How the hell did women in historical times stay trim – or at least not be the size of a small whale? For some reason I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Maybe it’s because I keep telling myself I’m going to start exercising and eating more healthy foods. Yeah, right. Anyway, the thought has crossed my mind numerous times and so I thought I’d put it out there. All of you can answer my questions for me since I’m shit at doing research and can’t be bothered! lol

I read at least 4 or 5 historical romances a month. In all of these the women eat 3 meals a day – and if they are having callers or making calls they are having tea and biscuits on top of it…sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon…sometimes both. Not to mention that one of the 3 meals they are having are most likely at a ball, especially during the Season, late at night, and they’re eating a 5 to 7 course meal.

Now that I’ve mentioned food I have to mention exercise…or the lack thereof. These women who are eating all of this food are sewing for entertainment. They’re strolling in the park or the gardens. They’re settling on the settee for a good read. They’re playing a rousing game of whist. Unless of course they’re in the country and then they’re doing a bit of horse back riding, which is good exercise.

All this brings me, once again, to my question: how the hell did women in historical times stay relatively trim? Or, at least not look like the Stay-Puff Marshmallow man? Now I know that women back then tended to be a little “fuller”, should I say. (Yeah, that’s a good term for me, fuller). They didn’t have the magazines flaunting anorexic models and certainly didn’t have television showing them unbearably thin women that they felt they needed to live up to. But really, how did they do it? Was it all the tea? Does tea have magical weight maintaining qualities? *makes note to contact Jenre*

There’s probably not one good answer but since my mind works in mysterious ways I had to get it down on paper (so to speak) and see what others thought on this subject as well. 

So what do you think? Tell me your thoughts. Tell me your reasonings. Or, if you want, just tell me I’m nuts and move on, no harm done.