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Subject: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: eightiesfan on 01/26/04 at 06:37 a.m.

I am starting a low-carb regimen today and it got me to thinking about what were some of the most popular ways to get in shape. Here are some that came to my mind - Jane Fonda workout tapes, Richard Simmons (I tried to workout once to his "Sweatin to the Oldies" tape, it was kind of fun).

I also remember Oat Bran muffins being THE diet fad in the late 80's.  This was the period when diet shakes like Slim Fast and Alba Fit n Frosty first became big as well.


Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/26/04 at 07:17 a.m.

In the early '80s, "aerobics" became a household word.  Suburban women in leotards and and legwarmers going to "jazzercise" was commonplace.  Whatever they were 'cising to, it wasn't John Coltrane!

All the tabloids and womens mags published new miracle diets weekly, though that was nothing new.  My favorite headline from one of those supermarket tabloids:  "New Fastfood Diet-- Eat Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, and REALLY LOSE!"  Lose?

The most memorable media hubbub was over "cholesterol."  
"Oat bran cuts your cholesterol," read the big headlines.  Folks went crazy for oat cereal, oat muffins, oat breads, oat diet bars, anything with oat bran.  Come to find out oat bran doesn't cut your cholesterol per se.  People did see their cholesterol levels drop because they had bran muffins for breakast instead of bacon and eggs!  Duh.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: stingr22 on 01/26/04 at 08:14 a.m.

Probably the biggest fad that I remember from the 80s was Jane Fonda's workout series.  That whole leotard and legwarmers thing was classic!   ;D

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: Zed_Omega on 01/27/04 at 09:57 a.m.

I remember one called Herbalife. I think it's still around. I never learned what it was really all about, but I do remember making fun of it because you were supposed to take all these vitamin/ supplement pills and I always figured you be too full to eat real food afterwards. I joked that's how you actually lost the weight.
I can remember this one regular customer at a corner store where I worked in High School used to wear a pin on his shirt that said something like - Herbalife - Ask me about it - as some kind of sales tool.
Always seemed to tickly my funnybone - being the sarcastic young punk I was!

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/27/04 at 10:06 a.m.

What were the diet shakes from the late '80s with the commercial featuring that old sports guy.  His name was something like Tommy Lasorta.
"I have a shake for breakfast, one for lunch, and then a sensible meal."
Sure, I thought, a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and you're shaking at 3:30 when your blood sugar crashes! :o

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: eightiesfan on 01/27/04 at 10:07 a.m.

I'm pretty sure that was Slim Fast.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/27/04 at 10:15 a.m.


Quoting:
I'm pretty sure that was Slim Fast.
End Quote


YES, it was indeed Slim Fast.
Thanx.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: gumbypiz on 01/27/04 at 12:37 a.m.

I think one of the biggest trends was the emergance of the "NutraSystem/Jenny Craig" diet loss clinics.
It seemed for a while everyone was on one of these plans..
I actually joined and was shocked to find out it cost about $200 and then had to pay an average of $90 a week for food from them!

I did lose 45 pounds in 9 weeks, but as many find out, this is not good to lose that much in such a short time period.
About 7 months later I was in the hospital with an infected gallblader, gallstones, and sludge in my gallblader, and this at age 19!
I think there was a class action lawsuit against them for complications that arose from their diet system (but I didn't join this).
I learned the hard way (as I always do) and lost the weight permentaly with diet and exercise..

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/27/04 at 02:00 p.m.


Quoting:
I think one of the biggest trends was the emergance of the "NutraSystem/Jenny Craig" diet loss clinics.
It seemed for a while everyone was on one of these plans..
I actually joined and was shocked to find out it cost about $200 and then had to pay an average of $90 a week for food from them!

I did lose 45 pounds in 9 weeks, but as many find out, this is not good to lose that much in such a short time period.
About 7 months later I was in the hospital with an infected gallblader, gallstones, and sludge in my gallblader, and this at age 19!
I think there was a class action lawsuit against them for complications that arose from their diet system (but I didn't join this).
I learned the hard way (as I always do) and lost the weight permentaly with diet and exercise..
End Quote


Well, you know what they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch!  Maybe that's not the best analogy here.
I had the opposite problem.  I was scrawny and underweight.  I used to drink weight gaining shakes.  You know, Joe Wieder and what not.  I used lift weights, too.  I couldn't gain weight for the longest time.  People used to say, why don't you just stuff your face?  You'll gain weight.  With my metabolism and stomach size, I couldn't consume large enough portions to gain!  I was in my 30s by the time I stopped looking like a skinny kid.

Steroids for body building gained notoriety in the '80s.  Young kids started taking anabolic steroids to bulk up and hulk up extra fast.  The side effects included propecia, testicular shrinkage, and the infamous 'roid rage.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: Cheetara on 01/27/04 at 04:08 p.m.

What ever happened to Jack LaLanne??? ???

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: gumbypiz on 01/27/04 at 04:27 p.m.


Quoting:
What ever happened to Jack LaLanne??? ???
End Quote


I think he's still around, still very fit for his age..
I think hes selling one of those juicer machines on late night TV..

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: Howard on 01/27/04 at 06:28 p.m.

Susan Powter :P

She was sooo annoying >:(

Howard

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: eightiesfan on 01/28/04 at 07:14 a.m.

I thought Richard Simmons's show was fun to watch. Besides that, he really seems to care about helping people lose weight since he has been in their shoes.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: Howard on 01/28/04 at 10:13 a.m.


Quoting:
I thought Richard Simmons's show was fun to watch. Besides that, he really seems to care about helping people lose weight since he has been in their shoes.
End Quote



Deal A Meal was a good weight loss strategy. ;D



Howard

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: L on 01/29/04 at 10:55 p.m.

Anyone remember the grapefruit diet?

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/29/04 at 11:55 p.m.


Quoting:
Anyone remember the grapefruit diet?
End Quote


Hmmm, yes, the Grapefruit Diet had been around since the 1930s.  There theory was Grapefruit had similar fat burning properties to the famed-but-miserable Cabbage Soup Diet.
What triggered its popularity in the '80s?

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: Gis on 01/30/04 at 02:43 a.m.

Wasn't Callanetics from the late 80'S??

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: rubixgirl on 01/30/04 at 08:18 a.m.

I do remember the grapefruit diet too. I believe my mom made me go on that. And they also had the Grapefruit 500 pill, so you didn't have actually eat the grapefruit.

Here's part of an article I found on another website
"In the 80's we were introduced to the Scarsdale Diet, the Pritikin Diet and the Beverly Hills Diet."
I remember the Pritikin Diet, but not too much about the other 2.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: eightiesfan on 01/30/04 at 08:22 a.m.

The Scarsdale diet was a book that came out in 1978 by Dr Herman Tarnower; I've seen on tv how one of the main meals on that diet consisted of a plate of bland white meat and a green vegetable.  Two years later, Dr Tarnower was shot to death by his girlfriend, Jean Harris.

Quoting:
I do remember the grapefruit diet too. I believe my mom made me go on that. And they also had the Grapefruit 500 pill, so you didn't have actually eat the grapefruit.

Here's part of an article I found on another website
"In the 80's we were introduced to the Scarsdale Diet, the Pritikin Diet and the Beverly Hills Diet."
I remember the Pritikin Diet, but not too much about the other 2.
End Quote

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MommaLisa on 02/01/04 at 01:05 p.m.

The Beverly Hills diet.  ALOT of fruit.

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 02/01/04 at 01:56 p.m.


Quoting:
The Scarsdale diet was a book that came out in 1978 by Dr Herman Tarnower; I've seen on tv how one of the main meals on that diet consisted of a plate of bland white meat and a green vegetable.  Two years later, Dr Tarnower was shot to death by his girlfriend, Jean Harris.
End Quote


And the moral of the story is: Red meat is hazardous to your health!

Speaking of red meat, Dr. Atkins died recently.  How?  He fell and hit his head on the coffee table.  Jim Fixx, '70s jogging guru, dropped dead of a heart attack.  If arteriosclerosis doesn't get you, something else will! ;D

Subject: Re: 80's weight loss fads

Written By: SafetyDance on 02/01/04 at 02:10 p.m.

Oat bran makes you lose weight because you keep having to RUN TO THE BATHROOM!

Not an 80's thing..but remember Tae Bo? That came and went pretty fast!