Marilyn Monroe, the iconic Hollywood actress, had a diet and exercise routine that defied the norms of her time.
While she is known for her timeless beauty and curvaceous figure, the specifics of her lifestyle were anything but conventional. Let's take a closer look at the intriguing dietary and exercise choices of this legendary star.
In 2021, two cookbooks from the 1950s were auctioned, and they held a secret – they were owned by Marilyn Monroe herself. The New Fanny Farmer Boston Cooking-School Cook Book and The New Joy of Cooking are the only confirmed cookbooks that once belonged to Monroe. What makes them even more special is the personal touch inside. Marilyn's notes, shopping lists, and a diary give us a glimpse into her culinary preferences.
Inside these cookbooks, one can find Marilyn's handwritten shopping lists, providing insight into her food choices. Her list included everyday items like eggs, milk, corn flakes, jam, cream, bread, coffee, and soda. She also clipped a lasagna recipe from a newspaper. This personal touch adds a unique dimension to her culinary preferences.
In a 1952 interview with Pageant Magazine, Marilyn shared her daily breakfast routine. She would heat a cup of milk on the hotplate, then crack a couple of eggs into it. After stirring them with a fork, she'd drink it while getting dressed. She also took a multivitamin pill, making it a nutritious breakfast to fuel her busy days.
For Americans, dinner often serves as the main meal of the day, and Marilyn's dinners, when not dining out, were surprisingly simple. She would stop at a nearby market and purchase steak, lamb chops, and liver. She cooked these meats in the electric oven in her room. Her love for carrots also stood out – she admitted to never growing tired of eating them. While her daytime diet was relatively simple, she indulged in ice cream on the way home from her acting classes. Her diet was primarily animal protein-based.
In her interview with Pageant Magazine, Marilyn also discussed her atypical exercise routine. At a time when weightlifting was often considered masculine, Marilyn broke the mold. She would spend at least 10 minutes each morning exercising with small weights, developing her unique exercises to maintain tight muscles. Her commitment to her fitness and the unconventional exercises she devised set her apart from the norms of her era.
Marilyn Monroe's relationship with her figure and lifestyle evolved over the years. She initially viewed her figure as unremarkable, focusing on the simple necessity of eating enough. Her exercise routine gradually became a part of her daily life, helping her keep the right muscles tight.
Marilyn's exercise routine involved unique chest firming exercises with 2kg dumbbells. She would lift the weights from an open angle to above her head, repeating the movement 15 times with her arms positioned above her head. Then, with her arms at a 45º angle to the ground, she would move the weights in circles until she felt fatigued. While her exercise routine may seem peculiar by today's standards, it clearly worked for her.
Marilyn Monroe wasn't particularly interested in outdoor sports, and she expressed a preference for fair skin over a deep tan. She did not aspire to excel in activities like tennis, swimming, or golf, leaving those pursuits to the men. Her choice to maintain fair skin aligned with her personal preferences, challenging the notion that tanning was more attractive or healthier. She wanted to "feel blonde all over."
In summary, Marilyn Monroe's diet and exercise regimen was as unique as her persona. Her unconventional approach to fitness and nutrition challenges the norms of her time, reflecting her independent spirit and individuality. While her dietary choices may share similarities with a modern-day keto diet, her distinct exercise routine and perspective on beauty set her apart as a timeless icon.
