Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

Nostalgia has its place, but, as this season of overindulgence continues, we can be grateful for certain advances—like the relocation of the scale from the parlor to the bathroom.

For some reason, Washington University recently issued a news release informing readers that “once upon a time, scales were displayed in parlors, not hidden in bathrooms.” In the late 19th century, weighing yourself was considered an enjoyable thing to do at parties and on holidays.

“A family would think it fun to weigh themselves before and after a big holiday dinner to see how much they had gained,” said Deborah I. Levine, Ph.D. “Knowing your weight was a novelty, a kind of parlor trick, before scales became widely available through mass production.” Scales were often found alongside other popular 19th-century devices for body measurement. Nothing says fun, after all, like body measurements.

But, back then, your weight was considered a “fun fact to be shared and compared among family and friends.” Hard to imagine today, isn’t it?