The Fat Jiggling Machine - Legacy of Dr. Kellogg
Found on eBay: A vintage exercise device that can... well, uh... I don't know.
Can you figure it out? It seems even the proud new owner has no idea.
He told me, "I got it at this junk shop in Newark, NY. I saw it and thought it was weird and cool and had no clue what it was."
Turns out, this contraption - which looks like some sort of pre-Industrial Revolution taffy puller - was made by Battle Creek Equipment in Michigan. The company has a long history of making health and fitness equipment, along with other medical devices.
Battle Creek Equipment was found by the late Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, brother of cereal-maker, W.K. Kellogg. Doc Harvey was an odd duck; with radical theories on how to achieve good health.
In 1994, Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Broderick starred in The Road to Wellville, a comedy about Dr. Kellogg and his 1900s Battle Creek Sanitarium; where Dr. Kellogg served as chief medical officer.
Here's the trailer:
People came from far and wide to stay at the sanitarium in hopes of achieving better health. Dr. Kellogg advocated a vegetarianism, elimination of meat from one's diet, and he was a very strong proponent of eating nuts.
For Kellogg, nut described Dr. Kellogg pretty well. He also devoted much of his time to sexual issues; such as circumcision and discouraging masturbation.
As for the taffy puller found on Ebay, from looking at it, it would appear the user hoists themselves on the machine and gets a right-royal jiggle-massage in the butt and thigh department.
They are apparently referred to as "roller massagers". A browse through the Diet Blog archives found at least one happy customer from the 1970s.
I would love to find one of those roller machine with the dowls that roll around and you sit front or back or side and it does help break the fat down. I used one at a Gloria Marhalls back in the 70's.
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75 Comments
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Created / Updated: January 11, 2012
I remember seeing them years ago. Yes, they were advertised as vibrating or massaging the fat off -- the theory being that fat would be loosened from its moorings enabling the body to flush it out. As you describe, the non-exerciser would "hoist themselves on the machine and get a right-royal jiggle-massage in the butt and thigh department".
It's similar in principle to the vibrating bands that extended out horizontally and wrapped around your butt and vibrated the fat loose. As if. It later came under fire from doctors who were seeing patients with damged inner organs from so much jiggling. And, of course, no loss of fat. Anything to keep from exercising. Let the machine do it for you!
Replyi found one in perfect condition. please tell me how much is it worth
Replythe company was nadco corp. the strap is in good shape.model#br-307. its got to worth something
ReplyI will buy it from you, any price you thinking?
Mike 416 671 2969
ReplyThere is some truth in that heat can aid fat mobilization. But one has to already be in a caloric deficit. I've jogged before on a treadmill with a blanket wrapped around my lower back, while buzzed on yohimbe. Seems like it might have helped a little.
ReplyHow do you stay on the thing? It looks like you would fall off the top. And I'm always worried about falling off the treadmill ... this looks a lot more trecherous.
ReplyYou would lightly sit in different positions. You could sit with both legs on one side with bottom lightly on the roller or straddle to take care of inner thighs. Very important that feet or planted firmly on the floor. I saw people slide right off of them. Scarey. For outer leg, you get on bended knee with outer leg against the machine. You have to change sides of the machine because the rollers only go in one position. I thought they were great and would like to see them affordable enough for the home. You only stayed a minute or more in each position. Suppose to break up the fat. I didn't have any then, but I helped a lot of women lose weight with these machines.
ReplyI totally remember the roller machines and would LOVE to find one. They did work. I used them at a salon in Calif. in the late 70's. They did remove cellulite.
Replymight be fun to try with a friend. umm, okay, maybe not.
ReplyLOL, this is too funny. I agree with Judy - "anything to keep from exercising"!
ReplyGod, I wish this worked!
ReplyWell, it does work -- if what you want it to do is jiggle your fat!
ReplyI suppose it produces a great placebo effect. I mean, come on, how could you NOT be losing weight when you're being jiggled around like a jello mold? Yeah, I guess some people would do just about anything to avoid exercise.
Battle Creek, Michigan...isn't that where Kellogg did his research on breakfast cereal? He was really into the whole "nutrition and fitness" thing before it was trendy.
ReplyI have to say that the only thing this machine might do is leave your whole body feeling numb after using it. Besides that I am really not sure what good the machine will do for weight loss and exercise as it will barely burn any calories.
Reply27 years ago I went to an all - women gym (figures & fitness) they had those belts that you put around your waist. That too would jiggle all your chub around your waist. @ the time it was thought to help get rid of chub & loosen you up kind like warming up the muscles, so you would be "streched" out, making your muscles warm, loose & nimble. Now, 27 years later we nnow know that these machines are worthless
Replyold fashioned:? Ha, they have them in every gym in Korea, as well as jiggle bands that are attached to a machine and you put it around any body part you want and away you go, as well as machines that you stand on that vibrate your whole body. I dunno, but it's good for a nice little massage.
ReplyThey have these in my country (Japan) but they've always been billed as a massager (not a weight loss aid). Runners use it for the calves after a long, hard run. The band massagers also were used on the lower back, butt, and quads.
ReplyDoes anyone have any idea how I may go about buying one of these from Korea or Japan?
ReplyI have one very similar for sale for 500.00 + shipping and handling.
Replyi have one of the roller machines and one of the belt machines, both for sale. my phone is 419 235-8802. both machines are in good working order.
ReplyHi Nick,
ReplyI am looking for the roller machine.
How much are you asking for it?
We have a roller machine if you are still looking -- we use it as a funny massager ... let me know if you are still interested. -Jenni
Replystill available? Mike
vitaminmike@rogers.com
ReplyIs it still avaiable and how much?
ReplyHi just by curiosity, how much both machines go for in mint conditions... the roller machines and one of the belt machines??
Knowing they are limited and not that easy to find in good condition.
ReplySort of side note: I am always surprised when people tell me that they can't afford good food, or good training on how to eat and exercise, or psycotherapy.. yet so many fat people's garages are littered with things like this, and Bo-flexs, and Nordic Tracts, etc.
Replywow, that looks dangerous. i doubt it works for weight loss.
ReplyMark M--That's exactly what my inlaws' house is like. They are on a REALLY fixed income and have been for a long time. They really have to watch what they spend money on, but yet my mother in law has bought an exercise bike and a Nordic Trak, both of which are serving as coat hangers in the laundry room. And yeah, she's still overweight. I know so many people with unused exercise equipment and it makes me so mad because I would kill to have a Precor elliptical machine at my house...I'd use it all the time.
Reply