The 1980s were a decade of excess, and this attitude spilled over into health and fitness trends. From neon leotards to questionable diet plans, people tried just about anything to get fit and healthy. Many of these fads were based on pseudoscience or pure marketing hype rather than solid medical advice.
Looking back, some of these trends seem not just ineffective, but downright dangerous. I remember my aunts religiously doing the cabbage soup diet over and over in an ineffective attempt to lose weight. Not to mention endless jazzercise, weird weightloss products, and dubious food fads. Here’s a nostalgic yet cringe-worthy trip down memory lane, exploring 15 of the most bizarre health fads that captured the public’s imagination in the 80s.
Shake Weight
The Shake Weight was a dumbbell-like device that vibrated, promising to tone arms with minimal effort. Users would grip the weight and shake it back and forth, looking rather ridiculous in the process. While it gained popularity through late-night infomercials, its effectiveness was highly questionable, and it became more of a punchline than a serious fitness tool.
Slimming Body Wraps
Body wraps claimed to help you lose inches instantly by wrapping your body tightly in elastic bandages soaked in special “slimming” solutions. People would spend hours wrapped up like mummies, sweating profusely. Any weight loss was temporary, caused by water loss, and potentially dangerous due to dehydration risks.
Vibrating Belt Machines
These machines featured a belt that would vibrate against your midsection, supposedly jiggling away fat. Users would stand on a platform, strap the belt around their waist, and let the machine do the “work.” While it might have felt good, it did little for actual weight loss or fitness.
Prism Glasses for Reading
These strange glasses allowed you to read while lying flat on your back. The idea was to make reading more comfortable and reduce neck strain. However, they looked ridiculous and didn’t catch on beyond a small group of dedicated users.
Cabbage Soup Diet
This extreme diet involved eating large quantities of cabbage soup, along with a few other low-calorie foods, for seven days. While it led to rapid weight loss, this was mostly water weight and impossible to maintain long-term. The diet could also lead to nutritional deficiencies and digestive issues.
Thighmaster
Popularized by actress Suzanne Somers, the Thighmaster was a spring-loaded exercise device you squeezed between your thighs. It promised to tone and sculpt your inner thighs with minimal effort. While it became a cultural icon, its effectiveness as a comprehensive fitness tool was limited.
Electric Ab Belts
These belts promised to give you six-pack abs by sending electric shocks to your abdominal muscles. The idea was that these shocks would cause your muscles to contract, giving you a workout without effort. In reality, they were ineffective and potentially dangerous if misused.
Grapefruit Diet
This fad diet claimed that grapefruit contained a special fat-burning enzyme. Dieters would eat grapefruit with every meal, often in combination with severe calorie restriction. While grapefruits are healthy, they don’t have magical fat-burning properties, and the extreme calorie restriction was unhealthy.
Mood Rings
While not strictly a health fad, mood rings were popular accessories that claimed to change color based on your emotional state. People would use them as a pseudo-psychological tool. In reality, the rings simply reacted to body temperature changes, not emotions.
Sweat Suits for Weight Loss
These plastic or rubber suits were worn during exercise to increase sweating. The idea was that more sweat equaled more weight loss. In reality, they only caused water loss and could lead to dangerous dehydration and overheating.
Ear Candling
This strange practice involved placing a hollow candle in the ear and lighting it, claiming it would draw out earwax and toxins. Not only was it ineffective, but it was also potentially dangerous, risking ear injuries and burns.
Raw Egg Protein Shakes
Inspired by movie heroes like Rocky Balboa, many fitness enthusiasts started drinking raw eggs for protein. This practice risked salmonella poisoning and wasn’t any more effective than consuming cooked eggs or other protein sources.
Jazzercise
While not entirely bizarre, Jazzercise epitomized 80s fitness trends with its blend of aerobics, dance, and neon outfits. Classes were high-energy and fun but often emphasized style over substance. Some routines were overly complex and risked injury for beginners.
Ayds Appetite Suppressant Candy
Ayds was a chocolate-flavored candy that claimed to suppress appetite and aid in weight loss. It contained phenylpropanolamine, a stimulant that was later banned by the FDA due to health concerns. The product’s unfortunate name, coupled with the emergence of the AIDS crisis in the 80s, eventually led to its downfall and discontinuation.
Toning Shoes
In the late 1980s, toning shoes burst onto the fitness scene with bold claims. These oddly-shaped sneakers featured curved soles that were supposed to mimic walking on sand. Manufacturers claimed they could tone leg and buttock muscles, improve posture, and even burn extra calories just by walking. Brands like Reebok EasyTone and Skechers Shape-Ups became hugely popular. Despite their appeal, scientific studies later debunked most of the health claims, leading to lawsuits and refunds for consumers.
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Katy Willis is a writer, master herbalist, master gardener, and certified canine nutritionist who has been writing since 2002. She’s finds joy in learning new and interesting things, and finds history, science, and nature endlessly fascinating.
