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Jack Lalanne's Advice
Packerjohn
Posts: 4,855 Member
Was listening to a Strength Matters podcast and their guest mentioned a picture he had seen of a black and white TV screen with Jack Lalanne's diet advice from probably 60 years ago. Had to look up the picture. Jack suggested eliminating or greatly reducing these items from one's diet:
None of this nutrition stuff is new.
None of this nutrition stuff is new.
38
Replies
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I eliminated or substantially reduced eating all 11 items on the list (plus many others), which I believe was a major factor in my successful weight loss, maintenance and recomp efforts over the past 18 months.29
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Wow I’ve lost 52 pounds eating all of those things except soda because I just don’t like it.
Guess I’m an anomaly.19 -
Just goes to show that even Jack LaLanne didn't know everything.21
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Oh dear, I gave up none of those things, and only fractionally reduce most. The only thing that I consume rarely now is pop, and that is because I lost the taste for it- unless alcohol is involved.
This 7 year maintenance isn't going to last
Cheers, h.21 -
None of those items were big parts of my diet when I got fat, was fat or when I lost weight, or when I maintain at goal weight.
Pros
For some people reducing those high calorie items would reduce their calorie load significantly. In the context of a time when calorie counting wasn't easy then it would "work" for those people.
Cons
Hadn't realised demonisation of white foods went back that far! Colour of sugar is an irrelevance.
I'm not a fan of elimination, doubtful it's a sustainable long term strategy for most people.
14 -
Absolutes and black/white is so tempting to resort to, because many things seems so easy. But it's easy only in theory. They are simple, not easy. Absolutes are hard to live by, day in, day out. But being flexible also takes discipline. A big problem with nutritional advice, is that the advisor assumes they know why the person makes the choices he makes. Nobody eats cake in order to be fat and unhealthy, we eat cake because it tastes good. Another problem is that advice rarely is nuanced. One piece of cake each week is no problem, but living exclusively on cake, is. If you don't grasp the idea of "dosage and frequency", you'll end up demonizing all your favorite foods, and that is what spurs on the real overeating. The sad thing is that neutral, balanced, reasonable advice doesn't have the same pzazz as "do this, and most definitely not that, you'll die, and horribly!!!".14
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I ate the entire list while losing 80+ pounds and I'm heading towards year 5 of keeping it all off.
2 of the items I eventually let go because I no longer enjoyed the taste. Had nothing to do with weight loss or health.
I was pretty healthy when I was heavy and in perfect health now. The difference between now and when I was overweight is that:
- I've learned portion control. I purchased a good quality ice cream last night and I'm looking forward to having it for dessert after dinner. I will weigh out a serving. Not eat half the container in one sitting.
- I make a lot of items on that list from scratch like cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, ice cream and jams. Knowing what's in my cooking helps me with calorie counting. Since I'm aware of the appx. amount of calories I'm consuming everyday, I don't gain weight. Plus it tastes better.
- Sweet treats like candy and pies are eaten in moderation. Not daily.
- Planning for eating sweet treats/higher calorie items as best as I can helps me to stay in control and not deprived.
- Not to mindlessly eat or snack. Slow down and enjoy my food. Every bite.
Cutting things out never worked for me. When I tried I would do well for a short while, then the binge monster would show up. I'd end up feeling defeated and had to "start over".
This is just my experience however. YMMV. Some have food triggers or illnesses etc. and cutting most of the things out on this list helps others to reach their goals.25 -
See, that approach would have worked perfect for me. In fact, it did.
But that's only because those just happen to be foods I have a really hard time moderating. I lost all my weight doing keto. Now I'm just low-carb 6 days a week and maintaining for the moment.
One of my best friends doesn't give 2 craps about cookies or candy. She drinks like a fish and hits the more savory of carbohydrate loaded foods. The list would have done nothing for her. So if she could learn to moderate beer and breads and chips and etc, then she'd be fine. Sometimes it's not that easy. Simple, yes. Not necessarily easy.
I'm able to moderate better now. I had triple-layer chocolate cake yesterday and still hit my macros and calories. This has taken me a long time to master, but I needed that list in the beginning. Fundamentally though, it's all about behavior modification, not some magic list. You just have to figure out the best tools to help you achieve your goals. For some that's food-category restriction for a period. Others can do well with straight moderation. Weight loss happens through a deficit. There are many roads to get there.17 -
Yup, that’s my diet! Eliminated or largely restricted all those. Unlike so many others who chimed in here this is a great list for me. I’d much rather have an adult size serving of my entree than a desert.
Portion control + these types of treats leave me unsatisfied and hungry. Eliminating and or greatly reducing these things from my diet allows me good size portions of the foods I want and that is the ticket for me. Obviously others mileage may vary, but I heartily endorse that 60 year old list!18 -
Cons
Hadn't realised demonisation of white foods went back that far! Colour of sugar is an irrelevance.
I'm not a fan of elimination, doubtful it's a sustainable long term strategy for most people.
Back then "dieting" meant avoiding starches and sugars. Our family doc put my dad on a diet back in the late 50s, and it was low sugar, low flour, high protein.
Personally, I find increasing protein and fat in my diet makes me more satisfied, less likely to feel hungry, and less likely to snack.
Regarding Jack LaLanne - Hell, the guy lived to 96 and died of pneumonia after a week long illness during which he refused suggestions he go to the doctor. He did two hour daily workouts into his 90s. He must have been doing something right.26 -
Jack Lalanne was a wonderful fitness role model who came to symbolize some awesome ideals: Anyone can transform themselves from the 100 lb weakling to the strongman. Health at any age. You are never too old to be fit.
But he was also a salesman, let's not forget. If you are trying to sell a "healthy lifestyle" to the general public, that's a list of foods to cut back that will easily cut the calories of many of them without scaring them off with basic math. I mean, he spent most of his last 20 years hawking a juicer and it's health benefits (one of which I owned by the way, and threw out after trying to clean it for only like the second time). I watched him on the Home Shopping Channel selling it, there was an infomercial.
It is fascinating that demonizing sugar in particular goes back to b&w, but I suspect it was more the "calorie laden treats" than the "debil sugar". Which is why it is so easy for people to sell the demonizing of sugar, because it's in a lot of high calorie foods (even if many of them have more fat calories than sugar calories anyway
) 15 -
IMO, despite some glitches he got the essential right (and died at the enviable age of past 96yo mind you).4
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Jack Lalanne was the man! A great example of health and fitness at any age.
It's important to remember that just because someone recommends something doesn't mean they believe it to be the only way. Usually they are making recommendations on what they believe to be the best or perhaps easiest way.11 -
moosmum1972 wrote: »
And some people drive drunk for years and never get caught. It's called statistics.8 -
Packerjohn wrote: »Was listening to a Strength Matters podcast and their guest mentioned a picture he had seen of a black and white TV screen with Jack Lalanne's diet advice from probably 60 years ago. Had to look up the picture. Jack suggested eliminating or greatly reducing these items from one's diet:
None of this nutrition stuff is new.
I found it interesting that his stand on significantly reducing added sugars 60 years ago is the same as the experts at the WHO and USDA now. I couldn't find the actual video, but the person discussing Jack's views indicated he was recommending reducing these items not total elimination
As far as gaining weight without eating these items sure, CICO. It is interesting though that the items he lists pretty much show up on the list of the top 10 sources of calorie for Americans.
What Americans Eat: Top 10 sources of calories in the U.S. diet
Grain-based desserts (cakes, cookies, donuts, pies, crisps, cobblers, and granola bars)
Yeast breads
Chicken and chicken-mixed dishes
Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks
Pizza
Alcoholic beverages
Pasta and pasta dishes
Mexican mixed dishes
Beef and beef-mixed dishes
Dairy desserts
Source
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-eating/top-10-sources-of-calories-in-the-us-diet
Since the items he lists have a high calorie to nutrient ratio, it's easy to see why they would be a prime place to start for many people when looking to reduce caloric intake.9 -
It's woo. why is he demonizing white sugar. As if brown sugar, molasses, honey, agave syrup, and all the other forms of sugar are somewhat better for you? The body cares not what form of sugar it uses. And it does use sugar. It's not the evil poison a lot of people think it is. And number 2 he misspelled the word pastries. That enough leads me to not take him seriously.
Snd besides, he's dead.
[edited by mods]
Albert Einstein - dead
Henry Ford - dead
Winston Churchill - dead
Mother Theresa - dead
Martin Luther King - dead
Steve Jobs - dead
John Kennedy - dead
You get the picture. Lots of dead people had thoughts and actions that impacted those around them and continue to do so today.
Jack was one of the people significantly responsible for bringing a fitness lifestyle mainstream.
15 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Jack Lalanne was the man! A great example of health and fitness at any age.
Agreed.. I loved watching him.. growing up!5 -
Are people eating a lot more jam and jelly than me? When I have it, I'm usually have 1-2 tablespoons, so like 60-120 calories? I get that every little bit counts, but if I was looking for the big calorie hitters in my diet I probably wouldn't start there.9
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TeacupsAndToning wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Are people eating a lot more jam and jelly than me? When I have it, I'm usually have 1-2 tablespoons, so like 60-120 calories? I get that every little bit counts, but if I was looking for the big calorie hitters in my diet I probably wouldn't start there.
It was the fifties so I think he didn't mean jelly as in what you'd put on toast.
I think he meant things like this:
There are two entries on the list -- one for "jams," the other for "jellies." So even if one of them is for gelatin-based dishes (and I think those were often referred to as "salads" in the 50s), there's still the other one.0 -
Cons
Hadn't realised demonisation of white foods went back that far! Colour of sugar is an irrelevance.
I'm not a fan of elimination, doubtful it's a sustainable long term strategy for most people.
Back then "dieting" meant avoiding starches and sugars. Our family doc put my dad on a diet back in the late 50s, and it was low sugar, low flour, high protein.
Personally, I find increasing protein and fat in my diet makes me more satisfied, less likely to feel hungry, and less likely to snack.
Regarding Jack LaLanne - Hell, the guy lived to 96 and died of pneumonia after a week long illness during which he refused suggestions he go to the doctor. He did two hour daily workouts into his 90s. He must have been doing something right.
Well, his brother lived to 97 and I doubt he was anywhere near as into working out as Jack.6
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