1980s Weight Watchers Ads with Lynn Redgrave

Lynn Redgrave made
Weight Watchers look so easy.

I've never kept my weight struggles a secret from my blog. In fact, if you've read some of my earlier posts, like this one about my gym class drama growing up, you'll know. Many people blame parents for childhood obesity, but honestly, my mom did everything she could to help me change. She encouraged me to play soccer, took me to Jazzercise and dance class. And even signed up for Weight Watchers with me about 15 different times between the ages of 10 and 27. 

It's crazy how I can recall Mom and me at our local Pathmark back in the mid 1980's. We'd go through the different Weight Watchers frozen dinners packed in pretty pink and white boxes. My favorite dinners back then were the southern fried chicken and the turkey with stuffing. I remember glamorous ads featuring Lynn Redgrave with her beautiful puffy red hairdo and sweet British accent. 

"Weight Watchers, this is living!" she'd remind us ... She made it look so easy. So glamorous. So fun. It never was for me. I realize it's the very best program out there, so please don't think I'm denying that. It just never worked for someone like me who refused to follow the program correctly.

Funny, there's an episode of Mad Men where Betty is following Weight Watchers in the 1960's obviously. The scene shows her watching her husband eat a delicious steak late at night. He gives her a few bites and she jokes that the day is new after midnight. I always played that game too.

Did you diet as a teen or preteen? Remember the pink and white packaged frozen dinners before the red and white branded Smart Ones? Remember when you could purchase a whole week's worth of Weight Watcher meals at the meeting, similar to a Jenny Craig program? 

Watch a retro Weight Watchers commercial with Lynn Redgrave as their spokesperson. 

Ad image from http://retro-ads.net/v/1980s/Food/1984_WeightWatchers.jpg.html