The Diets That Time Forgot - Season 1 (2008)

A century ago, women's waists were 10 inches smaller and the average man was 20 pounds lighter. What did our grandparents know that we have forgotten? Fit and trim historian Sir Roy Strong takes nine overweight volunteers back in time to find the answers. Divided into teams, the participants try weight-loss plans from three different eras. The Victorian diet consists mostly of meat. The Edwardians are allowed to eat whatever they want--provided they chew each bite 32 times. The final team is assigned to a calorie-controlled diet popular in the Roaring '20s. In this one-of-a-kind British reality show, a magnificent Victorian country house becomes an early 1900s health spa. The volunteers wear period dress and take part in fitness regimens from the past, including cold baths, archery, and some more unusual practices. Who will slim down the most? What life-changing lessons can we learn from our ancestors? And does history hold the answer to the world's obesity epidemic?