Busy Mom

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Weird Fitness Crazes - Win a $150 Visa Gift Card from The Laughing Cow

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.



People do some strange things in their quests for health. From vibrating belts that "shake off fat", to the Thigh Master, it seems that people will try most anything to get fit.

I confess to having used a popular meal replacement shake when they first came out. I actually like them, so in the beginning, I did great. However, as time went on, the shakes became a tasty drink with my full meals.

Meal replacement: ur doin' it wrong.

I can't recall doing anything too weird in the exercise department, but I know people who are just a step away from the Shake Weight or the Ab Roller, as there may or may not be an As Seen on TV epidemic out there.

Wait, I did get a little out of hand with the exercise one time in high school. I biked really far one day, boy, was I going to be fit! I didn't, however, account for needing to get back to where I started, and I had to call my dad to come get me.

Have you tried any funny or crazy "miracle health solutions" in your quest for fitness?

Share a funny story (about a health craze or anything!)in the comment section, tweet or blog about this entry (be sure to leave a link to your efforts in the comments below), and you will be entered to win a $150 Visa gift card.

Two (2) valid entries per person, please.

Please keep your comments G-rated as any profanity or offensive content will automatically disqualify you from sweepstakes entry.

Don't forget to check out the The Laughing Cow Daily Laugh at BlogHer for more chances to win.

Sweepstakes ends 10/10/2010. Find out more from the official contest rules.

posted by Busy Mom at 11:51 PM

52 Comments:

  • I've been pretty good about exercise, never really got into any of the fads.
    bethc224@aol.com

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 2:00 PM, September 20, 2010  

  • i tried dancing with the oldies when I was 10-so embarrassing. To this day when I hear some of the oldies i want to do the moves. I hate to tell people now but i did get in shape.
    flyergal82 at yahoo dot com

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 8:54 PM, September 20, 2010  

  • I once spent THOUSANDS of dollars to be starved nearly to death. I was 150lbs, I wanted to be 130 so it's not like I was huge. I payed this company to plan a diet for me which initially started off with me drinking nothing but pineapple juice and eating only raw green veggies for 3 days. I hated every minute of it and quit it after the first 3 days but I was still stuck paying for it.

    By Blogger Whitney Stephens, At 12:41 PM, September 22, 2010  

  • My 2nd entry: I also once paid out the wazoo to work out at a womens only fitness club because the owner was amazingly good looking and watching him while I worked out was a lot of fun, until he sold the business and then I realized what a huge waste of money it was.

    By Blogger Whitney Stephens, At 1:22 PM, September 22, 2010  

  • I think my best effort was joining a university sport. Rowing to be exact. Turns out, it worked... while I did it... after that, not so much. Go figure. haha.

    hgray8@gmail.com

    By Blogger Holly, At 2:04 PM, September 22, 2010  

  • Coversation in eye doctor office.
    Patient: Doctor, I have major problems with my vision!
    Dr:What is exactly your problem?
    Patient:I stoped to see money!

    natatheangel at yahoo dot com

    By Anonymous Natalia D, At 7:18 PM, September 23, 2010  

  • OK, so I tried to eat healthy.If you knew me than you would know how hilarious that really is.I am so a junk-food-junkie.

    By Blogger RockinJ9designs, At 6:24 PM, September 25, 2010  

  • 2nd entry-I think it was Larry Groce who sang the song "Junk Food Junkie" In the daytime I'm Mister Natural, just as healthy as I can be but, at night I'm a junk food junkie, good Lord have pity on me.Almost me-not far from it.

    By Blogger RockinJ9designs, At 6:28 PM, September 25, 2010  

  • I'm sure I look pretty funny any time I use exercise equipment for the first time. I never know how to use the equipment properly and usually give up.

    By Blogger Emily N., At 5:30 PM, September 26, 2010  

  • tweeted
    http://twitter.com/prizepuzzle/status/25629618278

    By Blogger Emily N., At 5:32 PM, September 26, 2010  

  • When I was in highschool prepping for the prom, I was eating as little as would sustain me and going to the tanner each night. I fainted in the stand up booth and when I came to, I had my face pressed against the metal bars with my nose grazing the tanning lights! I started to eat more after that!
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dotnet)

    By Blogger Kerry, At 6:33 PM, September 26, 2010  

  • tweeted: http://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/25634217007
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    By Blogger Kerry, At 6:34 PM, September 26, 2010  

  • I remember in Junior High we had an annual trip to a water park. All of the girls would worry about how we looked in swim suits (how sad that it starts so young) and we would 'diet' by skipping lunch and eating M&Ms and chocolate milk instead.

    Yeah, not so smart when you are a teenager!

    By Blogger Lorie, At 9:53 AM, September 27, 2010  

  • I remember in Junior High we had an annual trip to a water park. All of the girls would worry about how we looked in swim suits (how sad that it starts so young) and we would 'diet' by skipping lunch and eating M&Ms and chocolate milk instead.

    Yeah, not so smart when you are a teenager!

    By Blogger Lorie, At 9:53 AM, September 27, 2010  

  • I went on the one cup diet. You can eat anything thing you want as long as you only eat a one cup of it. So when I went to a restaurant, I would pull out my measuring cup when my food was served. I actually measured out one cup of the meal and asked for the rest in a to-go box. The servers and restaurant patrons must have had a good laugh at my strange diet.

    mmburdette22@yahoo.com

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 1:17 PM, September 27, 2010  

  • I exercise on and off but I can't stop eating!

    MCantu1019@aol.com

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 3:58 PM, September 27, 2010  

  • When I was a teen I was NOT overweight, but I felt fat because I never exercised and was flabby. So when my mom joined Overeaters Anonymous, I did too. The meal plan at that time (prolly 1977-ish?) was extremely low-carb. I had no clue what a carb was, but after skipping my breakfast cereal and my lunch sandwich i was so weak and sick that I quit the diet. Total time on the OA plan? Oh, about 9 hours!

    By Blogger groovyoldlady, At 5:24 PM, September 27, 2010  

  • If there is a diet, I have been on it. I have taken diet pills (prescribed by a physician), had cow urine injections, ate no carb (I fell off that wagon by eating oatmeal--I could never go back), ate low carb, ate no fat (my hair fell out), ate low fat, ate nothing but cabbage soup for a month (don't even ask...), I ate low calorie (less than 800 a day), then I went to eating every other day (with 800 calories on the days that I did eat), I exercised 3-5 hours a day 7 days a week...and I have been very successful at losing weight. BUT, I have always gained it back--and I can truly say that I have lost 350 pounds in my lifetime. I am now smarter--just not skinnier--and I eat a well-rounded diet that is high in fiber, low in fat, sugar, and processed carbs, but NO food group is off the table. And while I am not skinnier, I am definitely happier, because I finally decided that I am a wonderful, worthwhile person at any weight.

    By Blogger pattythequilter, At 10:33 AM, September 29, 2010  

  • In high school my best friend and I went on the ice cream diet where we ate nothing but ice cream for a week and believe it or not it worked, BUT we were only 16 then...duh!

    By Blogger Unknown, At 11:46 PM, September 30, 2010  

  • Tweet

    http://twitter.com/jillyrh/status/26051295337

    By Blogger Unknown, At 11:55 PM, September 30, 2010  

  • Due to medical restrictions, I was not able to excercise AT ALL for many months. When I finally "suited up" for a walk it took me 30 minutes to dress/find the IPOD/fill the fanny pack/find the shoes... and only 15 minutes of walking before I was whipped!

    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    By Blogger LAMusing, At 1:54 PM, October 01, 2010  

  • Tweet! http://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/26106538100
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    By Blogger LAMusing, At 1:55 PM, October 01, 2010  

  • I do remember being on Wight Watchers back in the old days when you had to weigh your food... it's crazy how much effort it used to take, now it's so much easier.
    bingomamanorma(at)gmail(dot)com

    By Anonymous Norma, At 1:58 PM, October 01, 2010  

  • I guess my favorite book about food is something called "White Watchers", which I could have sworn was by Garrison Kieler but I can't find it now- all about Church Supper Food in the Midwest in the 50s. It was hysterical.

    Craziest exercise fad? Um. Disco? *shake it shake it*

    anajana1 [at] mac [dot] com

    By Blogger JanPattersonRN, At 8:29 PM, October 01, 2010  

  • I have done it all! In the early 80s, I used to do Jane Fonda all the time. In the late 80s, I went out every night, danced till dawn and drank my favorite diet drink, vodka and grapefruit juice. I was convinced it made me skinny. I ate nothing but salad, danced for hours every night, but I was convinced it was the grapefruit juice. duh.

    By Anonymous Christine, At 11:01 AM, October 02, 2010  

  • The other day my brother-in-law was installing a new garbage disposal on my sister's sink. Finally he had to drag out the instructions. Of course we instantly started making fun of "a man who actually reads the instructions!"

    He just grinned. I asked him if he ever stopped to ask for directions.

    He said "Never. I have a GPS."

    We had a good laugh. GPS - salvage for a man's pride! :)

    By Blogger Deb Anderson, At 11:15 AM, October 02, 2010  

  • My husband and I have been with sparkpeople.com for over two years now - I shed 1/3 of my body weight using their online food diary. My husband, though, hasn't had near that kind of luck.

    Part of his problem is that he doesn't eat ENOUGH calories. So, about a year ago, he started his own diet - the beer and ice cream diet. Whatever calories he was still lacking by 9:30 that night, he well made up for in beer and ice cream. Sadly, he didn't lose any more weight (empty, fat-filled calories will do taht to you), but he had a lot of fun trying!

    By Blogger Judy, At 11:49 AM, October 02, 2010  

  • Just had a baby so I try to do daily walks with her. But I love food, so it's a daily challenge! :)

    By Blogger Unknown, At 2:27 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • I consider the 30 day shred to be a fitness craze...although a good one and not like a fad diet. However jillian mocks me from the tv as i try to keep up with the person doing the "easy" routine and at the end of the 28 minutes i'm praying for death and death will not find me.

    By Blogger Southern jezeBelle, At 3:21 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • I found a lot of old VHS exercise tapes at my parents' house. My 5 year old daughter and I had a great time exercising with Richard Simmons.

    By Blogger Jayne, At 6:08 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • Anyone old enough to remember when Jazzercise was all the rage? We were looking through some old photos a few weeks back and came across a pic of me and my sister in our Jazzercise get ups - you know, the leotard, the head band, the leg warmers - and my 6 year old wanted to know why we had scarves wrapped around our legs!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 7:15 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • I joined a gym and had never walked on a treadmill before. I stepped on it, turned it on and then promptly fell flat on my face. Of course, the whole place was packed with people.

    shel704 at aol dot com

    By Blogger Unknown, At 7:58 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/auntiethesis/status/26221974670

    shel704 at aol dot com

    By Blogger Unknown, At 7:59 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • I eat the light laughing cow cheese with celery for a low cal afternoon snack!
    & I used to run the Turkey Trot 10k road race on Thanksgiving so I could eat myself silly afterward, but now that I have kids that just doesn't work logistically ;)

    By Blogger Steph @ Problem Solvin Mom, At 9:30 PM, October 02, 2010  

  • I tried the cabbage soup diet while I was in college. Seems I'm allergic to cabbage! I found out the hard way when it gave me hives and made me throw up everytime I ate it that week. I have no idea why I kept eating it...but I wanted to lose weight...I ended up in the infirmary, dehydrated...but I did lose 15 lbs...the hard way!
    bleatham*at*gmail.com

    By Blogger Shelly Leatham, At 12:51 AM, October 03, 2010  

  • tweet
    http://twitter.com/sleatham1/status/26242252893
    bleatham*at*gmail.com

    By Blogger Shelly Leatham, At 12:51 AM, October 03, 2010  

  • At 40 I finally found adult fitness boot camp. It's crazy hard but I'm finally in the best shape ever!

    By Blogger sharonhofmann, At 9:35 AM, October 03, 2010  

  • We bought on of those "As seen on TV" Gazelle exercisers. Mostly our kids just enjoyed playing on it like playground equipment.

    The way I lost weight was dislocating my knee which has required years of physical therapy to repair (after 2 surgeries) Now I just exercise everyday. Pretty boring.

    By Blogger PastormacsAnn, At 10:02 AM, October 03, 2010  

  • 2nd entry.

    Oh, I forget. We did order some of those "PowerWalk" exercise videos. After a few weeks of listening to the gal say, "Walk, PowerWalk" over and over again to the same beat for 30-60 minutes a day, I was ready to be fat.

    By Blogger PastormacsAnn, At 10:04 AM, October 03, 2010  

  • Funny, I've never done any of the fad diet stuff because I've been too scared to. Uh, and I'm lazy.

    By Blogger I can't find my blog, At 5:19 PM, October 04, 2010  

  • Tweet, Tweet http://twitter.com/HeadlessMom/status/26400269318

    By Blogger I can't find my blog, At 5:21 PM, October 04, 2010  

  • I find the "poverty and stress diet" to be highly effective these days. ;)
    jvmwordsmith@comcast.net

    By Anonymous injaynesworld, At 11:19 AM, October 05, 2010  

  • Tweeted http://twitter.com/Jayne_Martin
    jvmwordsmith@comcast.net

    By Anonymous injaynesworld, At 11:22 AM, October 05, 2010  

  • remember when the cleanse came out? well, let's just say you shouldn't do it the first few days unless you are buy a toilet at all times.

    all times, not just some.

    By Blogger Allison M., At 1:41 PM, October 06, 2010  

  • http://twitter.com/#!/leahforlove/status/26762283916

    tweet tweet

    leahforlove(at)aol(dot)com

    By Blogger Leah @ A Butterfly In My Stomach, At 10:57 AM, October 08, 2010  

  • I work out every day. Probably the funniest, but also the most painful moment, was when I fell off of a moving treadmill.

    The weirdest fad diet I ever followed was raw eggs and coffee (it was the 80’s, mind you). I would recommend it to anyone with a strong gag reflex, lol.

    pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 1:41 PM, October 09, 2010  

  • http://twitter.com/lpauld68/status/26867033363

    pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 1:42 PM, October 09, 2010  

  • モバゲーを使って恋人を探そう！大人気のモバゲーならゲームを知らなくてもすぐに恋人ができちゃうんです

    By Anonymous モバゲー, At 3:33 AM, October 10, 2010  

  • Oh why did I buy a book so that I could try Pilates only to find that my desire to do it faded as quickly as any other passing fad!
    sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com

    By Blogger Henria O., At 5:13 AM, October 10, 2010  

  • My husband and I were at a baseball game and since we were both dieting and that of course is almost impossible to do at a game so I convinced him that a box of Cracker Jacks weighs roughly 5 oz so we each eat the whole box we would only gain about 5 oz each then we agreed to stand up while we ate it because you know what they say "Zero calories if you stand while you eat!" We looked pretty dumb.

    By Blogger JJ, At 9:51 PM, October 10, 2010  

  • http://twitter.com/#!/jjudy04/status/26996111683

    By Blogger JJ, At 9:52 PM, October 10, 2010  

  • I tried the champagne diet. It didn't make me lose weight, but after a few days on the diet, I din't care about a couple of extra pounds. Or too much of anything for that matter!
    quitecontrary1977@hotmail.com

    By Blogger Henry, At 12:19 AM, October 11, 2010  

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