why were people so skinny in the 70s?

danmiron

we DID have cable TV in those days.... and it was relatively new so everyone was in on it... we just didn't have 100 sports channels... lmao we had PLENTY of fast food, all of what we have today and then some... pop, soda, nothing was diet soda back then though.... we did have outdoor skating rinks (gone now) and the comment about basketball goal in every yard is very appropriate too....

In all, we just did more exercise then than we do now....

So sad to see how it has all changed... and to think on how it will change going forward.

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in answer to: "Fast food wasn't so prevalent for one. Wasn't too many commercials as well. Not that excuses the rest of us who have partaken. Also people, as others have said, were far more active, no cable, no internet, no cell phones.

In Indiana there was a basketball goal in every yard. Most of those have disappeared.

Really enjoyed this question. It alerts us to what we need to focus on. "

__Di__

Am I the only one that thinks fast food doesn't taste good?

No, I tend to steer clear too, I just cannot stand MacDonalds. BurgerKing do nothing for me at all. I like Wimpy but the last time had one of those was about a year ago. KFC although tasty, I can take it or leave it. The only fast food I do enjoy is fish and chips, but even that is a rare occurrence.

Pizza from a takeaway is nice, but I can spend all those calories on more food at home to be honest.

Ideabaker

I was born in 75. I was in elementary in the early 80's and we came home from school around 3:30, did any homework we had, and by 4 or 4:30 we were outside until dinnertime (at 6) and if there was any daylight left we were back outside again. Catching frogs, playing kickball, riding our bikes. I had an Atari growing up but that was mostly once it was too dark to be outside or when the weather was bad.

^^
This! I was in elementary in the early seventies. "Go outside and play!" seemed to be the mantra of every adult my brothers and I encountered when we were younger. Play meant running, setting up informal neighbourhood football games, racing on our bikes, "King of the mountain", chasing, playing hide-and-seek, and an innumerable amount of contests (Who can run to the corner and back faster? Who can stand on his head the longest? Who can beat everyone at a wrestling match?).

We had a black and white tv with bunny ears that had a vert line that skipped from the bottom to the top every three or four seconds... not conducive to watching the tele. Mom always forgot something during her shopping and we often heard "Run up to the shop and get some <fill in the blank>."

We didn't have computers, video games or anything else that made sitting inside alluring. We ate heaps, but it was whole grain bread, fresh veggies from my grandparent's garden and orchard, and lots of water.

Even at school, physical activity was the name of the game. We had full playgrounds with all of the "dangerous" gear (like merry go rounds and super-high...to prevent you from even thining of falling) that are no longer allowed.

I probably sound like an old fogey, but that's what the 'good old days' were like! There was one fat kid at school... ONE. Now obesity with children is all around.

Sabine_Stroehm

Sugar was indeed invented back than, I was there lmao.

however, the AMOUNT of sugar and fructose and glucose and especially HI-Fructose in foods was NOWHERE near what it is today... I think sugar it more of a filler these days, and it help to establish a BLISS point with eating that allows us to consume crappy foods and think they taste great....

Europe doesn't have the same sugars in their foods and never has, to my knowledge.

It's even in tortillas now. smh.

anemoneprose

While that's not untrue, it doesn't answer the question of WHY. WHY are portion sizes bigger? WHY do people eat at KFC more?

The *reason* for these things is that food production has just gotten so efficient and advanced, and we as a society have become so much more mobile, that these foods have gotten cheaper, easier to obtain, faster, and tastier.

the reason is, food scientists are employed by food manufacturers to hijack & exploit our evolutionary equipment, and marketers know how to sell the result, and having been hijacked, and had our leptin levels fiddled with, and knowing where to look, we want more.

joanneveee

1. No Internet.
2. No video games.
3. Home cooked meals (from scratch) ........... Fast food was to $$$ then for family .
4. Kids played outside after school. .............. Street hockey, field baseball, swimming in the lake and skating on it in winter.
5. Parents didn't drive kids everywhere, we rode our bikes or walked. ....... So their was time to cook a good meal.

That was my life...

jonnythan

While that's not untrue, it doesn't answer the question of WHY. WHY are portion sizes bigger? WHY do people eat at KFC more?

The *reason* for these things is that food production has just gotten so efficient and advanced, and we as a society have become so much more mobile, that these foods have gotten cheaper, easier to obtain, faster, and tastier.

the reason is, food scientists are employed by food manufacturers to hijack & exploit our evolutionary equipment, and marketers know how to sell the result, and having been hijacked, and had our leptin levels fiddled with, and knowing where to look, we want more.

And thank god for that. It's hard to find anything that's not delicious these days. Assuming you stay out of the vegan and organic sections.

iechick

2 words: Richard Simmons

:laugh:

Crochetluvr

I was thin in the 70's because I had a job where I was moving around on my feet for 8 hours a day, 6 days a week. And I didn't eat nearly as much then as I did later in life.

lithezebra

My sister and I weren't allowed to eat anything that we wanted. We could have a snack between meals, not snacks. Chips and sweets were treats, not something we had every day. We had to eat our vegetables or there was no dessert, and desserts were small. Also, we walked to and from school, we had P.E. and 75 minutes of lunch + recess during the day, went to track practice twice a week and went hiking, biking or to track meets at least one day on the weekends. Adding it up, I exercised at least as much when I was a kid as I do now.

anemoneprose

70s: i came out pretty chunky (almost 10lbs) but was average as an infant and toddler.

80s: we ran around from the time we woke up or finished school until sunset (which was ~9ish, in the summer), playing hide and seek, tag, hopscotch, catching frogs, swimming, biking, etc. in winter, we built snowmen, had snowfights, went sledding..

most of the food we ate was home-cooked (except for *occasional* mcdonald's or pizza, maybe twice a month or so). dinner wasn't always *amazing*, mind you - unlike a lot of moms in the neighbourhood, mine worked (we NEVER had baked goods! i was jealous of other kids' cupcakes and cookies and muffins, with sprinkles and all... we did get bought cookies sometimes, chips sometimes, any of that, maybe 2-3 times a week). my mom did have a garden, so summers we'd have fresh tomatoes, lettuce, peas, cucumber, and carrots.

ktm96

I had no idea there would be so many responses for this question. Thank you so much everyone out there who has answered so far! I am going to start a new diet called project: 70s.

Here are the criteria to those who would liked to join me:

1. no internet (oxy moron since im here typing but I'm going to quit using the internet, if i absolutely have to, i will go on no longer than 10 minutes per day, and also standing)
2. i will be more active, i will not sit as long as there is daylight, i will go on walks, rollerskate, and go outside
3. eat home cooked meals, and even baked goods here and there, everything and i mean everything is going to be made from scratch! even bread, it will be fun to try out recipes. fruits and veg are good too. NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! if you HAVE to eat something not home cooked, no more than 5 ingredients on the ingredient list and if one must have pop, opt for pepsi throwback or mexican coke: we're going full out 70s.

so these are the main criteria, some may say this is crazy but this will equal weight loss for sure, if they were skinny in the 70s, we can be skinny too! be more active, home cooked meals, less time sitting around on internet! lets go!

Trechechus

Skewed memories

ktm96

here is my group if youd like to join:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/17048-70s-life

UCSMiami

Skewed memories

No crystal clear ones.

Cindyinpg

I had no idea there would be so many responses for this question. Thank you so much everyone out there who has answered so far! I am going to start a new diet called project: 70s.

Here are the criteria to those who would liked to join me:

1. no internet (oxy moron since im here typing but I'm going to quit using the internet, if i absolutely have to, i will go on no longer than 10 minutes per day, and also standing)
2. i will be more active, i will not sit as long as there is daylight, i will go on walks, rollerskate, and go outside
3. eat home cooked meals, and even baked goods here and there, everything and i mean everything is going to be made from scratch! even bread, it will be fun to try out recipes. fruits and veg are good too. NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! if you HAVE to eat something not home cooked, no more than 5 ingredients on the ingredient list and if one must have pop, opt for pepsi throwback or mexican coke: we're going full out 70s.

so these are the main criteria, some may say this is crazy but this will equal weight loss for sure, if they were skinny in the 70s, we can be skinny too! be more active, home cooked meals, less time sitting around on internet! lets go!

Haha, no offense, but no thanks. The only thing great about the 70's was the cars:laugh: I truly appreciate the technological progress that has been made in the last 40 years. I don't know how we lived without the internet and I love the fact that we can communicate like this. Plus I don't believe there's anything wrong with HFCS... good luck with your challenge though. :flowerforyou:

anemoneprose

Skewed memories

Not at all. If you didn't get to make snowmen, sorry about your luck..

InIt2WinIt2Day

didn't have food on every corner, gas stations were for gas, not food and drinks. candy and fast food very rare treat. always outside and active. only 3 channels on tv and parents limited viewing hours. no video games.
Oh and didn't have all the chemicals added to food, no chemically altered veggies, no growth hormones in beef.

peachcats

No internet, video games, and TV dinners were a relatively new phenomenom.

Nicolee_2014

...Drugs.

That is the 1st thing that popped into my head but......there would have been lots of dope around - therefore lots of 'munchies' hmmm...The mind ponders.