Ok, looking for the dumbest, silliest, craziest weight loss program you ever tried?

Mine was the Arnold Schwarzenegger diet. I saw it in a newspaper one day. Here was the diet -- (at the time Arnold was the President's Exercise Guru) -- Everytime there was a food decision to make, such as carrots or doughnuts, you just thought "What would Arnold do?". Of course, Arnold would have the carrots. I thought this was silly, but started trying it. Sure enough, a week later, down 5 pounds, then 10 the next week. My wife was pretending I was Arnold as well, but that is another story. Finally, after about three weeks, I said to the Arnold question -- "Well, screw Arnold"!! And that was that.

Hydroxycut....it makes you loose. But oh man, its expensive, made me feel like i was wired on coffee, and made my (TMI ALERT) poop black. Not to mention i gained all my weight plus 10lbs when i stopped taking them.

My reply is somewhat tongue-in-cheek as I can relate to many of you.

The most effective diet, for me, was the eat nothing diet that I did in high school. I ate saltines occasionally and sometimes sugar free Jello. Then I would exercise like a fiend and weigh constantly, multiple times per day. I lost every pound and then some. It was so effective that my parents almost checked me into a hospital to get help. It became a contest (in my mind) to see how many days I could go without food. It was, admittedly, crazy. As an adult I could never seem to master this diet, which was probably for the best. I honestly don't know how I functioned.

The second most effective diet for me was counting calories, lots of exercise and some side-effect from Wellbutrin that gave me tons of energy to spare. That side-effect wore off after a few months and so did my motivation. I did have a good stomach flu during that time that almost brought me to "onderland."

HMR was also a very effective diet for me. It was very-low-calorie liquid diet (in my case) with weekly meetings and Dr. appts/monitoring. It wasn't sustainable, but it was very quick weight loss.

Possibly the least effective? The time I spent $900 on a personal trainer and only went to about three sessions. To their credit, they called and called to try and get me to come in.

I'm hopeful (and fairly certain) that the gastric sleeve will ultimately be the best solution for me. I will use this tool effectively - I'm not going under the knife for fun!

Definitely the HCG injections. $800+/- for 40 injections. 500 calories per day. What was I thinking??? Of course anyone will lose weight eating 500 calories per day.

Cabbage Soup would probably

my second.

Edited June 11, 201511 yr by tcon

Hypnosis!

My mom and I tried hypnosis a few years back...

"Imagine the waves rolling onto the beach like a lace tablecloth..." every time we say it we burst out laughing!

Honey. I've tried them all. But the craziest one was having my mouth wired. Yes I said wired!. I was desperate , young and crazy. Bad. Bad combination. :-) well .that lasted all of a week and a half. Before I went on vacation and found a way to remove the wire. (If there's a will there's a way)

:-). One thing i did get from that experience. I learned how to prepare almost any food in a blender. :-)

I forgot. ..I tried hypnosis. ..not once, but twice. Wow...what a waste.

Stupid HCG diet!

@@CowgirlJane @@SlimJill - Hypnosis here too. And I bought some expensive set of CDs that I NEVER opened. Ha!

As for gross food diets, liver, yuck, yuck!

If anyone gave me a diet of any organ meat or boiled eggs and onions (things I hate), I would starve to death.

Edited June 11, 201511 yr by no onions

Ear stapling was the stupidest thing I ever did. Painful and dumb. I could kick myself for that one.

Deal a Meal. Opened the box and never used it.

Deal a meal. ..how can I forget you my little waste of money. I too have no idea if the program was tolerable. .it was like I opened the cards and.lost all excitement.

Deal a meal. ..how can I forget you my little waste of money. I too have no idea if the program was tolerable. .it was like I opened the cards and.lost all excitement.

I think I ordered it or something and by the time it came the thrill was gone. I also joined Richard's "Slimmons" workout classes for one or two sessions. Oh and bought an oldies tape too. I didn't realize until just now how much of my money went to Richard Simmons.

And who can forget Ayds chocolate weight loss candy?

There was a program similar to Nutrisystem, but it was a chain of centers where you would go for weekly group visits, pay your $$, and take home a weeks worth of food with directions how and when to eat....

At the group meeting a few of us would laugh because we all ate the weeks worth of food in less than 24 hours.....

Hypnotism was an experience, they also sold you cassette tapes to hypnotize yourself anytime you feel the urge to eat...

A lot of fun when listening to the tapes driving 65 miles/hour down the freeway......

Acupuncture....not sure what it did, if anything.....except cost me a lot of $$

Over the last 35 years of dieting, nothing worked because it all came down to self discipline and will power....2 things I don't have when it comes to food....

Thank heaven for WLS...a procedure that physically altered my digestive system forcing me to change...

And who can forget Ayds chocolate weight loss candy?

I feel bad for that company.

Their name was a bad, unforeseen choice. It is very unfortunate for them the disease "AIDS" is pronounced the same way.

I believe one of their slogans was something to the effect: "Ayds helps you lose weight".

(This was not meant to be making fun of the deadly disease or people who have it)