Article: Body Magic "Slimming" Undergarments..

[ChefChiTown]

I'll leave a link to the entire article at the bottom, but here are some tidbits...

Few issues pique public interest more than opportunities to make money and achieve beauty. The estimated 3,000 people from around the country who streamed into the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta in early August were a testament to that. They came to rally around Ardyss International, a Las Vegas, Nevada-based direct sales company that makes a fortune off undergarments.

Body Magic, the company's flagship girdle-and-corset combo, which retails for $140 plus tax and shipping, can "bring your butt back to high school fine," the man on stage announced.

You can wear it and get thin, the claims go, or you can sell it and get rich.

While many such companies are legitimate, others smack of pyramid schemes, prompting legal disputes and investigations by consumer protection agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC has no complaints about Ardyss International on file. But the Better Business Bureau, with which Ardyss is not accredited, has given the company an F rating, saying 16 complaints over the past 36 months have gone unanswered. An Ardyss executive and spokesman, Mike Potillo, told CNN the company wasn't aware of these complaints and would be in touch with the BBB to clear this up.

"Every eight seconds a woman looks in the mirror and wants to be smaller," said Dorothy Cook, who's often credited for making the business, founded in Mexico, a multilevel marketing hit in the United States. "Once you wear it and take it off, you lose inches. Every woman must have one."

Sonja King, 38, did not attend the convention but said she's worn her Body Magic about four days a week for the past two months. The Atlanta-area woman said she has seen results but wonders whether it's because she can barely eat when she wears it.

"It's not comfortable," she said with a laugh. "But I had to go to a formal affair recently, and that Body Magic came in handy. I was slammin' in that dress!"

"The muscles that hold you erect will have no need to work," if worn with regularity, he said. "They'll go to mush."

Body Magic: Get rich, get thin -- or get real? - CNN.com

I don't know why I found this to be so interesting, but...I do. I just find it to be funny, for some reason, that people actually buy into this crap. Sure, these products might make you LOOK slimmer, but you're NOT slimmer. It's all a superficial lie that you are telling everybody by wearing these things. When you take these garments off, you are still going to have the same body as you did before you put these garments on. Nothing changes.

Personally, I don't get why people rely on products like this to feel good about themselves. It just pisses me off that so many people use tactics like this in order to hide their true selves. I know that I'm in the minority on this (because most guys like girls who wear make-up, have fancy hair styles, sexy clothes, "perfect" bodies, etc - Me? I don't like that), but I just can't stand when people, especially women, refuse to be themselves. These Body Magic garments, and other products that are just like it, are nothing but a temporary fix to a problem; a problem that isn't there to begin with. Since when is not having the "perfect" body a problem? Why is that wrong? Why is that a bad thing?

I know I'm kind of ranting here, but why can't people just learn to accept themselves for who they are? Nothing good is going to come out of lying to everybody that you meet. Because, that's all that these garments are - a LIE. People wear this crap in order to make themselves more attractive to other people, but here's the problem - the people who find you attractive in these garments don't like your body; they like the body that they THINK you have. I mean, what happens if you meet a guy and he thinks that the body he is seeing is what he'll be seeing when he goes home with you? But, when he goes home with you and you take off your Body Magic garments to reveal your REAL body, he doesn't like what he sees and ends up leaving?

I'm just sick and tired of how the media, even the news, does nothing but make women feel bad about themselves. All you see is skinny, unrealistic women on TV and it does nothing but make girls feel shitty about their own bodies, even though there is nothing wrong with them. Seriously, where are the REAL women on TV? Where is the 5' 4", 195 lb girl with hardly any make-up on and her hair thrown back into a pony tail, modeling Gap clothes? Where is the slightly frumpy girl with tiresome bags under her eyes and a little roll of fat on her stomach trying to sell me shampoo? I mean, that's who is REALLY using these products and buying these things. Not these "perfect", model-types. I don't know about you, but I don't see many women walking around town that look like the women you see on TV. It's just ridiculous at how all of this stupid bullshit is forced upon women now-a-days.

Ladies - quit buying into these bullshit "slimming" methods, because it's not changing a damn thing about you. You are perfectly fine, just the way you are.

...

...

...where am I?

 

[Jae0]

You've gone through the looking glass!

Anyway, I buy pantyhose to help me look smoother in certain clothing. There are just some materials that you need it for.
As for looking thinner with the slimmers, lol. Sorry but if you're like me and you've got fat arms or a fat face, you aint foolin anybody sweetheart.
But hey, if it gives them the confidence to wear a dress or something like that, go for it.

A lot of people overlook the pressure the media puts on men to look perfect as well.

I've also noticed that as my husband and his friends get more into things like MMA, they become more self conscious. Its a weird thing to witness.

 

[M_Marie]

I'm just sick and tired of how the media, even the news, does nothing but make women feel bad about themselves. All you see is skinny, unrealistic women on TV and it does nothing but make girls feel shitty about their own bodies, even though there is nothing wrong with them. Seriously, where are the REAL women on TV? Where is the 5' 4", 195 lb girl with hardly any make-up on and her hair thrown back into a pony tail, modeling Gap clothes? Where is the slightly frumpy girl with tiresome bags under her eyes and a little roll of fat on her stomach trying to sell me shampoo? I mean, that's who is REALLY using these products and buying these things. Not these "perfect", model-types. I don't know about you, but I don't see many women walking around town that look like the women you see on TV. It's just ridiculous at how all of this stupid bullshit is forced upon women now-a-days.QUOTE]

see, i agree with you to a certain extent.... but lets take things to the opposite extreme.


I.E- More to Love.
This show annoys the piss out of me. Here we are taking a bunch of big ladies... who are very much over weight for the most part... and having them compete for the love of some 300 pound man who likes larger women. So, ok whatever thats all nice and everything... but when you are on a show... bragging about how much you love to gorge yourself on food, and stuff your face... and you want a woman who likes to do the same.... what are you saying to the average american person? You are saying... hey! Its ok to eat like shit and stuff yourself with Mcdonalds, 18 hotdogs, and 3 hamburgers in a sitting......
THEN... these girls who brag about having SOOOO much in common with the 'bachelor' sit there with the interview camera on them BAWLING.... BAWWWWWLING their eyes out because life has been sooooo hard for them and Noooooone understands how hard it is to be fat.

HELLLLLLooooooooo!!!!!! WAKE UP. you stuff yourself and dont TRY TO LOSE THE WEIGHT... and pride yourselves on your lethargic and unhealthy lifestyle. This makes me mad that TV producers are using this downfall of society and making a TV show out of it. And i have to admit... yes i am addicted... because its is absolutely PATHETIC.

not because these are 'plus size women looking for love'..... but because it is like watching a trainwreck.

my thought process is this.... how can you have a healthy and successful relationship when you are trying to find a woman to marry by the end of the show who loves to sit around and eat food and you WANT them to be large like you.....

arent you suppose to lift each other up and bring out the best in each other?Encourage each other to be th best person they can be? I mean yes, its AWESOME that he accepts them for who they are and accepts the size of these ladies... but what about encouraging them to live better lives.... GET SOME SELF ESTEEM........ TRY TO BE HEALTHY......



UGH.

sorry cheif.... you got me going there.....



but its goes both ways at this stage of the game... yes all these skinny bitches flood the TV.... but what about that new show... i think its JUST AS BAD.
END RANT lol

 

[Jae0]

I dont like any 'reality' show that forces people into a box (thus the reason I dont watch much reality tv).
Liiiiiike fat men and women can only get other fat people.
Love comes in all shapes and sizes.

I've never even actually watched the show, but the previews turned me off.
Someone on youtube was talking about the show and they said something like, "These womens excuse is that they've always been turned down because of their weight. What happens when they go on this show and get turned down for who they are as a person? What are they going to do then?"

 

[Cord the Seeker]

"These womens excuse is that they've always been turned down because of their weight. What happens when they go on this show and get turned down for who they are as a person? What are they going to do then?"

Exactly...

 

[BobCW]

Either I just don't understand women, or I just don't realize the depths of how simple and gullible us men are. I have a feeling it a little of column A, a little of column B A girl wearing a push-up bra and 140 dollars worth of slimming effects under her clothes may get the attention she's looking for at first from a guy, but(assuming she's successful in her ruse for long enough) is eventually going to find herself without anything to hide behind

If you wanna be slim, better to get there the real way and not have to worry about stuffing yourself like a sausage into some overpriced slimming underwear.

 

[Scorpiogal]

Either I just don't understand women, or I just don't realize the depths of how simple and gullible us men are. I have a feeling it a little of column A, a little of column B A girl wearing a push-up bra and 140 dollars worth of slimming effects under her clothes may get the attention she's looking for at first from a guy, but(assuming she's successful in her ruse for long enough) is eventually going to find herself without anything to hide behind

I agree with most of that- that's the reason why I never bother with slimming undergarments. But don't knock the push-up bra! My husband darn well knows that the cleavage is being "helped," but he still enjoys the effect

 

[BobCW]

But don't knock the push-up bra! My husband darn well knows that the cleavage is being "helped," but he still enjoys the effect

lol. Fair enough

 

[M_Marie]

I agree with most of that- that's the reason why I never bother with slimming undergarments. But don't knock the push-up bra! My husband darn well knows that the cleavage is being "helped," but he still enjoys the effect

I agree!!!! I love pushup bras!!! They pull my back fat to the front and mush it together so it looks like i have some boobies!!! lol

 

[Cali2009]

LOL...you are are really funny!! But I agree...I am one to have one..and that's because my trainer said.. when you loosing weight you need your skin to tight
along the way..so wear it... But honestly I worn it maybe 10 times in the past
5 months.. I wear loose clothing all the time..don't like tight anything let alone
an undergarment.. but the Spanish Television is FULL of them...and I'm Hispanic
so every commercial is about diet or garments..

I feel like..why fool yourself and others.. I want the real thing...get slim and
wear nothing at ALL!!!

 

[Omega]

when you loosing weight you need your skin to tight along the way

Make sure that you drink enough water - 1 fluid ounce for every 2 pounds of your weight.
Eat some healthy fats (while limiting the unhealthy ones).
Avoid junk food.
Cream your skin.
Hope for the best.

Plus of course build some muscles to replace some of the disappearing fat. I am sure that your trainer is seeing to that.

I hope that it all works for you.

 

[anuwndrgyal]

Sausage

Either I just don't understand women, or I just don't realize the depths of how simple and gullible us men are. I have a feeling it a little of column A, a little of column B A girl wearing a push-up bra and 140 dollars worth of slimming effects under her clothes may get the attention she's looking for at first from a guy, but(assuming she's successful in her ruse for long enough) is eventually going to find herself without anything to hide behind

If you wanna be slim, better to get there the real way and not have to worry about stuffing yourself like a sausage into some overpriced slimming underwear.

I love sausage...yumm. But I DON'T wanna be one! You made me laugh...

I wouldn't leave home without my push-up bra....but I'm in transition at this point...I'll be proud walking in my birthday suit within a year or two! No slimming garments AKA Sausage Casing for me!

 

[JulianaRose]

When I wear certain dresses, I wear a girdle (yes, a girdle) underneath. It makes me about a quarter of an inch smaller if even. But the reason I wear it is because it smooths out my stomach. I am not ashamed to admit that in the slightest.

What I find horrible is that fact that these woman are paying $140 dollars to look three sizes smaller. What are they supposed to do for the rest of the time they aren't wearing them? Why not invest 140$ into a gym membership? That will get some almost 6 months at a gym. When I was in high school I asked my mom to buy me something similar at Wal-Mart and instead she told me to just lose the weight. Hehe. Tough love.

And this is slightly off topic, but it's always funny when in magazines they have articles like "how to be beautiful!" but...the girls are already abnormally beautiful and of course thin. Yeah. I don't really get it.

 

[JaneKT]

So is it just me who finds these 'instantly slimming' things so very uncomfortable to wear? Tried it once, threw it in the bin....... It was like being in a rubber tube 5 sizes too small. Who needs to breathe anyway?

 

[shae]

I don't understand what the big deal is. It doesn't bother me what undergarments a person is wearing at all. If it makes them feel good, then yay!

Nobody has to reveal all of who they are. Some people just do not have the willpower or motivation to exercise of even start to try and get a healthy body. I'm sure their are lots of people on this site that have been in a place like that before.

Good on a person if they get their butt out of bed into something like that and out of the house instead of lying around and feeling sorry for themselves.

Whether it is makeup, push ups bras, undergarments that suck it in, hair extensions, fake tan, or a well cut outfit, it shouldn't really matter. Heart and soul matters. Let them feel good about themselves.

Good for you if you have the motivation to exercise but don't expect everyone to motivated and changing their life at the same time as you.

Some of my friends who have had several children wear those undergarments and when they do look pretty much like me. I am just more motivated than them and organized with my exercise. But in know way does it bother me. I'm just happy to see them happy.

 

[ChefChiTown]

I don't understand what the big deal is. It doesn't bother me what undergarments a person is wearing at all. If it makes them feel good, then yay!

Whether it is makeup, push ups bras, undergarments that suck it in, hair extensions, fake tan, or a well cut outfit, it shouldn't really matter. Heart and soul matters. Let them feel good about themselves.

See, here's the hilarious irony in that point of view (and you're not the only person who has it)...

If it was just "heart and soul" that mattered, and not a person's looks, then why do people bother wearing make-up, push-up bras, slimming undergarments, hair extensions, fake tans or well cut outfits in the first place?

 

[shae]

See, here's the hilarious irony in that point of view (and you're not the only person who has it)...

If it was just "heart and soul" that mattered, and not a person's looks, then why do people bother wearing make-up, push-up bras, slimming undergarments, hair extensions, fake tans or well cut outfits in the first place?

Sorry the point I was somewhat trying to express was that I personally just don't care. The people I choose to have in my life don't care. In fact I don't know many people in person that care about those sorts of things at all.

I accept people for however they wish to present themselves. I admire a person who "dresses" themselves up, but I also adore natural beauty.

To answer the question about why people bother about their looks. I would think it has to do with attracting a mate to some degree, instinct isn't it. But not always for all people.

Whether I do myself up or not I know that I am admired for the way I look and feel about my body. However I really enjoy that I can improve even further on my looks with modernized things like makeup, hot knickers, hair treatments etc.

It's part of society, it's fun, creative and a whole lot of other things.

Everyone will obviously have different views. I just enjoy taking care of all parts of my body and enjoy grooming and deportment.

 

[JaneKT]

I accept people for however they wish to present themselves. I admire a person who "dresses" themselves up, but I also adore natural beauty.

It's taken me most of my life to become comfortable with who I am and it's not been an easy journey. I still have days when I feel like I want to look like someone 'beautiful' but I have a loving family and that's far more than lots of other people!

Thanks Shae, if there were more people like you who are happy to accept others as they are, maybe the world would be a happier place

 

[ChefChiTown]

Sorry the point I was somewhat trying to express was that I personally just don't care.

I know that was the point you were making, but the comment that I chose to quote from you is something that I've always found to be hilarious (and confusing) about human beings. Most people say that looks don't matter, but, at the same time, those same exact people spend a whole bunch of money, time and effort to improve their looks. Personally, I find that to be absolutely hilarious.

The people I choose to have in my life don't care. In fact I don't know many people in person that care about those sorts of things at all.

See, this is where we differ - most people that I know DO care. A lot of people that claim they don't care about looks are either lying or are in a huge state of denial. I've been told by countless women that they don't care what a guy looks like - that all they care about is personality, romance, humor, dedication, honesty, intelligence, etc - those are usually the same women who claim that I have all of those qualities and then some. But, those are also the same women who will never go out with me...because I'm not attractive enough.

I'm not saying that every single person on the face of the earth who claims that they don't care what a person looks like is a liar, but, most of them are.

If someone claims that they don't care about looks ends up spending an hour and half getting ready for a night out on the town, then they obviously do care about looks - otherwise, they wouldn't be putting in so much effort to make themselves look better. The same can be said about the people who wear these body slimming garments; they can say they don't care about looks all they want to, because it's obvious that they do.

 

[Scorpiogal]

You're so right Chef- people who say they don't care aren't being honest with themselves. It's human nature to care- we're social creatures. If none of us put any effort into personal appearance, it would be a VERY different world (and I'm not sure it would be for the better actually.) I care about what I look like. I put a lot of effort into it each day, and I'm cool with that! (But I don't wear slimmers! LOL)