15 Bizarre Diet Fads From The ’70s And ’80s That Made No Sense

Ah, the ‘70s and ‘80s—a time of disco fever, neon leg warmers, and some truly outrageous diet trends. If you thought modern fad diets were extreme, just wait until you hear about the wild weight-loss methods people embraced back in the day.

From the infamous cabbage soup diet that turned kitchens into steamy crucibles of boiled greens, to the downright terrifying tapeworm diet (yes, people actually swallowed parasites on purpose), these decades were a goldmine of questionable nutrition advice.

Let’s not forget the grapefruit diet, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner all came with a side of citrus, or the era’s obsession with diet pills so potent they could make a sloth run a marathon. And, of course, there was the Sleeping Beauty Diet—because why eat when you can just knock yourself out instead?

Join us as we take a hilarious, head-scratching, and nostalgia-filled dive into 15 of the most bizarre diet fads that prove people have always been willing to do anything for a tiny waistline. Spoiler alert: common sense was not on the menu.

1. The Cabbage Soup Diet

Open the soup pot of nostalgia with the Cabbage Soup Diet, where eating cabbage soup every day was the golden ticket to weight loss. Enthusiasts of this diet promised that consuming endless bowls of cabbage soup would trim your waistline faster than you could say “fad.” But in reality, this diet mostly left participants feeling as bloated as an overstuffed cabbage roll.

The idea was simple: eat as much cabbage soup as you want for seven days, and watch the pounds magically disappear. The only thing disappearing, however, was the joy of eating. Hailed as a quick fix, this diet was nothing more than a gaseous gamble, causing more heartburn than heartfelt satisfaction.

Nowadays, we look back and chuckle, realizing that if losing weight was as easy as boiling a pot of cabbage, we’d all be nimble as the wind. Alas, real results take more than a spoonful of determination!

2. The Grapefruit Diet

When life gives you grapefruits, you make… a diet? The Grapefruit Diet had folks munching on half a grapefruit before every meal, promising magical fat-burning enzymes. This juicy scheme was the zest of the ‘70s diet scene, but unfortunately, it was more pulp fiction than science fact.

Proponents claimed that the grapefruit contained special enzymes that would melt away fat like butter on a hot pan. The truth, however, was that any weight loss was likely due to reducing overall calorie intake rather than any mystical properties of the fruit itself.

While the Grapefruit Diet may have left many sour-faced from unfulfilled promises, it did carve its niche as a citrusy chapter in the history of diet fads. Here’s a tip: enjoy grapefruits for their tangy taste and vitamin C, not as a weight-loss miracle worker!

3. The Sleeping Beauty Diet

Once upon a time, in a decade not so far away, the Sleeping Beauty Diet promised weight loss through the power of slumber. Inspired by the fairy tales, people were encouraged to take sedatives to sleep through the hunger pangs, effectively skipping meals and calories.

The idea was as dreamy as it was dangerous. While you can’t eat while asleep, the side effects of prolonged sedation could be quite alarming, not to mention the potential for developing unhealthy relationships with food and sleep.

So why not simply count sheep instead of calories? The Sleeping Beauty Diet serves as a reminder that when it comes to weight loss, there’s no magical fairy tale solution. It’s better to keep your eyes open (and your pantry stocked with healthy choices) than to sleep your way through dieting. Sweet dreams! Or should we say, sweet greens?

4. The Drinking Man’s Diet

Cheers to weight loss with the Drinking Man’s Diet, where meats and martinis were the menu of choice. In the ‘70s, this low-carb, high-booze lifestyle promised that you could enjoy your steak and drink it too, all while trimming your waistline.

While the diet allowed you to indulge in meats and cheeses, the real catch was the free-flowing alcohol. Health experts today would raise a glass and an eyebrow at the notion that excessive alcohol consumption could be part of a healthy lifestyle.

This diet might have been the toast of the town, but it quickly fizzled out when people realized that balancing nutrition and alcohol was as tricky as balancing on a bar stool. For a healthier approach, perhaps enjoy a moderate glass of wine with a balanced meal, rather than mixing dieting with drinking. Bottoms up, but with caution!

5. The Scarsdale Diet

Step into the restrictive world of the Scarsdale Diet, where 1,000 calories a day were all you got to satisfy both hunger and ambition. This diet claimed to be scientific, but in reality, it was a starvation strategy in disguise, leaving many to feel like they were living off air sandwiches.

The rigid meal plans focused on high-protein, low-carbohydrate foods, which might make your waistline thinner but also made life pretty bland. Those who dared to follow this plan often found themselves on the verge of hanger with a capital H.

Alas, this diet is a cautionary tale that extreme calorie restriction is more likely to lead to a meltdown than to melt away pounds. For sustainable weight loss, a balanced approach with varied nutrients is key. Remember, life’s too short to count every single calorie! A little indulgence now and then can be just the spice you need.

6. The Rotation Diet

Rotate your way to a new you with the Rotation Diet, where calories spun like a revolving door. This yo-yo dieting method had people eating progressively fewer calories every few days, creating a cycle of confusion for both body and mind.

The idea was to trick the metabolism into staying active, but more often than not, it just led to yo-yo weight loss and the occasional dizzy spell. Participants were left feeling like they were playing a never-ending game of nutritional musical chairs.

Ultimately, the Rotation Diet was more about spinning the wheels of weight loss than making meaningful progress. It serves as a reminder that consistency, not constant change, is key to a healthy lifestyle. Instead of rotating diets, perhaps try rotating your veggies for a more colorful plate!

7. The Cookie Diet

Have your cookies and eat them too with the Cookie Diet, where the promise of weight loss was wrapped in a tasty treat. But alas, these weren’t your grandma’s cookies; they were special high-protein, low-calorie cookies designed to replace regular meals.

Dreamed up by Dr. Sanford Siegal, the diet claimed these confections kept you full while helping you shed pounds. The reality? They tasted more like cardboard than confectionery delight, leaving many to wonder if the weight loss was worth the taste sacrifice.

While cookies on a diet sound like a sweet deal, this fad showed that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Real weight loss comes from balanced meals, not snack-time stand-ins. As tempting as it may be, perhaps save the cookie jar for the occasional treat rather than the main course.

8. The Cambridge Diet

Shake things up with the Cambridge Diet, where meals were swapped for nutritionally dense shakes. Participants downed these liquid meals that totaled a mere 300-500 calories a day, hoping for a slim silhouette.

The promise of quick results was as appealing as a chocolate shake, but the diet was an extreme meal replacement that left many feeling deprived. While the scales might have tipped in their favor initially, the lack of solid food often led to cravings and eventual diet derailment.

This liquid adventure is a reminder that while shakes can complement a diet, they shouldn’t replace balanced meals entirely. Real nourishment comes from a variety of food groups, not just a shaker bottle. For lasting success, perhaps mix a shake into your diet rather than making it the main ingredient. Cheers to balance!

9. The Beverly Hills Diet

Welcome to the glitzy world of the Beverly Hills Diet, where food combining was touted as the pathway to perfection. This diet had followers eating only one type of food at a time, starting with just fruit for the first 10 days.

The idea was that mixing foods was a recipe for weight gain, but in reality, this diet was more about deprivation than digestion. Many participants found themselves longing for variety, realizing that living on pineapple alone was not so sweet after all.

Though the diet enjoyed its moment in the spotlight, it faded away like an old Hollywood film. Today, we know that balanced meals, not bizarre food rules, are the true stars of a healthy weight loss journey. So, let’s embrace the ensemble cast of proteins, carbs, and fats in harmony!

10. The F-Plan Diet

Fiber up with the F-Plan Diet, where eating copious amounts of fiber was the route to feeling full and losing weight. This high-fiber fad from the ‘80s encouraged adding fiber to every meal, promising satiety and a slimmer waist.

While fiber is indeed an important part of a balanced diet, the F-Plan took things to the extreme, leaving many with bloating and, well, other less-than-pleasant side effects. Participants might have felt full, but they also felt a bit inflated.

This diet serves as an example of what happens when a good thing is taken too far. Fiber is fabulous, but balance is key. So keep the fiber, but perhaps lose the excess, and make room for a more varied diet that doesn’t leave you feeling like a balloon. A balanced plate is the ultimate way to stay fit and fabulous!

11. The SlimFast Diet

Shake your way to slimness with the SlimFast Diet, a plan that had people swapping meals for sweet, sugary shakes. The catchy slogan promised a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and then a sensible dinner.

While the diet enjoyed massive popularity, it turned out that living on liquid sugar wasn’t exactly the health kick it claimed to be. Many found themselves facing the harsh reality that shakes alone couldn’t sustain long-term weight loss.

The SlimFast era is a reminder that while meal replacements can offer convenience, they shouldn’t be the cornerstone of a healthy diet. A balanced approach with real food is always a winner. So, sip a shake if you please, but remember to savor the benefits of a full, balanced meal. Bon appétit!

12. The Air Diet

Breathe in the absurdity of the Air Diet, where some believed that simply smelling food or miming eating it could trick the brain into feeling full. In the ‘80s, this fad had people contemplating empty plates and pretending to munch on air.

The idea was that you could enjoy the aroma of a meal without the calories. Unsurprisingly, this left people hungry and unsatisfied, realizing that the aroma alone doesn’t make for a fulfilling dining experience.

While it might have tickled the fancy of some, the Air Diet is a whimsical reminder that satisfaction in food comes from more than just scent. Real nourishment involves all the senses, and eating well is as much about flavor and texture as it is about aroma. So let’s savor the full experience of eating, and remember that air is best left to fill balloons, not bellies!

13. The Atkins Diet (Original Version)

Say goodbye to carbs with the original Atkins Diet, where bread was banished, and only fats and proteins were welcome at the table. This early version of the now-famous Atkins Diet treated carbohydrates like the enemy, leaving vegetables off the menu.

The promise of weight loss through a meat-heavy diet was alluring, but the lack of balance left many feeling sluggish and deprived of essential nutrients. It was a diet that ruled with an iron fist, where only the brave dared to tread.

While the Atkins Diet has evolved over the years, its original incarnation serves as a reminder that balance, not banishment, is key. Carbs are not the enemy, and they play an important role in a well-rounded diet. So let’s embrace a little variety, and remember, moderation is the spice of life!

14. The Stewardess Diet

Fly high with the Stewardess Diet, also known as the “Four-Day Wonder Diet,” where flight attendants were encouraged to stay slim by eating minimal amounts of food. A typical day included a mere boiled egg and a piece of toast.

This dangerously low-calorie plan was all about fitting into those tight uniforms rather than fostering good health. Participants found themselves hungry more often than not, dreaming of meals that extended beyond a mere bite.

The Stewardess Diet is a reminder that restrictive eating is not sustainable and that health is about more than fitting into a uniform. For those looking to trim down, a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients and calories is key. After all, life is about enjoying the journey, not just the destination!

15. The Tapeworm Diet

Perhaps the most bizarre of all, the Tapeworm Diet involved swallowing pills containing actual tapeworm larvae. The idea was that these parasites would consume the food in your stomach, allowing you to eat as much as you wanted without gaining weight.

While technically effective, this method came with serious health risks, including malnutrition, infection, and even death. Many who tried this found that the weight loss wasn’t worth the potential damage to their bodies.

A cautionary tale from dieting history, the Tapeworm Diet underscores the lengths some people will go to for weight loss. It reminds us all that health should never be compromised for the sake of a few pounds. True well-being comes from healthy habits, not hazardous shortcuts. Let’s keep our diets parasite-free and focus on nourishing our bodies for the long haul!