Lunch pail or lunch bucket workers has a whole mythos in Chicago. Just a couple of examples (old Royko columns would have more, including from the '80s, of course):
"In separate interviews, Dan and William Lipinski both expressed worry that the party has become far too liberal, leaving behind lunch pail, working-class voters in favor of progressive bench marks like the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All.” National political identity, they both lamented, has supplanted the neighborhood politics of fixing problems and bringing money back to the district — a specialty of both Lipinskis."
"Paul Galloway followed up in the Tribune with the thesis that Chicago—the city itself—was a Grabowski.
'Grabowski means people who come from a working-class, immigrant background, people who work hard and have nothing handed to them, people who have struggled against discrimination, people who are honest and tough, people who persevere and prevail . . .
'It's the shot-and-a-beer, hard-hat lunch-bucket guy who gets his muscles through toil versus the white-collar, white-wine, striped-tie stuffed shirt who tones his in a health club.'"
Lunch pail or lunch bucket workers has a whole mythos in Chicago. Just a couple of examples (old Royko columns would have more, including from the '80s, of course):
"In separate interviews, Dan and William Lipinski both expressed worry that the party has become far too liberal, leaving behind lunch pail, working-class voters in favor of progressive bench marks like the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All.” National political identity, they both lamented, has supplanted the neighborhood politics of fixing problems and bringing money back to the district — a specialty of both Lipinskis."
"Paul Galloway followed up in the Tribune with the thesis that Chicago—the city itself—was a Grabowski.
'Grabowski means people who come from a working-class, immigrant background, people who work hard and have nothing handed to them, people who have struggled against discrimination, people who are honest and tough, people who persevere and prevail . . .
'It's the shot-and-a-beer, hard-hat lunch-bucket guy who gets his muscles through toil versus the white-collar, white-wine, striped-tie stuffed shirt who tones his in a health club.'"
Never expected to see a reference between the Smiths and the Grabowskis in an MFP forum (it's a Chicago thing) 😆
I'm watching a movie from the 80s and it's unreal how taught & toned these women look in bikinis, I've noticed this in other movies, clips and footage from decades of 80s and beyond, people most had healthy weighted,portioned, fit bodies, Why? How?
If you look at construction workers in the United States for example they are more likely to be overweight and obese compared to white collar workers, even though they move a lot more in their daily occupation. I think nutrition is the biggest factor, and other factors have to be taken into account like socioeconomic factors.
And also demographics, Hispanics in general have a higher obesity rate than Asians and Whites. And they are overrepresented in construction work.
Back in the 1960s-70s (not sure about 80s), IME, guys working in those kinds of occupations carried a lunchbox with a lunch packed at home, mostly. (I grew up in a blue collar family, so did my late husband. My dad was a county park department carpenter, his was a construction iron worker. Both did the lunchbox routine: Thermos of coffee, couple of sandwiches, possibly leftovers, maybe fruit or cheese, that sort of thing.)
I have younger relatives still working in those kinds of blue collar jobs, though lots went off into the white collar workforce. It seems common for those with physical jobs to be going to fast food places for lunch, and getting the supersized-type meals with giant vats of sweet drinks, sometimes multiple burgers, and (this part judging mostly from guys working on construction/repair stuff at my house), often an all-day supply of some kind of caloric drink. Seems to me like more calorie-dense food, compared to what I saw in the adults' lunchboxes when I was a kid.
I'm sure my perception is biased by my particular family, but I'm certain that lunchbox lunches were more common in broad swaths of the US at the time, among blue collar workers, and eating out quite unusual. Might have been a thing in the big cities, don't know.
Recent, and then. The only difference isn't the sweatshirts. For example, look at the faces.
I suspect the high iron guys might tend to lower levels of obesity/overweight, compared to guys in many other very physical jobs. This is just a guess, based on anecdotes from my father-in-law, who worked high iron for years, coupled with my own obesity experience.
It's a risky job. For these guys, balance is life. (My FIL talked about "one hand for the company, one hand for yourself" in doing some of this work.) There's more safety equipment these days, but deaths from falls are still a factor. I don't know about y'all, but I find my balance is better when I'm at least close to a healthy weight, vs. quite overweight. Yup, I'm speculating.
I kind of wonder if the true high iron guys may still pack a lunch more than some other work categories, too. IMU, there are some phases where leaving the immediate worksite is physically challenging, some climbing or maybe a crane-lift at times. Do they always or often leave for lunch? Don't know. Also don't know what percentage of work time is like that, vs. close to ground level, or with temporary elevators/stairs available.
I don't want to be nosy but I have always wondered... what about bathroom breaks? If you don't mind my asking. I have always wondered if people in those jobs are perperually dehydrated.
My husband was thinnest when he worked in medicine productuon in sterile conditions. It involved donning on something very akin to an astronaut's suit and they were partly discouraged, partly chose not to take any non-vital breaks as taking the thing off and putting it back on properly according to procedure took ages and any mistake would spoil whatever they were doing. He didn't eat or drink much during the day I was so relieved when he changed jobs.
My thoughts: Women in the 80s, even young women, could be overweight and obese. The percentage of the population in that condition was lower then than now. Very few decision makers about what gets put into movies, advertising, and television broadcast were willing to present overweight and obese women. It was believed to be something people would not want to see. Overweight and obese men, easy, having been seen and celebrated by this and many societies for centuries.
My sister-in-law is just as skinny now, at 59, as she had been in the 70's in high school. It is down to sensible portions and real food.
I don't want to be nosy but I have always wondered... what about bathroom breaks? If you don't mind my asking. I have always wondered if people in those jobs are perperually dehydrated.
My husband was thinnest when he worked in medicine productuon in sterile conditions. It involved donning on something very akin to an astronaut's suit and they were partly discouraged, partly chose not to take any non-vital breaks as taking the thing off and putting it back on properly according to procedure took ages and any mistake would spoil whatever they were doing. He didn't eat or drink much during the day I was so relieved when he changed jobs.
Good question (if a little off topic to the thread). Can't say I ever asked my FIL that. Back in the day, they were entirely male, which has implications for some functions. In that context, I think high fiber would be a bigger issue than hydration. On larger worksites, porta potties or chemical toilets at higher levels might be an option.
I don't want to be nosy but I have always wondered... what about bathroom breaks? If you don't mind my asking. I have always wondered if people in those jobs are perperually dehydrated.
My husband was thinnest when he worked in medicine productuon in sterile conditions. It involved donning on something very akin to an astronaut's suit and they were partly discouraged, partly chose not to take any non-vital breaks as taking the thing off and putting it back on properly according to procedure took ages and any mistake would spoil whatever they were doing. He didn't eat or drink much during the day I was so relieved when he changed jobs.
Good question (if a little off topic to the thread). Can't say I ever asked my FIL that. Back in the day, they were entirely male, which has implications for some functions. In that context, I think high fiber would be a bigger issue than hydration. On larger worksites, porta potties or chemical toilets at higher levels might be an option.
There's probably a couple of things going on. First, our strong focus on hydration and drinking water throughout the day seems relatively modern so at least some of these guys probably were not urinating as much as me, a modern office worker who tends to drink water throughout my workday. Second, I've known some truckers who peed in bottles because they didn't want to stop. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these guys just brought their urine down at the end of the day.
(Like you said, for the guys on the high fiber diet, I've got nothing. I just hope they were able to find solutions that respected their co-workers and people on the ground below).
And on top of the isolation, height and sometimes queasy crane movements, there’s the lack of a bathroom.
“I knew you were going to ask that,” Bayle said when I brought it up. A quick glance around the closet-sized cab shows there are no, ahem, facilities – and 12 hours is a long time to be up there with a gallon of water and your morning coffee. It’s pretty simple, actually, Bayle said: You can use a bottle, like a long-haul trucker might.
If you look at construction workers in the United States for example they are more likely to be overweight and obese compared to white collar workers, even though they move a lot more in their daily occupation. I think nutrition is the biggest factor, and other factors have to be taken into account like socioeconomic factors.
And also demographics, Hispanics in general have a higher obesity rate than Asians and Whites. And they are overrepresented in construction work.
Back in the 1960s-70s (not sure about 80s), IME, guys working in those kinds of occupations carried a lunchbox with a lunch packed at home, mostly. (I grew up in a blue collar family, so did my late husband. My dad was a county park department carpenter, his was a construction iron worker. Both did the lunchbox routine: Thermos of coffee, couple of sandwiches, possibly leftovers, maybe fruit or cheese, that sort of thing.)
I have younger relatives still working in those kinds of blue collar jobs, though lots went off into the white collar workforce. It seems common for those with physical jobs to be going to fast food places for lunch, and getting the supersized-type meals with giant vats of sweet drinks, sometimes multiple burgers, and (this part judging mostly from guys working on construction/repair stuff at my house), often an all-day supply of some kind of caloric drink. Seems to me like more calorie-dense food, compared to what I saw in the adults' lunchboxes when I was a kid.
I'm sure my perception is biased by my particular family, but I'm certain that lunchbox lunches were more common in broad swaths of the US at the time, among blue collar workers, and eating out quite unusual. Might have been a thing in the big cities, don't know.
I think this was still largely true in the 80s, at least in my experience. My uncle was a contractor/homebuilder. I spent a summer with him in Colorado helping him build my grandparents house when I was 13...so 1986/87ish. He, myself, and the rest of the crew and other contractors (electric, plumbing, etc) all brought our lunches to the site. Maybe he was just a task master, but I don't recall getting any more than about 15-20 minutes break for lunch...not really time to go anywhere and pick up food and then also have time to eat it.
Recent, and then. The only difference isn't the sweatshirts. For example, look at the faces.
I suspect the high iron guys might tend to lower levels of obesity/overweight, compared to guys in many other very physical jobs. This is just a guess, based on anecdotes from my father-in-law, who worked high iron for years, coupled with my own obesity experience.
It's a risky job. For these guys, balance is life. (My FIL talked about "one hand for the company, one hand for yourself" in doing some of this work.) There's more safety equipment these days, but deaths from falls are still a factor. I don't know about y'all, but I find my balance is better when I'm at least close to a healthy weight, vs. quite overweight. Yup, I'm speculating.
I kind of wonder if the true high iron guys may still pack a lunch more than some other work categories, too. IMU, there are some phases where leaving the immediate worksite is physically challenging, some climbing or maybe a crane-lift at times. Do they always or often leave for lunch? Don't know. Also don't know what percentage of work time is like that, vs. close to ground level, or with temporary elevators/stairs available.
I love those two pictures. It's also good to note the modern one has all people wearing fall protection harnesses.
On a topic barely related to fitness over time, but related to images recreated a century later, there recently was a recreation of the image taken when the Golden Spike was driven near Ogden, Utah. The railroad was built with Chinese labor, but they weren't in the celebratory photograph. A group of people recreated the photograph to include them.
I don't want to be nosy but I have always wondered... what about bathroom breaks? If you don't mind my asking. I have always wondered if people in those jobs are perperually dehydrated.
My husband was thinnest when he worked in medicine productuon in sterile conditions. It involved donning on something very akin to an astronaut's suit and they were partly discouraged, partly chose not to take any non-vital breaks as taking the thing off and putting it back on properly according to procedure took ages and any mistake would spoil whatever they were doing. He didn't eat or drink much during the day I was so relieved when he changed jobs.
They pee off the beam or in an unfinished part of the building.
I don't want to be nosy but I have always wondered... what about bathroom breaks? If you don't mind my asking. I have always wondered if people in those jobs are perperually dehydrated.
My husband was thinnest when he worked in medicine productuon in sterile conditions. It involved donning on something very akin to an astronaut's suit and they were partly discouraged, partly chose not to take any non-vital breaks as taking the thing off and putting it back on properly according to procedure took ages and any mistake would spoil whatever they were doing. He didn't eat or drink much during the day I was so relieved when he changed jobs.
Good question (if a little off topic to the thread). Can't say I ever asked my FIL that. Back in the day, they were entirely male, which has implications for some functions. In that context, I think high fiber would be a bigger issue than hydration. On larger worksites, porta potties or chemical toilets at higher levels might be an option.
There's probably a couple of things going on. First, our strong focus on hydration and drinking water throughout the day seems relatively modern so at least some of these guys probably were not urinating as much as me, a modern office worker who tends to drink water throughout my workday. Second, I've known some truckers who peed in bottles because they didn't want to stop. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these guys just brought their urine down at the end of the day.
(Like you said, for the guys on the high fiber diet, I've got nothing. I just hope they were able to find solutions that respected their co-workers and people on the ground below).
Yeah nobody talked about hydration in the 70's/80's. We'd have a 2.5 hr football fully padded practice in 90+ degree heat and have one water break and everyone was fine.
Now people have to carry a water bottle with them for leisurely stroll around the neighborhood on a 70 degree day
Check the size of the cup of Gatorade being drank by a 220+ pound football player in the 1960's when they were first testing it and implementing it at the University of Florida. Now parents send a liter bottle of the stuff with their kids to a little league game where there is 5 minutes or so of strenuous exercise in a 2 hour game.
I really like his educational videos! I understand more why my weight plateaus at 140 and why just reducing calories without focusing on health might work at first, but is probably is not a good long term solution for most people.
A couple of things that have added to the trend of upward weight and waistlines is the increase in cheap fast food and convenience foods (loaded with fat/sugar) in peoples diets and the introduction of the computer, which influences more sitting than former generations ever did. I was born in the late 1950's, grew up in the 60's. It was rare to see a fat kid, rare to see anyone morbidly obese. Now, it's common.
I agree. Fast food and lack of portion control.
I’m in my early 50s, I was a teenage-early 20s in the 80s. I can only recall one person in my high school who was really obese. My mother was obese (250 lbs at 5’4”), so my memory of the other mom’s might be skewed. When I look back at elementary school class pictures, the kids are mostly skinny, with just one or two who were a little plump, but no one ‘fat’.
It starts with food. Back then even fast food was made far more healthy. TV, social media and video games weren't the major form of relaxation so our cultures couch potato mentality hadn't begun. All kids spend massive amounts of time outdoors exercising and adults ate lower calorie foods properly portioned.
Also women cleaned and cooked for many hours daily, men worked many hours daily and outdoor family activities were really popular. Even things like poker night, bridge night ect contributed to less focus on food and vegging out in front of a screen. With less electronic time sleep was easier to get too.
Replies
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-dan-lipinski-william-chicago-southwest-side-20210102-vfetdanqx5foza5gvsa4nrszpa-story.html
"In separate interviews, Dan and William Lipinski both expressed worry that the party has become far too liberal, leaving behind lunch pail, working-class voters in favor of progressive bench marks like the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All.” National political identity, they both lamented, has supplanted the neighborhood politics of fixing problems and bringing money back to the district — a specialty of both Lipinskis."
And https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/sports-grabowski-toughness-myth-ditka-jordan-bears-bulls-cubs/Content?oid=29077033
"Paul Galloway followed up in the Tribune with the thesis that Chicago—the city itself—was a Grabowski.
'Grabowski means people who come from a working-class, immigrant background, people who work hard and have nothing handed to them, people who have struggled against discrimination, people who are honest and tough, people who persevere and prevail . . .
'It's the shot-and-a-beer, hard-hat lunch-bucket guy who gets his muscles through toil versus the white-collar, white-wine, striped-tie stuffed shirt who tones his in a health club.'"
Never expected to see a reference between the Smiths and the Grabowskis in an MFP forum (it's a Chicago thing) 😆
Movies don't reflect "most people."
However, most movies in the 80's do reflect a whole lotta cocaine use.
September 20, 1932
I suspect the high iron guys might tend to lower levels of obesity/overweight, compared to guys in many other very physical jobs. This is just a guess, based on anecdotes from my father-in-law, who worked high iron for years, coupled with my own obesity experience.
It's a risky job. For these guys, balance is life. (My FIL talked about "one hand for the company, one hand for yourself" in doing some of this work.) There's more safety equipment these days, but deaths from falls are still a factor. I don't know about y'all, but I find my balance is better when I'm at least close to a healthy weight, vs. quite overweight. Yup, I'm speculating.
I kind of wonder if the true high iron guys may still pack a lunch more than some other work categories, too. IMU, there are some phases where leaving the immediate worksite is physically challenging, some climbing or maybe a crane-lift at times. Do they always or often leave for lunch? Don't know. Also don't know what percentage of work time is like that, vs. close to ground level, or with temporary elevators/stairs available.
My husband was thinnest when he worked in medicine productuon in sterile conditions. It involved donning on something very akin to an astronaut's suit and they were partly discouraged, partly chose not to take any non-vital breaks as taking the thing off and putting it back on properly according to procedure took ages and any mistake would spoil whatever they were doing. He didn't eat or drink much during the day
My sister-in-law is just as skinny now, at 59, as she had been in the 70's in high school. It is down to sensible portions and real food.
Good question (if a little off topic to the thread). Can't say I ever asked my FIL that. Back in the day, they were entirely male, which has implications for some functions. In that context, I think high fiber would be a bigger issue than hydration. On larger worksites, porta potties or chemical toilets at higher levels might be an option.
There's probably a couple of things going on. First, our strong focus on hydration and drinking water throughout the day seems relatively modern so at least some of these guys probably were not urinating as much as me, a modern office worker who tends to drink water throughout my workday. Second, I've known some truckers who peed in bottles because they didn't want to stop. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these guys just brought their urine down at the end of the day.
(Like you said, for the guys on the high fiber diet, I've got nothing. I just hope they were able to find solutions that respected their co-workers and people on the ground below).
or
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article96689732.html
And on top of the isolation, height and sometimes queasy crane movements, there’s the lack of a bathroom.
“I knew you were going to ask that,” Bayle said when I brought it up. A quick glance around the closet-sized cab shows there are no, ahem, facilities – and 12 hours is a long time to be up there with a gallon of water and your morning coffee. It’s pretty simple, actually, Bayle said: You can use a bottle, like a long-haul trucker might.
I think this was still largely true in the 80s, at least in my experience. My uncle was a contractor/homebuilder. I spent a summer with him in Colorado helping him build my grandparents house when I was 13...so 1986/87ish. He, myself, and the rest of the crew and other contractors (electric, plumbing, etc) all brought our lunches to the site. Maybe he was just a task master, but I don't recall getting any more than about 15-20 minutes break for lunch...not really time to go anywhere and pick up food and then also have time to eat it.
I love those two pictures. It's also good to note the modern one has all people wearing fall protection harnesses.
On a topic barely related to fitness over time, but related to images recreated a century later, there recently was a recreation of the image taken when the Golden Spike was driven near Ogden, Utah. The railroad was built with Chinese labor, but they weren't in the celebratory photograph. A group of people recreated the photograph to include them.
They pee off the beam or in an unfinished part of the building.
Yeah nobody talked about hydration in the 70's/80's. We'd have a 2.5 hr football fully padded practice in 90+ degree heat and have one water break and everyone was fine.
Now people have to carry a water bottle with them for leisurely stroll around the neighborhood on a 70 degree day
Check the size of the cup of Gatorade being drank by a 220+ pound football player in the 1960's when they were first testing it and implementing it at the University of Florida. Now parents send a liter bottle of the stuff with their kids to a little league game where there is 5 minutes or so of strenuous exercise in a 2 hour game.
And we worry about childhood obesity.
I agree. Fast food and lack of portion control.
I’m in my early 50s, I was a teenage-early 20s in the 80s. I can only recall one person in my high school who was really obese. My mother was obese (250 lbs at 5’4”), so my memory of the other mom’s might be skewed. When I look back at elementary school class pictures, the kids are mostly skinny, with just one or two who were a little plump, but no one ‘fat’.
Every time you eat you spike your insulin. If you're constantly snacking your basal insulin levels are UP.
years of excess carbs -> high basal insulin -> obesity -> fatty liver -> ever increasing insulin resistance -> T2D -> strokes, heart attacks, blindness, kidney failure, dementia, amputations, ED, cancer, etc -> early death
Good for big food, big pharma, and big health insurance. Very bad for you. Physicians are their unwitting "agents"..