For breakfasts:

Fruits - oranges, grapefruit, peaches, pears, apples, grapes, cherries, etc.

Berries - fresh strawberries, blackberries, huckleberries or blueberries, etc.

Bread or cereal - one piece toast, bran, or graham bread; or, 1 cup (scant) puffed whole cereal, with skimmed milk. Beverages - tea or coffee without cream and sugar.

For dinners:

Clear soups or broths.

Lean meat, chicken, or white fleshed fish.

Green and succulent vegetables - spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, string beans, cress, celery, etc., without butter or cream dressing. Salads with a very little French dressing. Fruit desserts; as, prunes, pineapple. Beverages - lemonade with little sugar, or tea or coffee.

For luncheons or suppers:

Thin soup; as, tomato, consomme.

One glass skimmed milk or buttermilk, or poached egg, or spinach with egg, or fish.

Bread or cereal as for breakfast.

Fruit or plain salad.

Select only one or two items of food for each meal; a greater variety is conducive to weight.

In following a reducing dietary, it would be well to serve a sugarless, creamless, cup of hot tea or coffee mid-meals, but no food should be eaten between meals. It is generally thought wise to cut down the quantity of water, but it should be remembered that in cases of gout and rheumatism, an increased amount of liquid is necessary. In all cases gradual reduction of weight is much better than rapid decrease. Loose skin over reduced muscles makes an aged appearance, and sudden loss of weight may injure the health. Elderly people should not follow a rigid system of reduction.

If a glass or two of water is taken before eating, it may help with a rigid regime, by giving a sense of fullness at the beginning of a meal. The extent of diet restrictions depends upon the amount of excess weight. Having decided how much the daily allowance should be cut down, do not carry out the plan spasmodically, but day-in and day-out keep within the limitation; and the reward will surely come.

It is well to remember that over-eating is more dangerous than under-eating; and that after all, the question of reduction is chiefly a question of the intelligent control of the appetite.

By consulting chapter on Balanced Rations, page 417, many hints may be gleaned as to selections for menus, always allowing less food than for the average person.

A bottle of citrate of magnesia taken once a week is usually beneficial as a body regulator, the consequent depletion of the blood vessels of the intestines causing them to give up considerable water, thus lessening weight.

Exercise

Since overweight is caused by storage of energy food, it follows that an expenditure of energy will draw upon such storage, and reduce weight. Before any system of strenuous exercise is undertaken, a thorough examination should be given by a physician as to heart action, blood pressure, and general physical fitness. Exercises are of very little help unless kept up regularly. One rule must be observed: stop when tired. Almost any good book on physical training will give excellent exercises for weight-control.

Remember that walking in the open air is always a splendid exercise, using up food fuel rapidly. No so-called "reducing" medicines should be taken without the advice of a physician, for probably all such medicines are dangerous.