Weight loss is a common topic, as any number of ads, articles, news segments and infomercials are likely to let you know. We are all aware that if we cut our intake and hit the gym, we’ll lose some of that excess padding. But what if eating in moderation and regular exercise aren’t viable options? There are myriad modern diets that suggest one key food or habit, or extol their own magic pill – be it a large dose of caffeine, or a large dose of ephedra, or a mixture of caffeine and ephedra – so we must restrict ourselves to a choice few. Or, because I drew this spot on The Countdown, just two.
1. The Tape Worm Diet
Marketed near the turn of the century, the Tape Worm Diet centered on weight loss capsules whose secret ingredient was tapeworm eggs (I should add the word “purportedly,” for truth in advertising was never the strongest suit of such marketers). This diet’s efficacy is not often disputed (though an intestinal worm can cause pockets of fluid called ascites to collect in the abdomen, causing distention and ruining the figure). Introducing an intestinal parasite that robs the host of calories and nutrients will cause the host to lose weight. It is also likely to cause, depending on the species of worm, a host of other side effects. In the case of the common beef tapeworm, which is benign relative to some other worms, these side effects may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal blockage. So, probably not the best idea. However, in the interest of fairness, I should mention that there other opinions. [Image courtesy of the Museum of Quackery.]
2. The Grapefruit Diet
While dating back to the 1930s, this diet became popular in the 1970s, and is one of the stranger fads that keeps coming back. The basic premise is that grapefruit juice has the ability to lower insulin levels, a hormone that plays an important part in how and when you gain weight.
Here are the rules:
1. You must drink 64oz. of water a day.
2. At any meal you may eat until you are full.
3. You must eat the minimum amount of food listed at each meal.
4. You cannot eliminate anything from the diet. Even the bacon, as it is essential to the whole thing working.
5. Drink or eat exactly the amount of grapefruit.
6. Don’t eat between meals.
7. Eat or use as much butter as you like.
8. Do not eat desserts, breads, white vegetables or sweet potatoes.
9. You may double or triple helpings of meat, salad or vegetables.
10. Eat until you are stuffed. The more you eat the more weight you will lose.
11. Stay on the diet 12 days, then stop the diet for 2 days and repeat.
These rules accompany a list of acceptable meals. Commentary would only diminish this diet’s beauty.
What peculiar diet fads do you have experience with? Did they work?
Erik Dies is an occasional contributor to mentalfloss.com.
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I have seen (barely) living evidence that the “amphetamine and cheap liquor diet” is frighteningly effective.
Whether or not anyone has ever chosen to market that idea is unknown to me, but I promise you, there’s a whole underground of folks following this miracle regimen.
posted by adrienne on 2-1-2008 at 8:23 pm
I do bodybuilding contests. Before I start cutting up for them I bulk up and gain as much muscle as possible. Since this is a strings-attached world, I also gain considerable amounts of fat while bulking. I start cutting about 2-3 months before showtime. I go on a high-protein, low-carb diet. I cycle my cards every three days, going from 35 grams of carbs on day one to a measly ten grams on day three. I eat every 3 hours and consume at least 30 grams of protein each meal. By the week before the contest I will have lost nearly 60 pounds while retaining most muscle. It’s tough at first but becomes much easier every week.
posted by Jake Le Master on 2-1-2008 at 9:59 pm
I just “love” the slim fast diet. If you can manage to gag the stuff down two or three times a day and not eat anything else, you’ve go to be dedicated!
posted by kitsana_d on 2-2-2008 at 8:03 am
My sister was always into the latest fad diet, and I distinctly remember the summer when grapefruits took over the kitchen. About fifteen years later, when I visited her and her husband in Boston, their house was unbearable — the smell of burning purple cabbage overwhelmed it. (Cabbage Soup Diet, anyone?) I decided to stay in a hotel.
posted by Elizabeth on 2-2-2008 at 9:10 am
My friend’s mother did a carrot-based diet in the early 80s that turned her orange. She said the diet was quite popular at the time.
posted by Natalie on 2-2-2008 at 9:21 am
Natalie, so there were a lot of “orange” people running around? Cool. It’s kind of like the orange version of the Emerald City!
posted by Moon on 2-2-2008 at 10:58 am
In the Helen Gurley Brown’s “Sex and the Single Girl,” she lists a two day diet guaranteed to take off six lbs. And, of course loving the out of print book and having a few days off, I decided to try it.
For breakfast: one egg prepared any way you wanted and a glass of white wine.
For lunch: two eggs prepared any way you wanted and a glass of white wine.
For dinner: A steak and finish the bottle of white wine.
To this day, I can’t really stomach white wine because of this diet. And the two days seemed to last forever because I was craving cereal, of all things. But, the efforts paid off and on day three, I woke up to weigh myself and, there it was, six lbs. gone.
Of course, it took two weeks to gain those six lbs. right back…
posted by Emily on 2-2-2008 at 2:08 pm
the grapefruit things seems really similar to the Atkins diet. (all protein, no carbs)
posted by the creature on 2-2-2008 at 2:57 pm
My mom went through Slim-Fast, low-calorie Tab, and over-the-counter diet pills. She’d eat barely anything, so of course she was thin. Then she gave up a few years ago; now she’s quite hefty.
I recall reading an article about the grapefruit diet possibly causing breast cancer. Yowch!
I just try to eat healthy and exercise… emphasis on “try” ;p
posted by tona b. on 2-2-2008 at 6:28 pm
I did the Atkins diet, mostly to get my hypoglycemia under control. I also lost 50 pounds quite easily. What nobody mentioned is that rapid weight loss causes gall stone formation in a large percentage of people. I found out the hard way.
posted by Antinous on 2-2-2008 at 7:45 pm
Antinous–I rather hope that your last sentence was not an intentional pun. :)
For a while, I was on my own little diet, the All-Fiber Diet. Interestingly, it worked for the first week. Then, I began to faint periodically, and decided to get a bit more protein in there.
posted by Allison on 2-2-2008 at 9:38 pm
Back in the early 70s my doc said I was at an unhealthy weight (210 lbs) and suggested a diet – gave me a little flyer with a suggested menu which totalled 800 calories a day. I pointed out that people at Buchenwald had an 800 calorie diet and they were certainly thin – he didn’t see the humor.
I made my own diet. I cut my servings in half and ate slowly, so my stomach (which is notoriously slow in reporting things to the brain in everyone) would generate a feeling of full. It took me nearly three years, but I got my weight down to 175 (80 kg). 30+ years later I still weigh 175.
Buffets are wasted on me, other than the obvious benefits to the F&B managers who save $$. I eat one small plate and am happy. Mega-servings and supersized menus are a waste of time – I always ask for a go-box when we eat out – have the leftowers for lunch the next day.
And yes, I remember the grapefruit diet. Never cared for the fruit, anyway.
posted by Doc on 2-4-2008 at 11:06 am
The grapefruit one is more similar to South Beach–fruits and veggies are carbs!
The one hard core diet I’ve tried is the Victoria Principal Bikini Diet. It’s basically a week-long super calorie restricted diet. One of the staple dishes is a steamed vegetable plate that nearly put me off of cooked veggies permanently. I found it almost impossible to stick to–it made me really cranky. I was not fun to be around by day three.
posted by frumpiefox on 2-4-2008 at 4:28 pm
A couple of years ago, when Atkins was really popular, my friend Tricia tried it out. I distinctly remember her calling me two weeks in to tell me that she had finally pooped. That kind of put me off of trying that. I almost tried the South Beach diet, but then I found out that for the first two weeks there is no alcohol.
posted by stephW on 2-6-2008 at 4:50 pm
is there any proof the grapefruit diet worked!? why choose that one fruit and say “that one lowers insulin levels”seems stupid to me.
posted by orangepanda on 2-6-2008 at 8:17 pm
being in high school in the 70′s i had several friends that were on the wrestling team (i was going to be team manager if we hadn’t moved), and the guys did all kinds of weird things to meet their weight. looking back, one of the saddest things ever was the 17 year old guy who permanently ruined his stomach eating nothing but grapefruit to fit into a lower weight class. damn near killed him, too.
i lost 90 lbs. the year i turned 40 doing an almost atkins type diet with a little medical help. i was almost to my goal when i blew my back out. two years in a wheelchair + depression adds weight back pretty quick! ah, well.
posted by bionic bunny! on 2-7-2008 at 6:21 pm
Fad diets come and go but what I have found to work the best is Phentramin D. I have lost 35 pounds and 38 inches from all over. I couldnt be happier. I was never starving myself. This is the greatest stuff ever. http://www.SlimEffects.com
posted by Julia on 1-18-2009 at 7:45 pm
Ugh. The stupid crap we do to ourselves to try to modify our size.
posted by Eve on 12-28-2009 at 11:47 am
You’re right, Eve. Better to be chubby and happy than skinny and crabby (or sick, or dead).
posted by Hyacinth on 12-28-2009 at 12:41 pm
I think it’s stupid that for the most part society puts all the emphasis on the scale and how you look, and it doesn’t matter what you shove in your mouth (or don’t) to get there. Why aren’t people concerned more with eating a healthy, nutritious diet? The weight loss often follows.
posted by Roxie on 12-28-2009 at 7:24 pm
I am baffled that the Atkins diet can really seem appealing to anyone. I mean, I love my carbs! And they can have a perfectly happy place in a well-balanced and healthy diet. No matter how much we wish it weren’t true, eating \right\ in terms of nutrition and serving size, and appropriate amounts of activity will always be the best and most reliable way for the majority of people to maintain a weight that is good for me.
In short, the only good diet is a healthy one [with exercise].
posted by Oliver on 12-29-2009 at 12:44 am
Er, good for them* – that is. Yes, you must maintain your weight so that it is good for me. I expect weekly reports from everyone. Heh.
posted by Oliver on 12-29-2009 at 12:46 am
My supervisor, a nurse, went on a 3 day fruit diet and lost the 6 promised lbs and tried to convince me to do the same. I was surprised as a nurse she was willing to do it. I don’t really care what the scale number says, I just want to be trim. I’m not so sure those 6 lbs would come off where I want them to (love handles, anyone?). They would probably just mean 6 lbs of lean muscle loss. No thanks.
posted by BioloBri on 1-5-2010 at 1:29 pm
Amphetamines and cheap liquor – works.
Losing weight quickly – yep, gallstones. And saggy boobies, which defeats the whole purpose.
Grapefruit – interferes with common medications, won’t be kind to your stomach, especially if you’ve already had the gallbladder out from the last diet.
Atkins – doesn’t work when you’re on certain psychotropic or epilepsy meds. Read all the way to the end of the book before you start the diet.
Personal favorite fad diet – spanx and bronzer.
OK that covers it.
posted by bo on 1-15-2010 at 2:07 pm