Part 10 (2/2)

Decide how many calories you need for your activities, gradually add to your dietary until you have reached that number, and then some more, and you will gain as surely as the overweight individual will lose by doing the opposite. It may take a long time, or you may get results very rapidly, depending somewhat upon the individual characteristics.

Gradually increase your b.u.t.ter, cream, sugar, chocolate, and so forth, as they are very high in food value.

Study the Key to the Calories and reckon your calories every day for a while. You have already noticed that the foods that you like are low in food value.

Here are some of the things you can take to add to your fuel:

[Sidenote: _Try Some of These_]

A gla.s.s of milk, hot or cold, taken between meals and before retiring, will add about 500 calories.

Cream sauce on your vegetables will add to their value.

Cod liver oil, or olive oil, or cream, begun in small doses and gradually increased.

One malted milk, made with milk, syrup, egg, ice cream, whipped cream, and the malted milk, will add about 500 calories.

[Sidenote: _Learned Phraseology_]

You remember the painful time that I spoke of when there was so much more of me than there ought to be? Well, the aforesaid concoction, made with milk, syrup, egg, ice cream, whipped cream, and the malted milk, was accessory before the fact, and also particeps criminis before the law.

I absorbed this phraseology by being president of the Professional Woman's Club, with its high-cla.s.s women attorneys, ministers, dentists, Ph.D.'s, and ”Medical Trust” doctors.

[Sidenote: _Explanatory Note 1_]

”Medical Trust.”--The American Medical a.s.sociation (A.M.A.), a powerful trust you can't get into unless you have a high preliminary education and are a graduate of a high-cla.s.s medical college. Eleven years'

training after the grammar school is their minimum standard now.

[Sidenote: _Explanatory Note 2_]

”League for Medical Ignorance.”--The so-called ”League for Medical Freedom”; the opponent of the above mentioned trust. Their standard--any old kind of a medical or religious training, two weeks or longer, engrafted on anyone who has the money to pay for the course. No education, no barrier; in fact, those of limited education make the loudest boosters for the league. In justice, I must say that many splendid, estimable persons belong to this league, not knowing these facts.

[Sidenote: _Thorough Mastication_]

Fifth: See page 92 in my advice to the fat. It is as important for you as for them. (It always makes me mildly furious when I look up a word and am directed to seek some other locality. If it affects you that way--seek page 60 in my advice to you.)

Also have your teeth X-rayed. Blind abscesses at the roots will cause all sorts of aches and pains, as well as underweight.

[Sidenote: _Especially About Your Ailments_]

[Sidenote: _Organ Recitals Wednesday Evenings Only_]

Sixth: _Don't talk so much_. See if you can't leave out two-thirds of the totally unimportant, uninteresting details. A tremendous amount of energy is used in talking. This habit I would not say was confined to you, by any means; it is another one of those pretty nearly universal errors.

I will not give you a sample fattening menu, for it might be all out of proportion to what you could handle, and it would upset you. Make out your own menus, realizing that you must work gradually to the desired amount.

I am taking it for granted that you are organically sound, that your scientific, educated physician has said there is nothing the matter with you, except perhaps your ”nervous” disposition.

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