Well, some of the before and after photos out there are legitimate... but it takes a lot of hard work.
I did some a long time ago of me after 10+ years of programming and then 3 months later after:
- eating better
- replacing most drinks with water (only a little coffee otherwise)
- doing a hard workout for an hour each day
The changes were dramatic... but the effort was as well.
Of course, I used the same pose, the same clothes, and the same lighting for my images... and I completely agree that the "quick fix" pills out there use all kinds of tricks to try and sell their product.
There is no substitute for working hard and eating/drinking better.
You are right Tony. Some before and afters are real legitimate transformations but a lot are deceiving. The things you mentioned are correct and most people aren't willing to put in the work.