I came across this ad just now while on Facebook – you guys be the judge!
Notice how every effort is made to:
1. Not mention that you have to buy a product?
2. Sweeten the deal – make it seem like there’s a ‘cash reward’ to lose that weight.
3. Give an outrageous promise – to lose 50kg! That’s so unrealistic, and anything that promises such massive weight loss without professional/medical release and supervision is just not good for you.
4. Oh, last but not least – To hide that fact that you are actually Herbalife.
Why so sneaky? What are you hiding?
If you enjoyed this article, join 5,000+ other readers like you who get email updates (it's free)
This post was written by...
Noel Chelliah, ACE-CPT, ACE-LWMC, has been recognized as one of the Top Transformation Experts in Malaysia. No stranger to being overweight himself, Noel has gone through a life-changing transformation himself, from fat, to fit. In 2010, Noel founded the DailyMuscle Body Transformation Camp, which today helps hundreds of individuals exercise and practice healthier habits. In his spare time, Noel serves the community with various programs that promote a healthier lifestyle, and enjoys playing with his dogs.
My name is Noel Chelliah, and I’m a Transformation Specialist and founder of the 
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
hey DM, how did u know it’s Herbalife? :P
oh btw, there’s this other ad on FB i’ve been seeing. this miracle berry or smth, that ‘ALL’ celebrities in the US use… have u seen it? maybe u can click on the ‘Show All Ads’ button and it will pop out…
and, it’s great to be back!
I don’t know what it is about Herbalife that I am such against it. To be fair I’ve never tested their products and see whether they are good or not. Maybe I just hate their promoters. They’re one heck of an irritating lot.
I remember a year ago, I posted a topic on a forum asking readers to recommend a good gym with a decent membership fee. Told them I wanted to gain weight as I’m too thin.
And this prick told me why must I waste time and energy going to the gym when I can gain weight being consuming Herbalife products. Bloody fool. If I take the supplements but not exercise, I’ll just gain fat, not muscle. Who do you think he’s fooling?
Sorry if I sound emotional. I just hate it that these buggers prey on misinformed individuals on the merits of their products. They’re so unethical.
I might wanna go to one of Herbalife’s recruitment drives and see how exactly they train their distributors and then do an expose on them on my blog.
Hah!
Hey why not?! I think that’s the best way to find out… I have this friend who’s forever bugging us on FB about Herbalife… and when we met her at our friend’s wedding just last year, no diff!
She “looked” thin in her very dark coloured empire waist dress, her arms were flabby, not toned, skin was yellowish, and her face was drawn and pale.
If i’m gonna look like that after Herbalife, i dont wanna have a life!
suN: You must be talking about the Acai berry. Oh, I know its a
HerbaliesHerbalife ad cos I clicked on the link and was brought to a Distributor’s page.Aizan: I’ll gladly join you!! I’m equally irritated as well, if not more. I find myself wasting a lot of time and effort and repeatedly explaining to people in some local online forums lately on the downside of these diets. Everytime I try to help someone by recommending ‘exercise, healthy eating habits, etc’, I’m usually ‘attacked’ by a group of Herbalies distributors.
Eh – I’ve got a new way to spell Herbalife. I mean, Herbalies.
yeah yeah! the Acai Berry… that’s right. just couldn’t recall which berry was it.
Herbalies… good one. :)
you know, i feel like attending one of them Herbalife talks too. Darn. it’ll be so educational and ‘rewarding’ and enlightening.
hi there Bro DM,
i was reading ur website since the day i stumbled on it.. hehe… that was few weeks ago and i took the initiative to read up before posting this Q..
of coz i would agree to u that herbalife is crap and i never tried that before and got no intention of doing so… but wat would u think of this melilea organic drink? or have heard about it…
:) cheers.
sha: Thanks for being a part of this site!
As for the melilia drink – haven’t really heard about it, but I did a quick lookup and came across melilia organic soy drink. Is that what you’re referring to?
I also came across this page on a local forum – with people talking about a whole bunch of ‘drinks’ and slimming products and how it affects them – you might wanna read it: http://www.malaysiabrides.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php?t313.html
Herbalife is everywhere dont you think? Only a matter of time before they attack FB. I am so anti herbalife or any weight loss product for that matter. I really think exercise and good nutrition is the key to best life.
Btw, acai berry i heard from Dr Oz – in Oprah. I think weight loss nonsense aside, this is supposedly really good for you because it contains like a tremendous amound of antioxidants. Think 8 oranges in 1 or something like that. :-)
hey!
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=12619212&ch=4226720&src=news
check it out…
Hahahahahhaaha…
SuN! Now I know the correct pronunciation of acai berry.
It’s Ah-Sai-Eee.. (so glamour like that!)
And all this while I’ve been pronouncing it as Ah Chai Berry!
hahaha sounds so Cina!! Ah Chai Berry! gimme one bo-ter of de Ah Chai Belly ah.. neh the veli good wan make me no sick wan…
anyhoo. yeah. good vid eh
Jen: I’m glad you dont believe in herbalies. :) Btw, just saw your blog – are you into crossfit?
Aizan: Ah-Sai-Eee?? I had no idea. Haha. THanks – at least now I won’t make a fool of myself anymore.
suN my fav sidekick: Thanks for the video link :)
DM – oh no, you saw my blog. :p
I wouldn’t say I’m into intooo crossfit ( i don’t crossfit daily) but I love what crossfit is all about and I believe in it – trying to integrate it in my lifestyle. Am currently trying to start off with their beginner plan.
What’s your take on Crossfit? :-)
Jen: So you go to Jon’s place – Pushmore?
My take on Crossfit? Oh it can certainly make you fit – and fast. Cos you’re placing a lot of stress on your body – and also using very heavy weights (bodyweight) – compared to those who go to the gym, and are clueless on how heavy they should lift, Crossfit forces you to lift heavy. So you see great results. I really want to give it a try too – I like the element of challenge that it has – constantly getting one to outdo a previous record.
DM – i started trying out crossfit before Pushmore came into the picture :-)
Havent gone there before, i do it at home, or at my partner’s home gym. Most crossfit workouts require very minimal equipment anws – and if you’re starting out – you mainly need a bar and plates, and a pull up bar.
Yup, I think anyone into fitness and overall strength (esp if you value functional strength) would see the beauty and benefits of crossfit. They even have crossfit kids and for seniors in US. It’s amazing (seeing like a 70 year old lift weights)
Do let me know how its like for u (simply curious) … :-)
You mention fit – and fast. Not for me though. or yet. Haha. I’m no fitness junkie. Just trying to be one. Still trying … (still very un-fit)
what in e world is Crossfit *proceeds to google*
oh btw, just to share, I used this thing called e Vibrogym yesterday, at e gym. a qualified instructor must always be there to assist you to use it.
the thing vibrates at, well, for me, he used 50Hz… so i had to double leg squats, alternate single leg squats, sit ups, push ups, plank, tricep dip etc on it… over a span of 30 mins (well i did 15+15 coz in between i attended body combat)
anyhoo it apparently works on e concept of gravity… when it vibrates, it is 6x e pull of gravity, forcing ur muscles to continue being stable, therefore increasing endurance, working ur cores, and making u perspire in order to maintain breathing, balance and stance.
it was a great work out though… i quite liked it. at e end, it could even allow u to do a massage by sitting, lying on it… for ladies, it could be a good thing coz i think it can even stimulate one… and achieve orgasm AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
okay 2 cents worth. go google now!
Jen: It’ll be awhile until I try crossfit – still havent fully recovered from a knee injury.
suN: Where on earth have you been? How come YOU of all people haven’t heard of crossfit? Anyway – there is a similar machine, called the Power Plate – though I believe the Vibrogym came out first? But they both work on the same principle – which is called acceleration training.
I haven’t heard that ‘gravity’ explanation before, but what I know is that the vibrations force your muscles to contract and relax continuously, many many times per second – something impossible to be achieved with normal strength training. I enjoyed my experience with the power plate too – I did a previous writeup/review here:
http://www.dailymuscle.com/2008/12/18/the-power-plate-my-experience-and-results/
I think something like this adds great variety to an existing workout program – but on its own, one shouldnt expect much or really buy into its claims entirely. But I must say, I have seen an unusual rate of improvement over the past week on my injured knee, training with the Power Plate just 3x per week.
Hello guys!Actually I’ve tried Herbalife and it kinda work for me and my nephew as well. Both of us actually loose weight. Though, it is ridiculously priced. As for me I gave it a try because I saw the slimming effects on my housemate back in uni. So I tried and it actually tasted yummy especially the cappuccino flavor. Actually it is a meal replacement drink so u will have to skip ur meals and instead drink that protein shake. In this case, I replace my breakfast and dinner with this shake and consume regular lunch. Herbalife, it’s actually a low calorie shake that should make u feel full (though some ppl still feel hungry =D). Meaning that calorie in < calorie out. It might help in reducing weight loss but without exercise, it’s still impossible to achieve a toned body.
I have used Herbalife myself and have had incredible results. I have lost 25 lbs, my halitosis has disappeared, my receding hairline and baldspot have filled back with thick hair, my acne has cleared up and my John Stanley has never been as sturdy and perky. Amazing stuff. And I left out the fact that my crooked teeth have straightened out, too.
I have read one of your article criticizing another person’s Ad – Easy Slim Down… – and find think it a pity that you have to criticize other people’s Ad to flourish your own website or Ad or whatever that you are trying to promote. Jealous? Greed? Anyways, I am a herbalife user, and it worked for me and i did win CA$H for one of the challenge! :) LOST more than 30kg, normalized my diabetes, high blood sugar, cholesterol now normal, improve energy and skin become better more important IMPROVE MY CONFIDENCE & SELF ESTEEM. So i salute the products! and my coach!
Liberal: If herbalife is the solution to the world’s obesity problem, then why don’t physicians recommend it to their overweight patients? If you took the time to read a little more on my blog on my stand about herbalife, you would understand why I (and thousands of other fitness professionals) feel this way.
In about 10 years time, I wonder if you would be able to sustain your weight loss – without the need to consume the products for the rest of your life?
Just because a product works, does not mean it is the right thing to do.
…quite simply because Doctors and Physicians:
a) know very little about the science of nutrition.
b) are more interested in prescribing medicine
your article shows a lack of research into Herbalife, the science behind its products and its philosophy of promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle. you clearly haven’t tried any of the products, yet feel very confident in criticizing. not smart.
I came across this blog in my searching for 3rd party opinions about Herbalife. I recently joined up, am going through the motions and have been taking the product for a few weeks now. I’m only doing the core products as I’m a triathlete and am in decent shape but I honestly have to say I feel better on a daily basis. The fact that I get to drink something that’s healthy (have researched the ingredients as I’m very conscious of what I put in my body), fills me up and tastes like a McDonald’s milkshake (I make mine with a frozen banana and unsweetened chocolate almond milk) is great!
Maybe it’s also because I wasn’t taking a multi-vitamin prior to trying these products and trying my damnedest to find the nutritional balance in the foods I ate but always felt like it was so challenging.
There is also a decent amount of 3rd party research that supports everyone should be taking some sort of vitamin/mineral supplement daily, regardless of what brand.
I can see how some of these Herbalife sales people are just out there to max out their bottom lines but just so you know, that’s not the approach I’m going to take. In fact, I hope to build my website with Herbalife products and add more and more products I believe in, though the money will never be as good :)
It’s about believing you can make a difference by helping people understand all the options out there but when I promote a vast range of different products, it’s very difficult actually making money that way without buying in bulk (requiring a lot of upfront money), shipping the products yourself and taking an enormous risk where Herbalife there is none! They do have a turn-key system with a more than decent product line so why not?
Wonder if my comments will spark the blog back up again :)
Herbalife is not dieting. It’s a lifestyle. People take Herbalife on a daily basis because it saves them time, money and convenience. Of not having to eat at fast foods and not having to visit doctors so often.
Many doctors do recommend it by those who use the products and love them. But many who never tried the products would not recommend it because Doctors get paid each time you visit and most likely if you’re taking nutrition supplements you’ll visit less often. Which is one of the reason why many who take the products stay on it.
Why stop something that you know works for you ? you stop something that isn’t working for you! Then of course when we do stop, we feel like crap because we lack nutrition values causing us to go tired again and weak.
Who says you have to gym to lose weight and have to gym to keep the weight off? Going to the gym is inconvenient. A lot of us do not have time to gym, exercise or cook healthy meals. That is why there’s Herbalife. Because that’s convenient to put into our everyday lives.
The same reason why most of us go to fast food. Because it is convenient. But only if they knew a healthier alternative that is much more convenient they would have chosen that rout instead. That is what distributors are for. To educate them and help them achieve the quality of life they deserve. Not having to worry about getting fat, getting sick, high blood pressure, diebetics, heart failure you name it would be much more convenient than going to fast food that for sure!
The reason we do not sell the products in stores is because the company wanted to look after the customers more than the money in their pocket. If you go buy something right now is the store going to call you the day after and check up on you to see how you’re doing ? Many of us need mentors and motivation to achieve our goals. Same goes with losing weight!
After all, whether its to help make this world a better place to be in health or wealth, Herbalife is a leader in terms of opportunity.
Even Bill Clinton endorses it. There’s nothing wrong with it as long you try not to change it! And people who do will not last long in their
entrepreneur with Herbalife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_eGbfTPbGY
Oh sorry it was ”gym to gain weight” you be surprise from your research and education that with today’s technology and 21st century cellular nutrition and all science behind it- we not have to do as much we think to get the result we want now days. If you take the products you will not gain fat. If that was true then Herbalife would have never made it on the world’s largest stock exchange, NYSE. It’s the way you take the products that determines your results and every program is personalized to fit your individual need and goals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiv0xFYNxFw
;)
herbalife rox!! haha everythng u took in those bottles r in our 1 bottle.. so it ur call.. myb if u listen n research more, u’ll find more.. i hv to agree wth LIBERAL.. dun critcse others just to make urself look good.. -peace-
A hundred years ago, we didn’t have Herbalife. All we had was real food items – things that grew naturally out of the ground. And our ancestors lived longer, and healthier than we do today. :P
a hundred years ago we didn’t need to call food ‘organic’ because all food was organic. these days – pesticides, pollution, cold-storage, antibiotics, genetic engineering etc etc…
stick to the weight-lifting. you clearly know zip about nutrition and its longterm effect on health and wellness.
yea.. those were d days rite.. but how abt tday? do we rili wise enuf to choose wats best for us.. u-uhh.. i dun thnk so.. so, for me.. its really up to us to know our body well.. choose d best for us.. learn everythng more jus to make ourselves feel n look better.. its all up to their goal.. do they wana look like a body builder or jus to look toned n shaped up..
im not saying tat HL is d best.. n i dun agree to make ourselves look bttr we have to condmd others.. jus to b fair enuf.. its all about balance.. for me HL is just as same as other supplmnts.. yea, i would call it a supplmnt.. if all those gymmers (hehe my own term ..) take whey protein (any brand), to build up lean muscle.. HL does it too.. n i cant see any diff.. stil those consumers have to wrkout (if they want too), have balanced meal n plus vegies/fruits daily, to achieves d best results( its slghtly diff if to get muscle like a body builders.. hihikk)
for me.. to gain, lose or maintain weight, to live healthier, its all about how u manage to do it constantly.. not just like warm warm chickrn s**t.. aite.. anythng we do, we jus need supports from other.. for me tat is really imprtnat.. so come on show some balance n healthy loves ere.. =)
{ 1 trackback }