Essentially, I don't buy it. How can you promise people that they'll "lose 30 lbs, 50 lbs, even 120 lbs quickly and safely" without first discussing their current health and lifestyle on an individual basis? And while "two hypnotic sessions designed to eliminate unwanted cravings, reduce your consumption of sweets, and break the impulsive/compulsive eating habit" probably sound tempting to some, I can save you the $59.99 with a short sentence: Get active and eat clean. It's that simple.

If you want to lose weight, you have to develop a lifestyle that curbs your chances of gaining weight. In other words, don't sit on the couch and be bored when you can get up and go for a walk. Pounds don't fall off automatically. It takes some effort. And the effort gets easier when you learn to live the healthy life. Now, the official website claims that this seminar will educate you on the "physical and mental sources of many of the eating problems that have kept you from losing weight." And maybe that's legit, but then why the hypnosis? If they educate people properly, they should be fully prepared to go out and make life changes. Don't you agree?

And that's why I feel like the "Lose Weight with Hypnosis" seminar is a gimmick. And gimmicks may work for the short term, but in the long run they usually amount to nothing more than a quick fix. And quick fixes aren't always the best. In fact, they remind me of training wheels on a bicycle. They may get you up and rolling for a little while, but the minute you take them off, you have no clue how to ride a bike and the learning process begins again.

You may lose weight, but the minute you deter from the program—whether it be hypnosis, a shakes-only meal plan, no-carb diet, whatever—your body might just freak and go back to the way it was before you started.

Now, I'm not a dietitian or a nutritionist, but I am a personal trainer. Which means that I can say for certain that adding a little physical activity to a healthy, well-balanced diet will put you on the path toward weight loss. Beware of fad diets and gimmicky tricks that promise to make you lose weight fast. Again, get active and eat clean. And again, it's that simple.