It used to be customary for the football player to be stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. As a common result of the gross overfeeding of these football players, they were almost certain within two or three weeks after entering upon training, to train "stale." This is simply another term for expressing the fact that their system became clogged full of fatigue-products and mid-products of protein oxidation. When a man has trained "stale" he takes two or three days off from active field work and takes a course of physic, baths, massage, and sweating; the effect of this heroic treatment is to rid his system of these accumulated waste products. After two or three days of such treatment he is usually able to take his place in the line again.

The new regime is arranged with a view to avoiding the occurrence of training "stale." The first step in this is the reduction of the menu to reasonable proportions, and especially the reduction of the quantity of proteins. While meat may be taken twice a day, or even three times a day, it is taken in small portions. The carbohydrates and fats are taken abundantly but not to surfeit. The following menu would be a proper one for men in training for football:

Breakfast

Fruit (grapes or banana, apple or orange).

Two boiled eggs.

Cereal with cream and sugar.

Three slices buttered toast.

Cup of coffee.

Lunch

Soup, a rich cream or puree with croutons.

Two lamb chops.

Creamed potatoes.

Bread and butter.

Fruit (stewed or canned).

Cake.

A glass of milk.

After the practice, a glass of lemonade or an egg lemonade.

Dinner

Clear soup (vegetable or meat), small portion. Roast leg of mutton with brown gravy. Baked potatoes.

Vegetable (beans, peas, corn, parsnips, carrots, etc.). Fruit (apple sauce, rhubarb, cranberry, or stewed or canned fruit). Bread and butter.

Dessert (cup custard or rice pudding or bread pudding, or tapioca and fruit). Water.