Tonight on Channel 4: Diets That Time Forgot

[Demi]

Tonight (18 March, 2008) on Channel 4:


The Diets That Time Forgot

Channel 4, 9pm

The latest blend of history-lite and reality TV shows why our ancestors had such different body shapes. Nine overweight volunteers spend 24 days in a country house following diets conceived a century ago. Three of them are put on a high-protein, low- carb Victorian diet. Another three follow an Edwardian diet that involves eating anything as long as each mouthful is chewed 32 times before swallowing. And the last group follow a calorie-counting diet from the 1920s, which consists of dull salads and fruit. Much of the fun of the series is provided by Sir Roy Strong, who presides over the venture like a posh Simon Cowell, dismissing his charges as “bundles of cloth and flab” with the waft of an invisible handkerchief drenched in expensive scent.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3570147.ece

[niknak]

I think I'll watch this...thanks Demi.

[Elizellen]

Thanks for the headsup - I saw this thread just in time to set a reminder to watch it in a quarter of an hour.

[daisyboo]

Interesting how the Banting Diet group lost the most weight initially, i wonder if they'll keep that statistic up.

[cathy07]

I watched it and i know I couldn't do the chew chew diet, looked vile, I can't chew my food for that long anyway!

[Demi]

I watched it and i know I couldn't do the chew chew diet, looked vile, I can't chew my food for that long anyway!I agree! I had to look away whenever the Edwardian group were eating, because it really made me feel sick! Yuk, what a horrible way to eat!

To me, the Banting food looked the most appealing, and that group also seemed to be the happiest with the food they were eating too.


Now that the series has started, there's a lot more about it on the official C4 website:

The Diets That Time Forgot

If you think diets are a recent invention, think again. In this unique historic experiment, nine volunteers spend 24 days testing the weight loss diets and fitness regimes that were popular in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods and the 'roaring' Twenties.

This six-part series examines which plan works best. Is it the Banting diet, first published in 1863, the 'chew chew' diet of the early 1900s, or the first calorie counting Lulu diet, one of the best selling non-fiction publications of the 1920s?

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/D/diets-that-time-forgot/?intcmp=lifepage_flash

[SlimJackie]

If the Victorian Banting diet wins out, 'they' will no doubt find some way of saying that they knew low carbing was best all the time while still denying that Atkins was right ...

Can't wait to see the next programme!

Jackie

[Demi]

Tonights programme:

The Diets That Time Forgot
Tuesday 25 March
9:00pm - 10:00pm
Channel 4

2/6 - Burning it Off
Sir Roy Strong, former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, continues the experiment in which nine volunteers try to lose weight by adhering to historic dieting regimes. As hunger begins to bite, Sir Roy tests the volunteers' powers of self restraint and demonstrates how a disciplined approach to diet and fitness provides positive results when stepping on the scales. And one lapsed dieter discovers how the calorific cost of eating a solitary chocolate bar can be offset by a five-mile run.
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=75767182&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp


Programme 2: Burning It Off

Offal's on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with cold plunges and exercise in this second phase of Sir Roy Strong's historic slimming experiment. Under his tough love regime, nine volunteers compete to lose weight on diet and keep fit regimes that were popular with the Victorians, Edwardians and the flappers of the 1920s.

As the volunteers groan with hunger, Sir Roy decides it's time to test their powers of self restraint. There are gasps of horror as one of the volunteers gives in to temptation. The calorie trader arrives to demonstrate how the cost of a bar of chocolate can be offset by a five mile run. But the results of the weigh-in prove Sir Roy's point, when it comes to losing weight and keeping in shape, nothing beats discipline.

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/D/diets-that-time-forgot/episode-guide/episode2.html

[Demi]

Tonight's programme:

The Diets That Time Forgot

Tuesday 01 April
9:00pm - 10:00pm
Channel 4

3/6 - The Great Outdoors
Sir Roy Strong, former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, continues the experiment in which nine volunteers try to lose weight by adhering to historic dieting regimes. The volunteers leave the confines of their health farm to try cycling, golf, archery and other outdoor pursuits. A trip to the Victorian seaside at Cromer goes horribly wrong when a group sneak off to the local pub.
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=75957520&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp

[Demi]

Tonight's programme:


The Diets That Time Forgot
Tuesday 8 April
9:00pm - 10:00pm
Channel 4

The Great Insides: Matron demands stool samples from the participants as the experiment looks at Victorian attitudes to the digestive system. Colonic irrigation leads to a gastroenterological study of the volunteers' bowel movements, before the nine are given £5 to to buy healthy food for dinner - a challenge Dave is unwilling to meet

[Elizellen]

I missed this week's episode but discovered Channel 4 has a website that you can register at and download an episode you missed and watch it for up to a month afterwards.

http://www.channel4.com/4od/index.html

I am waiting while it downloads tonight and will watch it later sometime. You can also download other programmes too.

[Demi]

Tonight's programme:


The Diets That Time Forgot

Tuesday 15 April
9:00pm - 10:00pm
Channel 4

5/6 - The Slimming Drill
Sir Roy Strong, former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, continues the experiment in which nine volunteers try to lose weight by adhering to historic dieting regimes. Sir Roy calls in the help of the army to give the slimmers some military-style training and learn the value of self-discipline.

[Demi]

Tomight's programme:

The Diets That Time Forgot

Tuesday 22 April
9:00pm - 10:00pm
Channel 4

6/6 - Extreme Measures

Sir Roy Strong, former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, concludes the experiment in which nine volunteers try to lose weight by adhering to historic dieting regimes. With four days to go at the health farm, Sir Roy introduces the slimmers to the prospect of electric shock treatments and tapeworms in order to shed a few more pounds. He also enlists the help of hypnotist Pete Cohen and his revulsion therapy to encourage the volunteers not to revert to their old eating habits.

http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=77070841&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp

[Elizellen]

Well the series was interesting though didnt really prove anything except what we all know - most diets 'work' if you follow the rules!

Though they were only looking at total weight lost, rather than percentage of weight lost, which rather skewed the results I thought as there was a mix of those with lots to lose and those with only a stone (14 lbs for our non-UK viewers!!) or so to lose.

If the bloke on the Banting diet hadnt kept cheating at every opportunity he might have lost more and made his team the biggest losers instead of those on the 'chew chew' diet.

I dont know if I could have eaten those boiled pigeons served up as they were though!! :Puke: Yukkkk!!

[Demi]

If the bloke on the Banting diet hadnt kept cheating at every opportunity he might have lost more and made his team the biggest losers instead of those on the 'chew chew' diet.Totally agree! I started to get really cross with him for not showing more self discipline in that regard. After all, what was he doing taking part in the programme if he wasn't going to stick to it? :rolleyes:

[SlimJackie]

I reckon the producers on this type of programme always choose one or two people to be 'troublemakers' because they think it makes for a more interesting programme. As Elizellen said, shame it was someone on the Banting diet! (Could even be a conspiracy theory here!)

Jackie