Category:
Dieting and Weight Loss

Slimming Insoles

Created by Dr. Robert Metz, Slimming Insoles were advertised as “the first and only massage insole in the world which reduces weight and regulates the digestion system.”

Here’s a link to the 1997 FTC complaint against Metz and his company. It noted that, “In truth and in fact, scientific studies do not demonstrate that Slimming Insoles cause significant weight loss without changes in diet or exercise."

And yet, Slimming Insoles are still being sold. I'm not sure if Dr. Metz himself is selling them. But you can buy some at Amazon, and they make specific claims about causing weight loss: "These slimming magnets emit magnetic waves which weaken fat cells in your body... Lose weight by walking with magnetic insoles."

St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Mar 3, 1996

Posted By: Alex - Wed Dec 04, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Shoes, 1990s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Anti-Eating Face Mask



Patent No. 4,344,424, granted to Lucy L. Barmby of Sacramento, California in 1982. From the patent description:

a primary object of this invention is to provide a new and novel device for preventing the consumption of food by an individual.

It goes into more detail about who the invention might benefit:

The temptation to eat which leads one to eat excessively is ever present and the ready availability of attractively prepared, taste-tempting foods makes the temptation to eat and therefore to over eat virtually irresistible. Frequently, this temptation is so great that compulsive eating is not uncommon and many persons are virtually without the strength of will to resist overeating. The average person, therefore, does have a problem as to the over consumption of food but, even worse, when certain individuals are exposed to food constantly such as chefs, cooks, restaurant personnel or the like, it is a foregone conclusion that these individuals will consume far more food than is proper particularly when such food is usually readily available at no cost. Typical of such groups of individuals is the housewife who must frequently cook meals during the day which generally includes the preparation of such fattening foods such as pies, pastries, and the like. During the preparation of such meals not only is there the temptation to nibble on the food being prepared but it is generally necessary that the food be tasted during preparation thereby constantly stimulating the appetite and promoting the consumption of large quantities of food.

I'm imagining a husband preparing to go to work and strapping the anti-eating face mask on his wife before he leaves.

But couldn't the wearer just lift the mask off? Nope. It's locked on, though "under emergency conditions, the strap may be cut and the face mask of the invention removed."

Edmonton Journal - Oct 8, 2006



The invention reminds me of the Scold's Bridle, aka 'muzzle for ladies,' that some women were forced to wear back in olden times.

Posted By: Alex - Wed Nov 20, 2019 - Comments (5)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Dieting and Weight Loss

Flexitarian Sausages

Last year, New Zealand sausage maker Beehive debuted a line of sausages that it claimed were 'flexitarian'. This term describes a diet that is semi-vegetarian. So, a plant-based diet that only occasionally includes meat.

What made Beehive's sausages flexitarian? According to the company, it was because they were only 80% meat, and contained 20% plant-based filler.

By that standard, you might qualify as flexitarian if you only eat 4/5 of a sausage, instead of the whole thing.

More info: Beehive on Facebook, newshub

Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 05, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Food, Dieting and Weight Loss

The Devil Wants You Fat

A scriptural approach to a trim and attractive body… working with the Lord, you’ll harness the POWER of your body’s own computer system to make you eat the kinds of foods you should and in the right amounts.

For more details of Lovett's devil-fighting diet regimen, you can borrow and read his 1977 book online for free via archive.org.



Posted By: Alex - Thu Jul 18, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Religion, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Raw-Egg Diet

Orlando Sentinel - Dec 12, 1974

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jun 30, 2019 - Comments (5)
Category: Eggs, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

The Lettuce Seed Diet

How it works: You don't eat the lettuce seeds. You stick them in your ears. Your appetite will supposedly disappear.

Los Angeles Times - Aug 29, 1988

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 22, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: 1980s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Gibbon Diet

In order to raise awareness and funds for the Gibbon Protection Society of Malaysia, Grace Watson is spending a month eating only what a gibbon would eat. From stuff.co.nz:

Most days Watson will have scrambled eggs for breakfast with spirulina or herbal tea.
Lunch is usually a variation of apples, bananas, mandarin, and edible insects, while dinner is limited to vegetable soups, salads or slaws of grated beetroot, carrot, apple, with a squeeze of lime and some seeds...
Although she would like to entirely commit to the animals' diet in order to draw attention to the endangered primates, she cannot consume leaves like they can. "I'm unable to do that as part of my diet because humans can't break down nutrients like gibbons do from leaves," Watson conceded.

While it seems like a fine cause, it seems to me like it's cheating just a bit to eat cooked food.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 30, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Food, Dieting and Weight Loss

The Dieter’s Conscience

Carol Kiebala invented a dieting gadget that would verbally chastise you whenever you opened the refrigerator door.

I guess that would encourage you to eat more potato chips, and other non-perishable snacks.

The Arlington Daily Herald - Sep 22, 1977



Fort Lauderdale News - Nov 6, 1977



Tallahassee Democrat - Sep 21, 1977





More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Thu Mar 29, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Inventions, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Twinkie Diet

Back in 2010, in order to prove his theory that "in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most — not the nutritional value of the food," Kansas State University professor of human nutrition Mark Haub lived almost entirely on Twinkies for 10 weeks. He ate one every three hours.

Though he added some variety into his diet with side helpings of Doritos, sugary cereals, and Oreos. As well as a multivitamin pill, protein shake, and some vegetables daily.

But by limiting himself to 1800 calories a day he lost 27 pounds, and other measures of health, such as cholesterol levels, all improved.

Source: cnn.com

Posted By: Alex - Sun Feb 11, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Food, Junk Food, Dieting and Weight Loss

The Egg Wine Diet

It describes itself as the diet for "wine lovers that refuse to give up wine while losing weight." It consists of about 10 eggs a day, and wine.

As the site notes, "Wine only have 600 calories per bottle. So compare that to a normal blt sandwich that has about the same. What would you rather have. The sandwich or a whole bottle of wine ?"

eggwinediet.com

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 26, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Eggs, Dieting and Weight Loss

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