People Always Look Skinny in Old Photos!

michelefloyd

Hi. I live in England now but am American by birth (lived in Indiana until I was 30.) My "people" were from Kentucky and I know they ate what we call nowadays "crap" yet in all the old photos everybody was thin! Even people who are very obese now were only modestly overweight just 30 years ago.

I remember going down to visit and being served the following breakfast -

Biscuits and sausage gravy
Fried potatoes
Scrambled eggs
Bacon
Sausage

Notice the virtual lack of vegetables! Supper wasn't much better - Fried pork chops, ham and beans, fried chicken, more biscuits, corn on the cob, cornbread... I was born to love all this kind of food but I can't even think about touching any of it now (except maybe the eggs) without putting on weight.

What is so different? Okay, we have more modern conveniences but is it really that much different? I was born in 76 so I do kind of remember back when so many more people were thin.

beccyleigh

Just my take on it.

People were more active, women generally were doing most chores manually, alot of our modern conveniences have made us lazy, people expended a lot more energy then watched less tv, no home computors.

I was born in 75 & remember walking 5-6 miles with my mother to visit my grandmother for an hour or two, the walk would take longer than the visit, we had a car but never used it all the time.

Just general changes in our lifestyles, also packaged food & ready meals became popular around that time, we never had a freezer till the mid 80's so most of our food although quite carb & fat laden was always fresh cooked & with fresh meat & ingredients.

SueInAz

Fast food was around but not so prevalent as it is today. Moms usually stayed at home and made meals, even like the ones you described, instead of picking up McDonalds or pizza on the way home from work. Kids played outside and were active outside of school hours. Video games didn't exist in 1976 beyond Pong and neither did the personal computer. People might still have sat in front of the TV but there were only 4 channels so there wasn't always something on to watch.

michelefloyd

You both bring up good points. It's something I think about a lot. Like I mentioned, people were so much thinner when I was a kid. We used to go to Kentucky a few times a year up until about 95 (when I went off to university.) As a 29 year old (and pretty thin) I went back in 2006 just before moving to England. I remember being amazed by how most everyone had grown obese except for the older folks.

I moved to England just assuming that the European lifestyle would mean I'd virtually vanish in terms of size. Wrong! I gained 60 pounds within a year, and I still fight to keep it off. My wake up call was the looks I got when I visited Indiana in 2008. They had never seen me obese. It's just bizarre because I'm doing my same old thing, but with a lot less fast food and more walking. Mom says it's because I'm older and that's life.

Anyway, I'm trying this website and doing aerobics (Zumba wii) but if all I need to do is maybe go back to the old ways... that would be fabulous. I am being tongue in cheek, of course. I don't want to do more chores and don't think I'd like it without my computer. I'm just frustrated by how I can't seem to match my lifestyle to my ideal weight any more without a lot of effort.

michelefloyd

Oops, forgot to mention I married in early 2007 and I know marriage is supposed to be the death knell for anyone's girlish figure.

DeeJayTJ

i agree with beccyleigh

peopel are not active anymore and kids are also no longer required to do much activity in school anymore if its physical.

its sad, but most people walk to their car and to the office and then back to the car and to the house and then sit on the couch until its time to go to sleep.. and do the same thing over and over everyday.

no one does anything but be lazy.

bhalter

Agreed, people were a lot more active. Also - I've heard that the size of dinner plates have increased a lot. So back then, a full plate was a lot smaller than what it is now.

plzlbsbegone

Also, I don't think there were as many processed convienence foods around to snack on! they ate 3 meals a day and were more active.

TinaDay1114

I agree with you girls -- I was born in 1970, and I don't think I stayed inside much at all when the weather was good. And I helped my mom maintain 3+ acres of yard and fields, and hauled firewood. My parents still do all that stuff, and they're 71 and 73, and still in good shape.

I also wonder if more additives and artificial sweeteners in everything is having an impact. I know we had some of that growing up (Cheetos was one of my favorite snacks, not to mention TV dinners when mom and dad were out), but...? I also wonder about the hormones in meats. I try not to be a nutjob about this stuff, but I wonder if that's why teenagers look like they're 25 by the time they're 12...?

RachelT14

Agreed, people were a lot more active. Also - I've heard that the size of dinner plates have increased a lot. So back then, a full plate was a lot smaller than what it is now.

Definelty, my mum has a set of plates she was given when she got married in 1970 and she uses them for my children when they visit for meals as the are bigger than side plates but smaller than modern dinner plates.

I also remember the walking everywhere thing as well, we only had one car as did so many famillies and it was usually used by the parent who worked (or if they both worked the one who had further to go) But as a child i dont think i ever went to school in the car, whatever the weather, We had raincoats, we had wellies we used them.

77tes

My guess is less processed food, less fast food, and more activity. Let's face it, fifty years ago if you ate a cookie, someone in the family had to bake it.

I have also heard, but I'm not sure if it's true, that the use of corn syrup during Johnson's presidency changed the American diet.

ShapeUpSidney

people were smaller in general...I have a house built in the 19th century, and looking at these closets makes you wonder how narrow their shoulders were back then

claireputput

I believe a major contributor to obesity is the lack of education regarding our diets. We do have alot of automation and are definitely burning less calories. While we burn less calories, we consume much higher concentrations of fats and carbs. As long as there is no balance in our intake and output the problem of obesity will escalate. Bottom line, educational settings is where this information needs to be dessiminated as most parents lack the knowledge to educate themselves, much less their children.

MaximalLife

Hi. I live in England now but am American by birth (lived in Indiana until I was 30.) My "people" were from Kentucky and I know they ate what we call nowadays "crap" yet in all the old photos everybody was thin! Even people who are very obese now were only modestly overweight just 30 years ago.

I remember going down to visit and being served the following breakfast -

Biscuits and sausage gravy
Fried potatoes
Scrambled eggs
Bacon
Sausage

Notice the virtual lack of vegetables! Supper wasn't much better - Fried pork chops, ham and beans, fried chicken, more biscuits, corn on the cob, cornbread... I was born to love all this kind of food but I can't even think about touching any of it now (except maybe the eggs) without putting on weight.

What is so different? Okay, we have more modern conveniences but is it really that much different? I was born in 76 so I do kind of remember back when so many more people were thin.

We've since become a nation of lazy, entitlement-minded fatties.

People are undisciplined and inactive. Further, fattening foods abound to satisfy our gluttonous population.
America the beautiful is now America the FAT!

michelefloyd

This is not a new topic, I know. It's common knowledge that obesity is an issue now. But won't it always be an issue if the lifestyle we *naturally* fall into is one that conflicts with good health? When we all used to walk places, cook our own food, etc,, we didn't do it because we were watching our weight. We *had* to do it and it scarcely crossed our minds to go about it any other way.

Maybe I'm having a "this is unfair!" moment but I can't help but think that we spend so much time as a society punishing people for being overweight when what we're actually asking them to do is go against human nature. It's hard to cure laziness when people are already programmed to look for the best and easiest way to do things.

This is my deep thought for the day, incidentally.

lipglossjunky73

I am guessing very few parked themselves on the couch fir the night with a pint of Ben and Jerrys and/or family size bag of potato chips.....

lipglossjunky73

This is not a new topic, I know. It's common knowledge that obesity is an issue now. But won't it always be an issue if the lifestyle we *naturally* fall into is one that conflicts with good health? When we all used to walk places, cook our own food, etc,, we didn't do it because we were watching our weight. We *had* to do it and it scarcely crossed our minds to go about it any other way.

Maybe I'm having a "this is unfair!" moment but I can't help but think that we spend so much as a society punishing people for being overweight when what we're actually asking them to do is go against human nature. It's hard to cure laziness when people are already programmed to look for the best and easiest way to do things.

This is my deep thought for the day, incidentally.

That is not by nature. That is definitely "nurture"

dlcam61

I was also born the same year As we get older (dare I say) our metabolism slows down. Our bodies are not able to rapidly adjust & burn off the extra calories from the crap food. And, if we don't stay active with cardio & weights our lean muscle mass begins to deplete rapidly as you hit your mid 20's to early 30's. This further lowers your basal metabolic rate. Therefore, you are burning even less calories at rest. Then finally, processed foods. They are pure crap. We are all guilty of eating them either at some time in our lives or even now, but even enriched processed foods are not as good for you as eating whole foods. These processed foods are broken down into simple substances so your body doesn't have to work very hard to finish digesting them and absorb them. If you want to be technical, these so called foods are partially digested to begin with. Gross. Hope that helps! :flowerforyou:

SueInAz

We've since become a nation of lazy, entitlement-minded fatties.

People are undisciplined and inactive. Further, fattening foods abound to satisfy our gluttonous population.
America the beautiful is now America the FAT!

Don't just slam the U.S. This is a world-wide epidemic in developed countries. If there's one thing that MFP has shown me, through my friends in many countries, it's this.

Michele, I think you're right. We, humans, have been developing better and easier ways to do things for tens of thousands of years, starting with fire and the wheel. I find it a little humorous that we spend hours in the gym or on the sidewalks burning the calories that our great-greats burned just to survive another day or season.

michelefloyd

When you're talking about diet and attitude towards exercise, then I agree it's nurture. But I'm saying that by nature, humans constantly look to make their lives more comfortable. I don't doubt that people 500 years ago would have swung by McDonalds for supper if they had the money and Ray Kroc. They weren't more virtuous just because they're older than we are. They would have loved a new microwave and Facebook.

I hope that makes a bit more sense. Lots of coffee today so my fingers are flying.

Fatbuster205

I was born in 1962 and we always ate fresh food which my Mum prepared. There was little in the way of processed foods, and all we had was a 12 inch ice box - no freezers. Mum stayed at home and had a mangle washing machine - she didn't get an automatic until the late 70s. I spent so much time in the garden (we had a third of an acre and a lot of grass to cut and leaves to collect!), in the gym (I was a gymnast), dancing (ballroom, Latin and contemporary), and trampolining competitively until I was 22! We were really active! Also we didn't have cars - as an undergraduate it was really only third year medics, and some post grads who were allowed them on campus so I walked or rode my bike for years, including when I started teaching until I passed my driving test and got my first car. I stayed active until an injury to my back resulted in a 5 stone weight gain! I have currently 33 lbs (2 stone 5 lbs) still to lose but I am getting back to being active and I love it!

ninelives58

. . . Let's face it, fifty years ago if you ate a cookie, someone in the family had to bake it.

Well I'm over fifty years old and I can tell you that they had PLENTY of processed and pre-packaged goodies back then. In fact, some of them were even worse than the products they sell now. I think the major problem nowadays is our distorted view of what a proper portion is. Look at McDonald's. When I was a kid, an adult would order a burger, fries and drink equivalent in size to what they sell as their kiddie meal now. This and the fact that after work/after school activities have gone from physically active things to sitting on ones behind in front of a computer or TV screen for hours.

juliesummers

Processed foods, corn syrup, food additives, artificial sweeteners, fast food, "conveniences" that reduce our need to be active, GMOs, Monsanto, portion sizes, etc.

beccyleigh

If you have time watch the whole series of The Supersizers eat..... tv show.

It's an English show, a comedienne & food writer live & eat an era, so medieval, tudor, 70's, 20's etc & it is amazing how different fashions influenced the English diet.

The ones from the 70's & 80's is particularly interesting as it explains how the advent of processed & conveniences foods changed the diet of the working man & woman & not for the better. 100 years ago the working masses were slim & lean because of their diet & lifestyle but if you were wealthy you generally were fat as you were having multi coure dinners & eating alot of "show off" ood. Created by your cooks to impress & amaze.

I love this show, very funny but incredibly educational too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQlanfOun64

Fatbuster205

I am guessing very few parked themselves on the couch fir the night with a pint of Ben and Jerrys and/or family size bag of potato chips.....

You are so funny! LOL!

lipglossjunky73

It's the big bad Americans...... Ooooohhhhhh.......

Fatbuster205

This is not a new topic, I know. It's common knowledge that obesity is an issue now. But won't it always be an issue if the lifestyle we *naturally* fall into is one that conflicts with good health? When we all used to walk places, cook our own food, etc,, we didn't do it because we were watching our weight. We *had* to do it and it scarcely crossed our minds to go about it any other way.

Maybe I'm having a "this is unfair!" moment but I can't help but think that we spend so much as a society punishing people for being overweight when what we're actually asking them to do is go against human nature. It's hard to cure laziness when people are already programmed to look for the best and easiest way to do things.

This is my deep thought for the day, incidentally.

That is not by nature. That is definitely "nurture"

Totally agree - we have to address our life styles - which is what we are doing here!

nehushtan

When I was growing up it was fairly infrequent that we went out to eat. Now it's practically the default option for many... I know before dieting I went out quite a lot.

Also, when we ate at home the portion sizes were never as large as what we are served today in a restaurant. Restaurants have one-upped each other to offer gargantuan meals, appetizers, deserts and of course buffets in order to compete for our dining dollars.

I'll bet that even when we (Americans) eat at home these days we unconsciously super-size our meals to match what we are familiar with from going out to eat so often.

ksefchik

I agree with you girls -- I was born in 1970, and I don't think I stayed inside much at all when the weather was good. And I helped my mom maintain 3+ acres of yard and fields, and hauled firewood. My parents still do all that stuff, and they're 71 and 73, and still in good shape.

I also wonder if more additives and artificial sweeteners in everything is having an impact. I know we had some of that growing up (Cheetos was one of my favorite snacks, not to mention TV dinners when mom and dad were out), but...? I also wonder about the hormones in meats. I try not to be a nutjob about this stuff, but I wonder if that's why teenagers look like they're 25 by the time they're 12...?

Personally, I think it's the advent of processed foods in general that has done the most work in making us fatter. Taking the OPs original breakfast, now the biscuits are made from finely processed flour and not made at home. The flour in the gravy itself goes the same. In fact, I would be surprised if any gravy now sold on market shelves are actually made using rendered animal fats, like they used to be.

Of course, people that ate that example breakfast didn't get fat immediately because
a) People did more manual labor. It's hard to think of any technological advance that doesn't involve *someone* doing less physical labor. Technology has advanced much since then.
b) Getting fat off of that breakfast takes time, especially if you then go and work on the farm that produced it for the rest of the day.
c) It is likely that you were served a smaller portion back then, simply because animals were not as big and factory farming was only getting revved up.
d) The amount of meat that we're now taking in, per capita, is far larger than it used to be. It's likely that the breakfast the OP described was normal back then because it was simply awesome that we were able to get that many meats, in those quantities, at the table without going broke. Historically, humans have eaten relatively small amounts of meat out of a diet of mostly vegetables (excluding certain African and Mandarin tribes). In other words, that breakfast was a novelty. If you could afford to eat that (even at industrial food prices) you're still talking a lot of money. Leading me to the next point:
e) That's a rich person's breakfast. Or it's a farmer's. Either way, I think it's pretty safe to say that unless you're one of those two people, you didn't eat that every day. You probably ate a packaged cereal instead. Which is just as bad, IMHO.

SueInAz

. . . Let's face it, fifty years ago if you ate a cookie, someone in the family had to bake it.

Well I'm over fifty years old and I can tell you that they had PLENTY of processed and pre-packaged goodies back then. In fact, some of them were even worse than the products they sell now. I think the major problem nowadays is our distorted view of what a proper portion is. Look at McDonald's. When I was a kid, an adult would order a burger, fries and drink equivalent in size to what they sell as their kiddie meal now. This and the fact that after work/after school activities have gone from physically active things to sitting on ones behind in front of a computer or TV screen for hours.

I was born in 1966 and I have to agree with this. Processed foods have been around for 100 years or so, they are not "new". Listen to old radio shows and you'll hear advertisements for sugared breakfast cereals and other processed foods. Oreos are 100 years old this very year! Twinkies have been in lunchboxes since 1930. It's not the processed foods themselves but the fact that over the past 100 years they've become a staple in our diets instead of the occasional treat.

You also have to look at soda. Coca-Cola has been around since 1886 but it was something most people had very occasionally and only a few ounces at a time. Today, people drink sugared sodas with every meal, and often between. They drink 44 ounce thirst busters instead of an 8 ounce glass. Keeping in mind that that 44 ounces of Coke equals about 500 calories you can easily see where this one habit alone can easily cause a weight problem for millions of people.

missy_1975

Oops, forgot to mention I married in early 2007 and I know marriage is supposed to be the death knell for anyone's girlish figure.

Lol! Not always, I'm 2 dress sizes smaller now than when I got married 6 years ago :happy: Mind you, hubby seems to have gained what I have lost!