The Diets That Time Forgot

Overweight, dressed in baggy clothes, and carrying smuggled food in their suitcases, nine volunteers arrive at a Victorian country house to take part in a unique experiment. For 24 days, they will compete to lose weight by following the diet and exercise regimes of bygone eras.

What's on the menu? Kidneys, sweetbreads, and tongue. Then it's time for cold plunges and exercise. As the participants groan with hunger, Sir Roy tests their self-restraint with calorie-rich goodies. Who will give in to temptation and put his or her team at risk?

The Victorians knew that fresh air and sunlight had therapeutic health benefits, so development instructor Lady Devonport gets naked and invites the others to join in. The group tries cycling, golf, archery, and other outdoor pursuits, while a pub proves to be the most enticing of all.

The volunteers are asked for stool samples, all in the cause of science. As Sir Roy explains, there's a connection between what goes into the body and what comes out. When he sends everyone to the farmer's market for healthy food, one person falls off the wagon.

In a last-ditch attempt to instill discipline, Sir Roy gets tough. The men must perform military training exercises, while the women work out with the Women's League of Health and Beauty. The participants aren't happy, but they try to rise to the challenge.

Sir Roy has a few last lessons for the group. He urges them to avoid quick fixes and calls in a hypnotist for anti-junk-food therapy. The contestants show off their new, slimmer selves in a fashion show for surprise guests, and then learn the results of the final weigh-in.