Marilyn Monroe Ate Breakfast Like A Body Builder

Marilyn Monroe may be the biggest Hollywood star of all time. Considered the epitome of beauty during the mid-20th century, the actor's every word, habit, and move was the subject of public interest. Much like people today are obsessed with what Taylor Swift eats in a day, people in the '50s wanted to know the secret to Monroe's show-stopping look. In 1952, she shared her daily habits with "Pageant," a now-defunct magazine. 

The multi-page spread shows the actress in intimate moments: eating breakfast in bed, exercising, looking at herself in the mirror, and enjoying ice cream. Despite having what many at the time deemed an ideal body, Monroe claims in the interview that she never gave it much thought until she became famous. Whereas before she was only worried about eating enough, fame introduced the worry of eating too much. It seems like some things in Hollywood never change.

The interview details a ten-minute weight-lighting exercise routine that is shockingly simple. But the most eye-catching part of Monroe's habits is her breakfast. Every morning, she would warm up milk, break two raw eggs into it, and drink it while she got dressed. She complemented the drink with a multivitamin pill, and then went about her day. The actor confessed that many people found her breakfast strange, but thought that any doctor would say it was nutritious. Body builders — who are usually obsessed with high-protein foods — would probably agree. 

After working all day, Monroe would have a simple dinner. She'd broil meats like steak, liver, or lamb chops, and eat it with raw carrots. Her diet was low-carb and focused on protein, anticipating the trends that dominate current fitness culture. She did not mention any lunch during the "Pageant" interview, which is worrisome, especially considering that Hollywood at this time took extreme measures to ensure its contracted actors wouldn't gain weight. Studios often had weight limits put into contracts , and sometimes even controlled what actors could eat. That said, she did regularly treat herself to a hot fudge sundae at Wil Wright's ice cream parlor.

Monroe followed this diet as she was rising to fame, so she still cooked her own meals in her hotel room. It's likely, however, that her eating habits changed once she became a full-blown Hollywood starlet in the years after this interview. While she probably kept to low-carb foods in her day-to-day life, we'd imagine she also ate out more often, and enjoyed fancier meals once she reached global notoriety. Whether her diet changed or not, it's fascinating to see what this American icon once enjoyed for breakfast. Given that her influence hasn't dwindled in the 62 years after her death, she might just convince new generations to start drinking milk again.