1. Body Wraps and Waist Wraps: The Difference Between Losing Fat And
Losing Inches
By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.BurnTheFat.com
www.BurnTheFatInnerCircle.com
"Body wraps" have been around for ages in the weight loss and spa industry. Claims include loss
of body weight, loss of body fat, and loss of inches. Infomercials for rubber “waist belts" are also
back on TV and similar claims are made for these types of wraps as well. What few people realize
is that there is a huge difference between losing fat and losing inches. When your body fat
decreases, your circumference measurements will usually also decrease, but “fat” loss and
“inch” loss are not one in the same. If you don’t know how to tell the difference, you could be
falling for one of the oldest, most notorious fitness and weight loss scams in the book.
The truth is, body wraps and waist belts do not shrink fat cells or burn body fat - no matter what
type of wrap is used: bandages, plastic, foil, vinyl, or rubber and regardless of what you are
wrapped in: herbs, minerals, enzymes, seaweed, clay, or mud - it doesn't matter. Fat can only be
lost with a caloric deficit from a reduction in food intake, an increase in activity or ideally, a
combination of both.
Whenever you see fat loss claims for wraps or any other product which doesn't involve a caloric
deficit created though nutrition or exercise, the “scam alarm” should go off in your head, and
you should always stay away, no matter how compelling the sales pitch.
Furthermore, the companies making fat loss claims would be in hot water with the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) if they were investigated and caught because claims for body fat reduction
from wraps cannot be supported with scientific evidence.
The FTC as well as numerous state attorney general's offices have already taken action against
body wrap companies in the past for false advertising and unsupported claims. Some companies
simply had to stop making false claims, others had to pay stiff fines as well. The problem, from a
legal and ethical standpoint, is the claim being made. Remember, "inches" and "fat" are not the
same thing.
Some types of wraps can definitely take off inches (for example, they might reduce the
circumference measurement of your waist, hips, arms and legs), but it's not fat, its water weight
and fluid, and the results are temporary.
Suppose this claim is made in an advertisement:
* Lose Up To 15 inches in 1 Hour! *

2. This is legal advertising because the claim "lose inches" might be supportable (if enough
circumference measurements are taken with a tape measure at enough sites, that might add up
to a total of 15 inches in circumference loss)
However I believe that these types of claims are misleading (and probably intentionally so),
because "inches" is not the same as body fat but the product vendors know that you might easily
confuse "inches" with "fat."
Contrast that claim with this one:
* Lose Body Fat without diet or exercise in 1 Hour!*
That claim is totally false and scientifically unsupportable.
Again, body wraps cannot burn fat or "shrink fat cells."
If fat loss could be achieved with body wraps, it would be very easy to test and prove.
Body composition (body fat) testing (rather than measurements of inches) could be performed
before and after the wrap, and the answer ("does it work") would become easily exposed.
Since it doesn't work, you won't find any wrap people accepting your challenge to allow you to
do independent body composition testing, nor will you find a shred of scientific evidence
showing reduction of bodyfat from wraps.
Unfortunately, bogus fat loss claims are still quite widespread, as a simple Internet search for
"body wrap" will demonstrate. The most frequently used claims however, are for loss of
"inches."
The inches lost simply come from loss of fluid. And guess what - those inches (and or water
weight) will come right back in days if not hours, as soon as you completely re-hydrate yourself.
Other claims made for body wraps include detoxification, improved circulation and tighter,
smoother and clearer skin. Most health and fitness researchers, as well as government agencies
such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will tell you that these claims are "debatable"
and mostly anecdotal.
Some experts even warn that certain types of wraps can be dangerous, mainly due to the rapid
and excessive fluid loss/dehydration.
If you want to get wrapped because you find it relaxing or you consider it a "spa-like" treatment,
that's one thing. Just remember, wraps have absolutely nothing to do with fat loss.

3. I'd suggest completely avoiding any companies that advertise fat loss when it's only water and
inches you're losing, because a dishonest company is one you don't want to patronize at all.
One last thing – this is a timely subject because although "body wraps" have been around for
ages and it's old news, I noticed that infomercials for "waist belts" or “sauna wraps” are back on
TV in force and I see that they are replaying the ads over and over again, which means people
are buying it.
Everything I just said about body wraps also applies to those rubber waist belts too.
On a web search I just did for those rubber belt waist wraps, I noticed some of the websites are
STILL making claims like "Melt fat" (totally bogus, unsupported and illegal claim).
Other sites seem to be wary of the FTC paying them a visit, so they do a whole song and dance
around the legal issues by saying stuff like, "sweat away inches," "therapeutic heat", "target your
problem areas" and so on. Even if these claims are not illegal, the promotions are still
deceptive…
The professional fitness model is pictured taking off the rubber belt, revealing ripped six pack abs
below... as if those abs are a result of wearing the belt! Wishful thinking! These are professional
models, folks. They got the abs the same way everyone else with abs got them - with a calorie
deficit from a combination of strict diet and hard training!
Wraps and waist belt products might take off some inches or water weight, but they can’t take
off a single ounce of fat. Buyer beware.
Programs like Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle are focused on FAT LOSS, not water loss or loss of
inches. When body fat decreases, circumferences in inches will also decrease, but "fat" lost and
"inches" lost are not one in the same.
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified
strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat,
Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written hundreds of articles and has been featured in print
magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular
Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites
worldwide. For information on Tom's Fat Loss program, visit: www.BurnTheFat.com. To learn
more about Tom's Fat Loss Support Community, visit: www.BurnTheFatInnerCircle.com