Category:
Dieting and Weight Loss

Jackson Whitlow, the Mountain Faster

Jackson Whitlow made headlines in 1937 by fasting for 52 days. He did it because he said God had told him to. He broke his fast with elderberry wine and squirrel broth.

About a year later God told Whitlow to live in a cave. His condition rapidly deteriorated and by the start of 1939 he was dead. According to Whitlow, this was also "the Lord's will".



Atlanta Journal - Jan 2, 1939



Posted By: Alex - Thu Oct 03, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Religion, 1930s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Teflon as a weight-loss aid

A 2016 article in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology ("Polytetrafluoroethylene Ingestion as a Way to Increase Food Volume and Hence Satiety Without Increasing Calorie Content") proposed using Teflon as a weight-loss aid. The idea was to add powdered Teflon to food in order to bulk up the food's volume without adding calories. From the article:

PTFE, a plastic commonly known as Teflon®, can be used to supplement volume in the diet by mixing the raw material (virgin PTFE powder) into food. Because PTFE is heat resistant, its mixing into food can take place before or after cooking. PTFE is soft and contributes no flavor (evident by its use in tongue piercings) and hence does not detract from the eating experience. It is also resistant to the strongest acids (PTFE containers are used industrially for storing acids) and therefore will not be degraded by stomach acid. It is extremely inert (widely considered to be the most inert material known) so it will not react within the body. It has a low coefficient of friction so that it will not scratch the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract during transport. Because of its chemical and physical properties and long history of use and contact with humans, PTFE is widely considered a very safe material. It is extensively used in medical devices (for instance, a large portion of the artificial blood vessel grafts that have been successfully implanted into people for decades are made from pure PTFE). For these reasons, PTFE is an ideal material for use as a nonmetabolized food volume bulking agent.

Maybe they're right about the harmless effects of ingesting Teflon, but it sure would be an uphill battle to convince the public of this given the widespread concern about ingesting Teflon from scratched pans. The manufacturer of Teflon briefly addresses this concern on the Teflon.com website:

Myth: I'm still not convinced that particles of nonstick coating won't come off during cooking and get into my food.

Fact: Particles from Teflon™ nonstick coatings are not harmful, even if ingested.

via New Scientist

Posted By: Alex - Thu Sep 26, 2024 - Comments (4)
Category: Science, Dieting and Weight Loss

Weight-Loss Earring

The Acu-Ring, or weight-control earring, was introduced in 1978 and continued to be sold until at least 1990.

You were supposed to wear the ring around the edge of your ear and squeeze it whenever you felt an urge to eat. Soon you'd see the pounds melting away!

It supposedly worked by means of 'acupressure'. The theory was that there's a spot on the ear that controls the stomach, so putting pressure on that spot would lessen appetite. (Couldn't a similar effect be achieved just by squeezing the edge of your ear with your fingers? Apparently not.)

A similar idea lay behind "staplepuncture" (or ear stapling) which we've posted about previously.

Brigham Young University Daily Universe - Oct 7, 1982





Allentown Morning Call - July 17, 1978

Posted By: Alex - Tue Sep 10, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Dieting and Weight Loss

Politician promises weight loss

A low-ambition campaign promise: Adeline Geo-Karis promised that, if elected Comptroller of Illinois, she would lose 50 pounds. She didn't win.

Bloomington Pantagraph - May 23, 1986

Posted By: Alex - Thu Sep 05, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Politics, 1980s, Dieting and Weight Loss

The Roll-a-Ray Fat Remover

Introduced in 1948, by 1950 the Roll-a-Ray had been banned by the FDA. It was simply two rubber rollers with an electric light bulb mounted behind them.

Detroit Free Press - Nov 21, 1948



FDA Consumer - Feb 1977

Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 17, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, 1940s, Dieting and Weight Loss

English Chemist’s Secret Formulation

Transform from a "fat & lonely" cartoon into a "slim & desirable" photograph in 3 days.

It's got my vote for the best before-and-after figures of any weight-loss ad.

Daily Mirror - Mar 25, 1972

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 19, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Advertising, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Dr. Dante’s Figure Control Record

Just listen to Dr. Dante's exciting voice and lose weight permanently. No exercise! "For Women Only"

The album was released in 1972.

Some trivia about it from discogs.org: "this album is clearly visible in the movie Gremlins which came out in 1984. Towards the end of the movie, after they blow up the movie theater, when they’re chasing Stripe through the department store Billy is walking through the electronics department with a bat and this album is highlighted in that scene."

audio via: thecrosspollinator





Posted By: Alex - Tue Mar 19, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Gladys Sellew’s 15-cents-a-day diet

Back in the 1930s, sociologist Gladys Sellew decided to find out if it was possible to survive spending only 15 cents a day on food. I think, in today's money, that would be about $3/day.

She used herself as a test subject and, five years later, reported that not only was it possible, but she actually only spent an average of 13 cents a day on food.

She said she was going to remain on her frugal diet for the rest of her life.

Austin American Statesman - June 3, 1942



The headline below claimed that she gained weight on her diet, but in the picture above it sure doesn't look like she had any extra weight on her.

Hartford Courant - Feb 24, 1941



A typical day's meal plan:

Austin American Statesman - June 3, 1942



By way of comparison, here's a more recent version of an experiment in frugality: "Spending $5 a day on food. Is it possible?"

Posted By: Alex - Mon Dec 04, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Food, 1940s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Wate-On

Based on the strange clothing and the thing that looks like an asteroid in the top right corner, I think the two people are supposed to be futuristic space travelers of some kind. Why they're in an ad for a weight-gain product, I don't know.

Sports Illustrated - June 5, 1978

Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 17, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Advertising, Space Travel, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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