In reflecting on once being fat, Leah reported in a Richmond newspaper that in the early 1950s she put on unwanted pounds while she and her husband were in England. Bill Schallert was on a fellowship, and to occupy her time, Leah ate. Back in America, despite their tight budget, she became a compulsive eater. To return to her slim figure Leah developed a plan to lose three pounds a week. The plan had to be inexpensive and healthy. It consisted of three times a day eating a broiled hamburger, a glass of skim milk, an orange, and raw carrots.
