Originally Posted by
GeorgeBMac
And let me add: people WALKED! In the inner city and immediate area every street had side walks and houses were built very narrow in front because people walked to where they were going. Today, in the suburbs its dangerous to walk...
And, people had to first raise the pig, then kill it and butcher it before they ate it. It slowed down the process and they probably thought about eating that second or third pork chop...
And, even as late as the 50's and 60's, most men worked with their bodies in factories and such to earn a living. They didn't sit down. And, although women did not work in the same setting they not only worked more physically in the home -- but they also were taught that they had to stay slim to be attractive -- so many lived on a perpetual diet...
And it's not just the amount of total activity, it's also about the number of hours per day with activity and the type of activity. The number of hours per day with activity and the type of activity influences the metabolism more than the total amount of activity. And it's metabolism that largely dictates body fat, much more so than calorie intake or theoretical calories burned. There was more social pressure (there were less fat people), and more total activity required, but there was also a lot less opportunity for being inactive. And everything was somewhat more difficult than it is now. Bikes weighed a lot more, you picked up a telephone book to find a number, the telephone itself weighed several pounds instead of a few ounces, clothes were heavier, much more time and effort went into preparing meals, you carried your trash to the curb in a galvanized steel can instead of rolling a plastic container. In general people had to use their muscles a lot more, and they used them almost every hour of the waking day.