The problem with many people is that they are on the lookout only for fast and easy ways to shed weight. This accounts for the low success rate overweight people have in their long-term weight-loss efforts. They find it hard to accept that, unfortunately - in this era of scientific and medical breakthroughs - an effortless weight-loss technique does not exist.

So if you are one of those overweight people, what should you do? Here are some thoughts on the matter:

1. Bear in mind that all weight-loss attempts require effort on your part. The only proven method for weight loss is to cut down on the calories you consume, or increase the calories you do manage to burn off via exercise. Most experts believe you should do both.

2. Try not to pursue the low-calorie route if you lack medical supervision because of the medical dangers involved.

3. Fad diets are out of the question since fast and drastic changes in eating patterns are hard to maintain. Crash diets also push dieters into the cycle of rapid weight loss, piling back of weight after going back to normal eating patterns, and having an even harder time losing weight when they try another diet.

4. You need to commit for the long-term to daily adjustments in your eating and exercise habits if you intend to lose and keep off weight safely. Many experts believe you can lose around a pound per week by decreasing your calorie intake by 500 calories per day. Learn to practice healthy eating habits.

You should try to avoid products such as pills and capsules that can allegedly remove fat from your body. There are pills that can control your appetite but not without side effects.

The following products have been proven by the US Food and Drug Administration to be worthless:

1. Diet patches that are placed on the skin.

2. Fat blockers that allege to physically absorb fat while mechanically hindering a person from absorbing fat

3. Magnet pills that purport to remove fat out of your system

4. The Oriental plant root Glucomannan

5. Certain bulk producers or fillers, including fiber-based products, which can absorb liquid then increase in size in your stomach

6. The blue-green algae species Spirulina

Various kinds of bogus weight-loss devices and gadgets are being touted everywhere. At the very least, they are worthless and exist simply for you to throw your money away on them. Others are downright dangerous to use.

Some of these are:

1. Electrical muscle stimulators that can produce electrical shock and burns when applied the wrong way.

2. Appetite-suppressing eyeglasses that absolutely do not work.

3. Magic weight-loss earrings and other gadgets that are attached to your ear (which allegedly stimulate acupuncture points related to hunger) and do not have any effect

How does one know if the product is bogus? You should be wary of claims about weight-loss products that have words and phrases such as: easy, effortless, guaranteed, miraculous, magical, breakthrough, new discovery, mysterious, exotic, secret, exclusive, and ancient. Chances are, you are being led on a wild goose chase.

Hopefully, the data provided here will help you avoid wasting your time, energy and money on weight-loss products that just do not work. There is definitely no substitute for a sensible eating and exercise program.