Health Fads That Everyone From the 1980s Will Remember — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

The 1980s was a decade of health fads that everyone remembers. From the low-fat craze to the no-carb diet, people were always looking for the latest and greatest way to stay healthy. One of the most popular health fads of the time was the “Eat This Not That” diet. This diet focused on making healthier food choices by avoiding processed and unhealthy foods. It was a simple and effective way to make healthier food choices and stay healthy. The “Eat This Not That” diet was popular in the 1980s and is still popular today. In this article, we will take a look at the history of the “Eat This Not That” diet and how it has evolved over the years.

Health Fads That Everyone From the 1980s Will Remember — Eat This Not That

The 1980s were a time of health fads, from the low-fat craze to the rise of aerobics. While some of these fads have been debunked, others have stood the test of time. Here are some of the most memorable health fads from the 1980s that everyone will remember.

Jogging

Jogging was one of the most popular health fads of the 1980s. It was seen as a way to stay fit and healthy, and it was a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. Jogging was also seen as a way to reduce stress and improve mental health. While jogging is still popular today, it was especially popular in the 1980s.

Low-Fat Diet

The low-fat diet was a popular health fad in the 1980s. This diet was based on the idea that eating low-fat foods would help people lose weight and improve their health. While this diet has been debunked, it was still popular in the 1980s. People were encouraged to eat low-fat foods such as lean meats, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains.

Aerobics

Aerobics was another popular health fad in the 1980s. This form of exercise was seen as a way to get fit and stay healthy. It was also seen as a way to reduce stress and improve mental health. Aerobics classes were popular in the 1980s, and people were encouraged to take part in them. While aerobics is still popular today, it was especially popular in the 1980s.

Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins and supplements were also popular in the 1980s. People were encouraged to take vitamins and supplements to improve their health and prevent disease. While vitamins and supplements are still popular today, they were especially popular in the 1980s. People were encouraged to take vitamins and supplements to improve their overall health.

Juicing

Juicing was another popular health fad in the 1980s. This was seen as a way to get all the nutrients from fruits and vegetables without having to eat them. Juicing was also seen as a way to detoxify the body and improve overall health. While juicing is still popular today, it was especially popular in the 1980s.

These are just a few of the health fads that everyone from the 1980s will remember. While some of these fads have been debunked, others have stood the test of time. It is important to remember that while some of these fads may have been popular in the 1980s, it is important to do your own research and make sure that any health advice you follow is backed up by science.

Ah, the ’80s—that era when the hair was big and the waistlines were small. It’s not your imagination that people were slimmer back then: Until the mid-’80s, the number of Americans who were obese or overweight declined, before those rates began a steady climb that has resulted in record levels today. It was also an era of super-popular health fads that went viral without benefit of the internet. Some of them have since been disproven by science, while others have been validated and are worth a revisit. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.

Low fat food label
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In the ’80s, dietary fat was less popular than Sen. Ted Cruz—it was believed that consuming any amount of fat via food led to developing body fat. Health experts advised Americans to avoid all dietary sources of fat. A low-fat food industry boomed, larding an array of products with sugar to add savor. Four decades later, obesity in the U.S. is at its highest level ever. This is not a coincidence. In the interim, scientists have learned that products containing added sugar just make us want to consume more calories, while only some fats are harmful (like trans fats); others are healthful, contributing to satiety and consuming fewer calories overall—the key to maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight if necessary.  

step aerobics
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Ever wonder why everyone in those photos from the early ’80s looks so skinny? Remember this was the era when 20 Minute Workout, Jane Fonda’s videos, Joanie Greggains’ records, and movies like Perfect ruled pop culture. They were all dedicated to aerobic exercise, which modern doctors and health experts would translate to the universal prescription called “moving more.” Today, more of us are more sedentary than ever, which raises the risk of a cascade of chronic illnesses, from obesity to heart disease and cancer to mental illness and dementia. Scoff at that Polaroid of Mom in leg warmers at your own peril.

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Green expander on a white background
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Debuting just outside of the ’80s—but everyone who was around in the ’80s will remember it, so so sue us—the Thighmaster was a 1-900 fitness revolution. Everybody bought one. In that era, the Thighmaster and hit fitness videos targeted to “buns” and abs pushed the mythology—or at least didn’t correct the widely held belief—that you can spot-reduce fat. You can’t. Today, we know that to shape up optimally, it’s most effective to prioritize full-body strength training and calorie-torching cardio.

RELATED: 5 Signs You Have Visceral Fat Besides a Big Belly

Weight-loss pills like Dexatrim were available over the counter—and advertised relentlessly over the airwaves—in the ’80s. Many of these pills contained harmful stimulants and stimulant-like substances such as PPA and ephedra, which studies connected to heart attacks and strokes. Some of these supplements disappeared from the market; others re-emerged in “new formulations” omitting the dangerous substances and adding warnings that their potential effects hadn’t been observed by the FDA.

RELATED: What Happens to Your Body When You Smoke Weed, Says Science

Woman looking to a little salad is tired about diet
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In the ’80s, popular diets focused on bizarre routines dedicated to cutting as many calories as possible: The cabbage soup diet, the liquid protein diet, the grapefruit diet, and many other amateur variations that were just a checkout-magazine-targeted spin on starvation. Although it’s true that eating fewer calories than you burn is an effective method of weight loss, today we know that the metabolism adapts to extremely low-calorie diets, making the body hang on to fat. Plus, they can be dangerous: Several acolytes of the liquid protein diet died of heart attacks, because their routines included few other essential nutrients. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.