Uncensored

QUESTION: Tell me the truth, Scott: Are the before and after pictures you see in the magazines fake?

ANSWER: In the industry, we call “Before and Afters” simply “B&As,” and they’re without a doubt the most effective advertising device marketers have at their disposal when it comes to supplements or training programs. Think about it; what better way to show what happens to you when you swallow Product X than to show photos of what happened when Joe Average took it? But B&As aren’t just used to hock supplements—they’re also used in teeth whitening ads, rust removal, and, of course, tile stain removal commercials! But in the
supplement industry, some unscrupulous companies have indeed
manipulated you into believing these photos were average people off the street that drank their formula or popped their pills and presto, they looked like champions! But let’s just say that many of these people are definitely not your typical fat slob at the donut shop! Here are some of the tricks of the trade used by some supplement companies to trick you. 

BEFORE & AFTER SCAMS

• One supplement company (and you all know it) had its graphic artist cut off” body fat from the “after” picture using Photoshop. This technique is used in problem areas to make the athlete look thinner. Is it legal? Well, no, but the government doesn’t review these ad files before they appear in magazines to see if this was done or not. Most companies that are very large have way too much to lose to do this. But some of the small to mid-sized companies are more willing to take a chance that nobody will ever find out. Often, nobody ever does find out!
• Another company simply asked its staff how much weight they thought the person in the ad “looked like they lost” and then used that in the ads! I was in shock when I heard about this! They didn’t ask the athlete how weight they lost; they simply took a vote on what they thought was believable and would inspire people to buy their product and went with it!
• To prepare for a “before” shoot, athletes sometimes carb and sodium load. With a massive carb and sodium intake for days leading up to the photo shoot, along comes a bloated model with tremendous water retention, looking like he’s eaten 10 Big Macs and drank 10 liters of juice! And in some cases, he actually has! But the day after the photos are taken, the athletes drop their sodium and carb intake way down to a respectable level for dieting and immediately lose the bloat and water retention. I’ve seen one athlete do this and drop almost 7 pounds in 24 hours!
• Some athletes “supplement” their “supplements” with steroids, GH, clenbuterol, geranium, caffeine, ephedrine, Dicana, Cytomel, and other drugs in conjunction with the supplements they’re endorsing. This ensures that they’re getting “maximum results” during their transformations.
• Some companies seek out top fitness competitors or bodybuilders who are naturally lean all year long or “know what it takes” to get the job done and get into top shape for a contest or photo shoot. If these competitors have somehow got out of shape from either being loose with their diets over the Christmas holidays or from taking time off, they’re prime targets for some supplement companies. Before they sign their endorsement contracts, the supplement company has a good idea that these athletes are going to get back into their usual incredible shape once they start adding their “supplements” to their diet and exercise programs. Was it the “diet,” the “exercise,” or the “supplement” that caused all the weight loss or muscle gains? You decide.
• Many supplement companies get emails and letters with before and after photos sent in from athletes looking to get their images used in their supplement ads. The athletes often accompany their photos with heartfelt stories (with lots of spelling and grammar mistakes) about how the product changed their lives. These athlete typically ask for money to use their photos and their inspiring transformations, and the average pay range is up to $2,000. But what many supplement companies don’t know is that some of these athletes shop around their “transformations” to the highest bidder! It’s not uncommon to find an athlete endorsing two different supplement companies’ products at the same time!
• In weight loss ads, athletes’ “after” photos” are always smaller (physically) than their “before” photos. This is done to make the athlete appear to have lost weight.
• In muscle-building ads, athletes’ “after” photos are always “zoomed in” so that they look like they gained muscle.
• A hairy chest, stomach, or back (yuck) are always shaven off in the “after” photos. This is done to enhance the appearance of a muscular physique.
• Have you ever noticed that athletes always seem to end up with nice hairstyles? This is done to make endorsees look their best.
• Does the supplement cause you to tan? Of course not, but I’ve yet to see a B&A that didn’t have a tan in the after photo. If they don’t have a tan, a tan is just added to the athlete using Photoshop.
• In “before” photos, poor lighting can be used to blur muscular definition and make subjects look fat. To do this, photographers just point their lights directly at the athlete. Picture how washed out your physique would look if you got into your trunks and posed directly in front of the headlights of a car at night. Now in the “after” photos, lighting is set up in a studio onstage at a bodybuilding contest so that definition is maximized.

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