Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

(Continued from page 50) call on me here in New York in July looking as she does in the "before" pictures. She sensed my real shock and in a burst came those revealing words, "I hate myself!" ... I knew she meant it. Well, she'd said it to the very one ready and able to do a bit of fairy godmothering for such a princess-potential. "Suzy," I said, "I don't know how you got into this sorry state, but, if I were you, I'd get out of it and fast! There's no excuse for your not being a pretty girl, no excuse for such heft and certainly no reason for dressing so unbecomingly. Please, let me help you to help yourself." "I'll do anything, Fran . . . honestly, anything to lose weight . . . then maybe I can start to do something about the rest of me. Please tell me what to do!" "Well, Suzy, the first thing is to want to do it . . . you must want to lose those extra pounds so badly that you are ready to change your attitudes toward the eating habits that put them on. Then, the word is "diet," but dieting isn't worth a fig unless you're really ready to go on it, and when you are . . . why, just go!" We discussed various special diets, and how to combat those compulsive urges to overeat, especially between meals (Suzy admitted to being a nibbler) but I truly didn't think I was hitting pay dirt. But the very next day I got an excited call from Suzy telling me that she had made up her mind — was going on The Diet. Her idea of facing up to the fact that she was overweight was to do it big and the diet that had captured her imagination was Mead Johnson's Metrecal 900 calorie diet, the quite wonderful product originally developed in powdered form, a formula carefully balanced for complete nutrition and appetite satisfaction. Each can includes the scientific amount of food — carbohydrates, fats, proteins, sugars, vitamins and minerals for sustained health, and what is really fun is that Metrecal comes in your choice of three delicious flavors — vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch — to preclude any monotony. Suzy simply put the contents of a can in a blender with the amount of water prescribed, shook it up thorbughly to the consistency of a milk shake (no ice cream, please!), or you could use an egg beater to the same effect. I asked her if she, by any chance, had checked with her doctor. She had and gotten this reply, "Why haven't you done this before? Of course, you're OJK. — go ahead." So, on her own, Suzy had gone out to buy her first week's sUpply of Metrecal, and was on her way. What tickled me was the merry attitude that she suddenly found, and what could have been such a hungry bore turned into fun. When I asked her if she'd be Cinderella, she was so excited. "Do you think I'll ever make it?" she asked, and to her great surprise (not mine) in about a week the miracle had started to happen, the relentless scales had started their downward trek, 151, 150, 149, 148 . . . such a marvelous feeling. I know that some of you are questioning that 150 pounds is not too much for anyone that tall. Well, it is, according to the recent findings of the American Society of Actuaries. Suzy's five foot, nine inch height coupled with her rather small bone structure is better off carrying around 118 to 131 pounds! (If you'd like to know your best weight for your greatest health, note the offer of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company whose booklet "How to Control Your Weight" is available to Modern Screen's readers. Simply send in the coupon on Page 7 and receive your copy free.) Before I turn her story back to Suzy, I want you to know that Mead Johnson, Instructions for Cinderella Hairdo Designed by Bernard, Stella Ming Salon Cut hair to four or five inches in length (three inches at back hairline). Check natural part to start from rollers. Use medium rollers as sketched, and clips for back and cheek curls. Dry thoroughly, remove clips and rollers. Lift each curl, and from underside, tease hair in quick pushing motions with the comb from ends toward head. Now, brush hair back and doion, smoothing surface. With comb adjust cheek curls, and lift individual strands in various directions for casual effect. Finish with spray to hold. the creators of Metrecal, the easy way to new eating habits, has brought out their successful product in liquid form, which is surely the final simplification. It is now available in 8 oz. cans, each holding 225 calories of the food drink. Four of these cans are a day's supply ... so carry along your mocha break (just add a half teaspoon of Instant Coffee to the Chocolate flavored Metrecal), and your lunch (add a six -ounce can of tomato juice to the plain vanilla-flavored), and your four o'clock pick-up — just plain butterscotch. Maybe you have just a few extra pounds, or maybe you are really overweight, seriously so, but whatever your weight problem is, we do recommend that you take steps now to "get into shape" . . . you're bound to feel better and youH look better. Do read what Suzy has to say: "This was the most wonderful summer I've ever had . . . you've no idea how good it is to feel slim. I know it isn't really a miracle, though it was in a way . . . finding that I had enough will-power to stick to it. The best thing I found was that I could have extras and I ate plenty of lettuce and salad things. I always had sticks of celery, green pepper and carrots on hand (these are now a habit with me) and I had a real dinner every now and then. Now, I find I just eat less of everything and I have my Metrecal for breakfast and lunch five days a week. "I was still unhappy with that shapeless hair of mine and that so-called French roll but I couldn't think of anything else to do with it, so off Fran and I went to Stella Ming's to meet Bernard who was to do my special hairdo which you've seen and heard about "Then, I learned about the new very pale make-up which is so great, and which is supposed to put all the accent on the eyes, with plenty of whoop-de-do going on! I always thought my eyes too close together and deep set. I know now this was the fault of my brows which were very heavy and grew too far over the bridge of my nose. With Fran telling me what to do, I did the tweezing and finally got them lined up with the inside corners of my eyes. That was the big job . . . evening the rest, both from the top and below, didn't take long and the effect was terrific. I learned to use a pencil (medium brown for me); short outward strokes so you don't get that painted-on look. I love the eyeliner for that extended look at the outer corners, and for the line just at the edge. It was tricky at first, but now I'm an old hand and get it perfect every time. [ use a greyed blue shadow for daytime just on the lids, and for evening, I use a bright blue shadow and liner, and mascara which certainly makes my eyes look much bluer and I must say all this was a real eye-opener (pun intended!) "I've learned, too, what to do about my mouth which seems to give a smallish effect. Mostly I'm supposed to smile oftener and that's fairly easy now, but I did learn the trick of outlining the upper lip to extend the corners just a fraction. I use a lip brush and a darker red tone for the outline, and fill in with a lighter tone. I like the effect and I wield a mighty good lip brush. "But the best fun of all is having a new figure able to carry off some pretty clothes. I've discovered the midriff . . . L who'd gone around for years in "shifts" thinking they'd hide my pounds. Now I am in love with my waistline, and I'm in love with every full or shaped skirt I can find now that I know the hips beneath are only 36 inches. I'm wearing skirts just as short as I'm told — just slumming my kneecap. You should hear the nice things they say about my "stems." And I can wear pants and the new culottes, and every cute fashion there is, and every wild and crazy color to match my new freed spirit. I feel so good!" As Suzy's fairy godmother, I want you readers to know that she was a wonderful Cinderella ... a real inspiration to me and to all of us around Modern Screen. I saw her just yesterday, a radiantly beautiful girl, who confided she is going steady. I have an idea there'll be news of a definite sort by Christmas ... I hope so, for she worked hard to help my wand make its magic! , Fran Hodges