The Fun of Getting Thin

by Samuel G. Blythe

Samuel Blythe looks at fat with a sense of humor. He says that before the age of forty wanting to be thin is pure vanity. After 40 it becomes medical. Blythe says loosing weight is hard and there are no guarantees. His light-hearted approach covers up a serious topic that he has struggled with. His opening paragraph reads, ôA fat man is a joke; and a fat woman is two jokes--one on herself and the other on her husband. Half the comedy in the world is predicated on the paunch. At that, the human race is divided into but two classes--fat people who are trying to get thin and thin people who are trying to get fat.ö

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1912

About the author

Samuel George Blythe was an American writer and newspaperman. In 1933 during the Great Depression he urged people to Buy American in the Saturday Evening Post.

Reviews

[Rett Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing weight a hundred years ago is the same as today.

Mr Blythe wrote this little book a century ago about how he lost weight. It's amazing that dieting was just as faddish and gimmicky as today. In fact except for a few archaic phrases it could have been last year. And his advice is fairly solid, eat what you like but less of it.

[Deann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Written in 1912, but the information still holds. The author is very amusing, too.

[Tonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

States the obvious in a lighthearted way.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahead of his time

This book is both amusing and informative, and surprisingly ahead of its time in my own opinion. Apart from the modern impact of pervasive toxins, pesticides, herbicides, and massive nutrient depletion from our soils- Mr. Blythe's personal weightloss strategy of reducing portions without depriving one's self of the foods they love and are used to eating, quitting alcohol, and taking regular exercise, are spot-on. An amusing and worthwhile read!

[Arleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was way ahead of the times.

I found it fascinating that he ended up eating what he wanted only much less of it. Eating less has been proved to extend life..for exercise some one told him the best is just to walk. I did this years ago and have kept off 80 pounds. Diets don't work. This does.

[Vansh · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I knew I was getting fat from grains and I knew grain was used to fatten steers, cows and pigs"
You can't outrun a bad diet. They knew this even 100 years ago. Well not 'they' as in a society but that knowledge was still known. Fascinating read, and great advice for losing fat as this was what basically happened with me a few years ago.

[Ania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple advice. Diets don't work, so just: Eat less, move more.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was amazingly relatable. tl;dr Eat what you normally would, just less of it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Lesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old short advice. it should work for everyone. if everyone relaxed and fought through the mind game

[Dail Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book. In summary, you need to cut food by 60% to lose weight long-term.

[sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a fun read lmao. good advice. i mean, it’s obvious, but he presents it such an amusing yet motivating way

[Marianvs · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll save you some time and money. What this author says is that you have to eat less to lose weight. Yeah, that's it.

[Ajay]

Great read. I finished it in one sitting. Even though it was claimed as unscientific, there are scientific foundation in this simplest diet.

[Ron Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable quick read

Very straight forward, common sense look at losing weight. The fact the it was written in the early 1900s goes to show that these principals are timeless.