Dieting, Vintage Style, Diet Rules & Impossible Ideals

I love reading about diets in vintage magazines. Although there were some crazy diets out there, generally they were common sense. In the days before diet soft-drinks, diet yogurts and low-fat milk, you were encouraged to eat real, wholesome food - such as real milk, butter and meat, as well as lots of vegies, and simply cut out bread, cakes and pastries.

Here is a one-day sample menu plan from 1953 -

Not a single low-fat item anywhere.  Strange the way you can't ad milk to your tea though!

In the 50s, 60s and 70s crispbreads were a popular alternative to bread for those wanting to lose weight.

1961

1953 ad for crispbread.

I still love vita-weats, especially the way the butter squishes through the holes! Notice the butter in the ad above - no low fat margarine then!

Ten years later, in 1963, women were still being recommended to drink milk to lose weight.

Also by 1963, many thought that the dieting craze was too extreme, and even the Australian Women's Weekly (30 October 1963) warned that dieting could be harmful - just as harmful as being obese.  "Semi-starvation can lead to exhaustion, weakness, and harm the sex glands, leading to trouble conceiving, as well as tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza." 

The fashion industry, and designers in particular were given much of the blame......

  

Most men, the article continued, like their women curvy, like Marilyn Monroe , Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida  and Lana Turner.  You go girls!

Sophia Loren, 1960s

  The Diet Rules...

 

 

For an article written 50 years ago, it is remarkably modern and sensible, don't you think?
Deb