Leslie Parrish

This is a 1960 Lydia Lane article. Enjoy!

Although I attended Leslie Parrish’s wedding three years ago, when she walked Into the Brown Derby restaurant the other day, I didn’t recognize her. “That happens to me all the time,” Leslie smilingly admitted. “After I played Daisy Mae in ‘Lil Abner I had a personality change.” “You’re much more glamorous,” I said, “with your pale make-up, moonlight hair and slim figure.” “I lost 20 pounds and haven’t gained one of them back,” Leslie said with pride. “But I went the slow and sure route. I’ve seen so many girls ruin their complexions and thus their looks by reducing too fast. It took me five months. My aim was a pound a week. That’s nut much, but by losing it every week, it mounts up and your system has time to make a metabolism adjustment.” “Tell me more about it,” I said.

“I made a few rules and stuck with them. I allowed myself no second helpings, and I gave up rich sauces and sweets. I try to have as many healthful foods as I can and every day I take vitamins. “When you have a long-range goal dieting is easier. I find so many people create a desire for something by denying themselves when they want it. You know, forbidden fruits are the sweetest.” “What did you eat in a typical day?” “For breakfast, I would have black coffee and buttered who’e-grain toast and orange juice with two egg yolks in it. “For lunch, I had broiled liver. I used to be anemic-raw vegetable sticks such as celery, carrots, green pepper. sliced cucumbers, and skim milk. “For dinner I might have had salad romaine, apples, celery, raisins and sour cream. Dessert would have been fruit. You have no idea how healthful and filling a large portion of salad is. “It is helpful when dieting to have a light dinner because anything that you eat after 3 p.m. is not as easily burned up,” Leslie concluded.