*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 66226 *** OVERWEIGHT AND UNDERWEIGHT METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY HOME OFFICE: NEW YORK Pacific Coast Head Office: San Francisco Canadian Head Office: Ottawa CONTENTS PAGE What Is Desirable Weight? 3 Overweight and Its Dangers 5 What Makes a Person Fat? 5 Why Do People Overeat? 6 How to Lose Weight 7 The Body’s Need for Food 8 The Body’s Need for Exercise 11 What About Short Cuts? 12 How Many Calories? 13 On Keeping a Record 19 Special Problems 19 Underweight and Its Dangers 22 What Causes Underweight? 22 How to Gain Weight 23 Adding Extra Calories 24 Saving Energy 24 Calorie Tables 25 Edition of January 1953 COPYRIGHT 1950, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. P.F.M.—PRINTED IN U.S.A.—(u) 380 L. W. (Edition Jan. 1953) [Illustration: OVERWEIGHT and UNDERWEIGHT] _What Is Desirable Weight?_ Desirable weight is a very individual thing. It may be described as the weight at which a person both _looks_ and _feels_ his best. Height, bone structure, and muscular development must all be taken into account. Because no two people are alike, weight tables cannot show with complete accuracy exactly what every individual should weigh. The tables shown here are given as a guide rather than as a rigid standard to which everyone should conform. They show desirable weights for men and women at age 25 and over. After a person is full grown and has reached his best weight, he should not gain or lose much for the rest of his life. It used to be considered inevitable and normal for people to get heavier toward middle age. We know now that it is not a normal part of getting older, not healthy, and not necessary. Life is much easier in many ways for people who are not too fat or too thin. They usually feel and look better. They are apt to live longer. They are less likely to suffer from backaches, foot troubles, constant fatigue, and a host of daily discomforts. They have more fun buying clothes. Normal weight is worth any effort it takes to reach and keep—worth it in terms of everyday comfort and of a healthier, longer life. DESIRABLE WEIGHTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN OF AGES 25 AND OVER[1] Weight in Pounds According to Frame (as Ordinarily Dressed) _men_ HEIGHT SMALL FRAME MEDIUM FRAME LARGE FRAME (with shoes on) Feet Inches 5 2 116-125 124-133 131-142 5 3 119-128 127-136 133-144 5 4 122-132 130-140 137-149 5 5 126-136 134-144 141-153 5 6 129-139 137-147 145-157 5 7 133-143 141-151 149-162 5 8 136-147 145-156 153-166 5 9 140-151 149-160 157-170 5 10 144-155 153-164 161-175 5 11 148-159 157-168 165-180 6 0 152-164 161-173 169-185 6 1 157-169 166-178 174-190 6 2 163-175 171-184 179-196 6 3 168-180 176-189 184-202 _women_ HEIGHT SMALL FRAME MEDIUM FRAME LARGE FRAME (with shoes on) Feet Inches 4 11 104-111 110-118 117-127 5 0 105-113 112-120 119-129 5 1 107-115 114-122 121-131 5 2 110-118 117-125 124-135 5 3 113-121 120-128 127-138 5 4 116-125 124-132 131-142 5 5 119-128 127-135 133-145 5 6 123-132 130-140 138-150 5 7 126-136 134-144 142-154 5 8 129-139 137-147 145-158 5 9 133-143 141-151 149-162 5 10 136-147 145-155 152-166 5 11 139-150 148-158 155-169 OVERWEIGHT AND ITS DANGERS Anyone who is 15 or more pounds heavier than his desirable weight is considered overweight. For those still in their 20’s or younger a _little_ extra weight does no harm. For people over 30 it is not good. Overweight is a danger signal, particularly for those over 40. Studies of life insurance figures show that overweight people develop diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other life-shortening conditions earlier, and are apt to die younger, than people whose weight is normal. They are poor surgical risks and have less resistance to infection. Stout women are more likely to develop complications in pregnancy. _What Makes a Person Fat?_ Most people are fat simply because they eat too much. This does not necessarily mean that they stuff themselves with large quantities of food. It does mean that they take in more calories[2] than their bodies can use. This is often surprisingly easy to do, particularly for a person who has poor eating habits. Some people blame their overweight on metabolism (the rate at which their bodies use energy) and on the glands which regulate metabolism. In a very few cases, poorly functioning glands may _contribute_ to overweight. Even then, the overweight patient who is under a physician’s treatment for glandular disorders is able to lose weight when his food intake is regulated. What many people do not realize, however, is that the body’s energy requirements usually change after age 30 or 40. As a person gets older, metabolism slows down, and fewer calories are needed to maintain weight. The trouble is that eating habits usually stay exactly the same, while physical activity often decreases. Heredity is often claimed as a cause of overweight. Careful studies do not bear this out. Heredity does determine the type of body build a person has, but when people from overweight families change their eating habits it has been proved that they, too, can lose weight. Actually, most overweight people readily admit that their excess poundage comes from overeating. They say they just don’t seem to be able to stop. Knowing why a thing is hard to do sometimes makes it easier to change. _Why Do People Overeat?_ Many people eat more than they need for reasons that have little to do with hunger. Habit is one of them. Eating habits are set in patterns which have often been followed for years. Such patterns are not always easy to change, but with persistence and determination they can be altered. Some people develop the habit of overeating because good food and plenty of it is a family tradition. Some fall into the habit because of sociability. They eat more frequently and so consume greater amounts of food than they need. Some people consider food as a symbol of success or social standing, and so eating rich food and too much of it becomes a custom. Not infrequently the habit is established in pregnancy, in convalescence from some illness, or in other situations when extra food may be required. Other common reasons have their roots in the emotions. Some people eat constantly because they are bored, and eating is something pleasant to do. Others because they are lonely, or feel unloved, or suffer from discontent about money, job, family relationships, or social standing. People who overeat for such reasons usually find it necessary to do something about their emotional problems before they are able to tackle their eating habits successfully. _How to Lose Weight_ Physical condition, degree of overweight, and individual living habits must all be carefully evaluated before an effective, safe reducing plan can be worked out. No one can do all this for himself. Only a physician has the necessary skill and equipment to decide how much, how fast, and with what treatment a person should lose weight. What benefits one may harm another. Therefore, a reducing program should be undertaken only under medical supervision. Anyone who really wants to get rid of excess poundage can do it. Lots of people have, with determination and persistence. Desire and will power are “musts” in any reducing program. Everyone knows that self-denial is not easy and that changing long-established habits taxes the strongest will. Therefore, a person who is trying to do this difficult job deserves the help and support of his family and friends. Few people are able to persist in any course of action in the face of commiseration, indifference, ridicule, or opposition from those they love and respect. To be worth anything, a loss of weight must be permanent. Therefore, anyone who wants to benefit from a weight-reduction program must make up his mind that he is changing his eating habits for life. Going back to old patterns will only pile up the pounds all over again. Unless this fact is accepted, reducing efforts will probably be wasted. _The Body’s Need for Food_ Awake or asleep, the body needs energy for every breath, every heartbeat, every activity of living. Food supplies this energy which is measured in units called calories. When a person eats only enough to supply the energy he uses, his weight stays the same. If he takes in more calories than he needs, the excess is stored as fat. If his food adds up to fewer calories than he needs, his body takes the extra energy out of its storehouse of fat, and a loss in weight occurs. Reducing diets are based on this simple principle: _taking in fewer calories than needed to force the body to use its stored fat_. Foods vary in the number of calories they contain. As most people know, fats of all kinds have the most calories. One tablespoon of butter, for example, has in it about as many calories as a good slice of lean roast beef, or a cup of beets, or a quarter of a pound of cod steak. Sugars, alcohol, and starches are the next richest source of calories. Starches include cereals, flour and everything made with flour, potatoes, peas, beans, and corn. When calories must be cut down to make the body use stored fat, alcoholic drinks and foods rich in fats, sugars, and starches are the first to be restricted. However, no one can lose weight safely by counting calories alone. In the 1920’s, when a slim, boyish figure was in style, many girls and women made themselves seriously ill by reducing their weight without regard to the kinds of food they ate. For good health, food must supply everyone—young and old alike—with more than calories. The body is constantly repairing and renewing itself. New cells are always growing to replace those worn out in doing their work. In babies, children, and young people, cell-making is going on at top speed, because actual growth is taking place. As in any building process, the right materials are needed. The body’s most essential building and maintenance materials are found in proteins. Foods richest in proteins include milk, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese. Two other elements necessary for health are vitamins and minerals. Some of these are found in the same foods which are rich in protein. Others are found in grain products, fruits, vegetables, and fats. To insure a well-balanced diet, made up of the protective foods containing enough proteins, vitamins, and minerals, everyone should have _daily_: _Milk_—2 or more glasses for adults. 4 or more for children and expectant and nursing mothers. _Vegetables_—2 or more servings, green or yellow. _Fruits_—2 servings, 1 a citrus fruit or tomato. _Eggs_—1; at least 3 to 5 a week. _Meat, fish, poultry, or cheese_—1 or more servings (dried legumes may be substituted occasionally). _Cereal and Bread_—2 servings, whole-grain or enriched. _Fats_—1 to 3 tablespoons. (_In reducing diets, some of the fat allowance may be in the cream in whole milk._) People who are not overweight can add what they like to this list in the way of other foods and second helpings, to make up their caloric requirements. People who want to lose weight can add little or nothing. That is the only real difference between a well-balanced normal diet and a well-balanced reducing diet. Because this difference often means restrictions on cakes, pastries, extra butter, rich sauces, cocktails, beer, soft drinks, and other high-calorie favorites, it is a hard one for many people to accept. Nevertheless, it must be accepted by everyone who wants to lose weight. Few people claim that the first days on a reducing diet are happy ones. Some individuals find it easier to adjust than others, but all agree that the period of discomfort does not last too long if they persevere. They also claim that a wonderful feeling of physical vigor and liberation follows as they lose weight. The ability to bend down again with ease, the disappearance of unsightly bulges, and the pleasure of buying smaller sizes in clothes are among the things which amply compensate for any early discomfort. _The Body’s Need for Exercise_ Every healthy person needs some exercise. Daily physical exertion is good for muscle tone and circulation. It also helps to relieve the tension many people pile up in the course of a day’s work. Regular exercise, if not carried to the point of increasing hunger, can help in a reducing program, because the more active a person is, the more calories he needs to burn. But for the overweight individual, exercise can never replace eating less. A person would have to walk about five miles to use up the calories in one chocolate sundae. He would have to saw wood for an hour or so to offset a piece of apple pie, or walk about a mile to work off two graham crackers. Obviously, it is simpler to avoid eating the sundae, the pie, or the crackers than to try to exercise them off. The decision about exercising while losing weight should be left to the physician supervising the reducing program. The kind and amount of extra physical activity which he advises will depend on age, physical condition, and previous habits. For children and young patients he will probably advise lots of exercise and active sports. For older people he may not prescribe anything more strenuous than walking. For people with heart or circulatory conditions, he may caution against any exercise. The necessity for tailoring the treatment to the individual in this way is one of the reasons why a reducing program should be undertaken only under medical supervision. _What About Short Cuts?_ No one who has taken on the job of losing weight will say that the self-denial involved is pleasant. It is only natural to wonder if there isn’t an easier way: What about drugs, steam baths, massage, or other quick methods? Any drug which can increase the body’s rate of burning calories enough to effect weight reduction without dieting is dangerous. One drug, released in the early 1930’s without medical sanction, “worked”; but it also caused deafness, blindness, and paralysis before it was withdrawn from the market. Even if drugs are prescribed by a physician, they will be used in addition to—not in place of—a diet. Many people wonder about steam baths and massage as a short cut. Steam baths are often a delusion. The profuse sweating which a steam bath induces is apt to cause a sudden drop in weight because of water loss. Thirst soon makes the average person replace the lost water, and his weight is usually exactly what it was before. Swedish massage is a relaxing luxury for those who can afford it. It is good for the circulation, and helps to keep tissues in firm condition. However, it will not take off pounds nor allow additions to the diet. Nobody likes to believe unpleasant truths. Therefore, the search for short cuts goes on. Ten-day wonder diets; special foods; spot-reducing gadgets—many of these fads are harmless, though expensive and ineffective. Some suggest, in small print, that special low-calorie diets should be followed, thus acknowledging the disagreeable truth—that there is no way to reduce safely without eating less. It all boils down to this: No easy way is safe; no safe way is easy. _How Many Calories?_ In planning the day’s food, it should be decided into which meals the essential foods will go, and their calories should be computed first. Choice may then dictate the selection of the foods to make up the rest of the day’s allowance. All foods and most beverages supply calories; therefore, it is important to know the calorie content of the usual portions of different foods. Tables which list the calories in common foods and beverages begin on page 25. One of the most frequently selected diets for healthy adults who need to reduce is a three-meal-a-day schedule allowing, in all, 1,200 calories. Some people, however, cannot lose weight satisfactorily on a 1,200-calorie diet. The doctor may cut their daily calorie allowance to 1,000 if their progress is too slow, or increase it to 1,500 if they are losing too rapidly. Examples of 1,000-, 1,200-, and 1,500-calorie diets are given on pages 16-17. Diets which fall below 1,000 calories require very close medical supervision and are usually used only in cases where a rapid loss of weight is required for serious conditions. Vitamin and mineral supplements are often prescribed for people on a reducing diet, especially if it allows less than 1,200 calories. This is to make doubly sure that the body gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs. The use of such supplements is never intended to take the place of eating the essential foods. Some people, when they first see their reducing diet, are firmly convinced that they have never eaten as much as their present diet allows them to. They are judging the caloric value of their food by its looks. The calories hidden in butter, sugar, and cream used for cooking and in beverages are invisible. Unfortunately, it is easy to make a 1,000-calorie diet, for example, add up to about 2,000 merely by adding 4 tablespoons of butter to the vegetables, sugar and cream to 3 cups of coffee or tea, a tablespoon of French dressing on the salad, and substituting 3 halves of canned peaches with sirup for the ½ cup of fresh fruit at lunch. Few people stop to think that their hidden calories may be in the cocktail, the glass of beer, or the soda pop which they love. Liquids go down so quickly and easily that it is often hard to realize that they can contribute to overweight. A glance at the calorie tables on pages 25 -32 will show why they are to be avoided by anyone who is trying to lose weight. _Some perfectly good foods which add extra calories to a diet are:_ Cake—especially with icing Cookies Cream Candy Salad oil Fatty meat Fried foods Nuts Olives Chocolate Coconut More butter than is allowed on the diet Gravy Pastries Avocados Jelly and jam Honey Marmalade Sirups Sugar Puddings Sweetened beverages _Remember_ 1. To have 1½ pints of milk every day. 2. To cut the visible fat from meat. 3. To eat a salad or raw vegetable every day if possible. 4. To eat a green, leafy, or yellow vegetable every day. 5. To have a serving of citrus fruit, tomato, cantaloupe, strawberries, or raw cabbage every day. 6. To choose the bread or cereal you use from enriched, whole-grain, or rye varieties. HELPFUL HINTS 1. Eat regular meals at regular times. Omitting a meal—particularly breakfast—is a strain on the body and a major cause of fatigue. 2. Eat all meals slowly and chew well. This helps to make smaller amounts of food more satisfying. 3. Never eat when emotionally upset or overtired. Relax or rest first. 4. Watch closely for hidden calories. 5. If drinking clear coffee or tea is too much of an ordeal, add some of the day’s allowance of milk, and use saccharin or another noncaloric sweetening agent. They may also be used to sweeten cooked fruits. 6. Stay away from highly seasoned foods. They stimulate the appetite. 7. Clear tea, coffee, or bouillon have no caloric values and may be used freely. 8. An average serving of meat is 3 ounces. Two eggs or ½ cup of cottage cheese can be substituted for 2 ounces of meat. 1000 CALORIE DIET breakfast Fresh fruit or juice 1 serving—½ cup Egg—cooked without fat 1 Bread or cereal 1 slice of bread or small serving of cereal Butter or margarine 1 level teaspoon Skim milk or buttermilk 1 glass—8 ounces Clear coffee or tea dinner Lean meat, fish, or poultry 3 ounces (average serving) Vegetables[3] ½ cup Group I and ½ cup Group II Skim milk or buttermilk 1 glass—8 ounces Fruit—raw, or cooked or 1 serving—½ cup canned without sugar lunch or supper Cottage cheese, meat, or ½ cup of cheese, 2 ounces of eggs meat, or 2 eggs Vegetables[3] ½ cup Group I and ½ cup Group II Skim milk or buttermilk 1 glass—8 ounces Fruit—raw, or cooked or 1 serving—½ cup canned without sugar 1200 CALORIE DIET breakfast Fresh fruit or juice 1 serving—½ cup Egg—cooked without fat 1 Bread or cereal 1 slice of bread or small serving of cereal Butter or margarine 1 level teaspoon Milk 1 glass—8 ounces Clear coffee or tea dinner Lean meat, fish, or poultry 3 ounces (average serving) Vegetables[3] ½ cup Group I Potato or bread 1 small potato or 1 slice of bread Butter or margarine 1 level teaspoon Milk 1 glass—8 ounces Fruit—raw, or cooked or 1 serving—½ cup canned without sugar lunch or supper Cottage cheese, meat, or ½ cup of cheese, 2 ounces of eggs meat, or 2 eggs Vegetables[3] ½ cup raw Group I and ½ cup Group II Milk 1 glass—8 ounces Fruit—raw, or cooked or 1 serving—½ cup canned without sugar 1500 CALORIE DIET breakfast Fresh fruit of juice 1 serving—½ cup Egg—cooked without fat 1 Bread or cereal 1 slice of bread or a serving of cereal (1 cup prepared or ½ cup cooked) Butter or margarine 1 level teaspoon Milk 1 glass—8 ounces Coffee or tea Cream 1 tablespoon dinner Lean meat, fish, or poultry 3 ounces (average serving) Vegetables[3] ½ cup Group I and ½ cup Group II Potato 1 small Butter or margarine 1 level teaspoon Milk 1 glass—8 ounces Fruit—raw, or cooked or 1 serving—½ cup canned without sugar lunch or supper Cottage cheese, meat, or ½ cup of cheese, 2 ounces of eggs meat, or 2 eggs Vegetables[3] ½ cup Group I and ½ cup Group II Bread 1 slice Butter or margarine 1 level teaspoon Milk 1 glass—8 ounces Fruit, plain custard, or ½ cup of fruit or custard, or plain cookies 2 cookies Vegetables are listed below in two groups, according to their carbohydrate content. Those in Group I have no more than 3 percent carbohydrate, and those in Group II have no more than 9 percent. It is simpler to choose the vegetables according to the listings than to count the calories for each vegetable in the day’s meals. Where the diets on pages 16-17 call for fruits, these may be chosen from the lower-calorie fruits listed below. _vegetables_ GROUP I Asparagus Beet greens Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Chard Chicory Chinese Cabbage Cucumber Endive Escarole Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard greens Radishes Sauerkraut Spinach Summer squash Tomato Juice Tomatoes Turnip tops Watercress GROUP II Artichokes Beans, green Beans, wax Beets Brussels sprouts Carrots Collards Dandelion greens Eggplant Kale Kohlrabi Lambsquarters Okra Onions Peppers Pumpkin Rutabagas Squash, winter Turnips _fruit_ Apples Apricots Blackberries Blueberries Cherries Cranberries Currants Gooseberries Grapefruit Grapefruit juice Lemons Limes Loganberries Melons Cantaloupe Casaba Honeydew Spanish Watermelon Oranges Orange juice Peaches Pears Pineapple Pineapple juice Plums Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Tangerines _On Keeping a Record_ Most people find it helpful to keep a record of their progress. Weight should be recorded once a week only. To show progress accurately, the same scales should be used at the same time of the day. It is also helpful to make weekly notes of body measurements. Sometimes a person gets discouraged because, after a period of satisfactory loss, the scales show no drop for a week or more. But during these periods body measurements often continue to decrease. To know that another half inch has melted off the waistline is encouraging at such times. It stiffens resistance to the common temptation of saying, “Oh, what’s the use?” and stopping when success is in sight. Weight loss begins again if the diet is faithfully followed. The most important record to keep carefully is a list of the foods eaten each day, and the quantity. Such a list serves several purposes. It can be checked against the essential foods to make sure there are no omissions. It will help the doctor in adjusting a diet to slower or faster weight loss, as the need may be. It is useful as a reminder of slips and indiscretions in eating or drinking which must be checked. It helps to keep a person convinced about the number of calories he is really taking in. _Special Problems_ On a reducing diet many people find themselves eating more vegetables, raw fruits, and salads than they did before. Most of them benefit from the change. However, anyone who has previously had signs of ulcers, colitis, or other digestive disturbances should tell his physician. A person susceptible to such conditions may need to use raw fruits and vegetables sparingly, substituting fruits stewed without sugar, or perhaps using pureed vegetables. Constipation sometimes occurs when eating habits are changed suddenly. It can often be corrected by drinking more water and by using green, leafy vegetables more generously. The substitution of stewed, dried fruits for some fresh fruits may also help. The amount must be watched, because dried fruits are richer in calories than fresh fruits. They are often eaten in greater quantity and cooked with sugar. People who are on a diet and who eat in restaurants a great deal have a problem. Unless their budget runs to a daily steak diet, a good cafeteria is often a better choice than other types of restaurants. The foods are usually plainly cooked, without much fat, and can be chosen individually. The chief problem is to develop the habit of passing by all the display of foods which must not be eaten. The temptation to add something extra is sometimes greater than it is at home. If lunch is the only meal which must be eaten out, and there is no suitable eating place available, the problem may be solved by taking lunch from home. Some suggestions for a day’s menus, including low-calorie lunches which can be carried to work or school, are given on the opposite page. PACKED LUNCH for 1200 Calorie Diet BREAKFAST ½ cup fruit 1 egg 1 slice toast 1 teaspoon butter 1 glass milk Clear coffee or tea LUNCH Sandwich: 1 slice bread 1 teaspoon butter 1 ounce lean meat 1 hard cooked egg wedge of raw cabbage whole raw carrot fresh fruit 1 glass milk LUNCH Sandwich: 2 _thin_ slices bread 1 ounce lean meat 1 hard cooked egg 1 teaspoon mayonnaise lettuce 2 stalks celery 1 small cucumber fresh fruit 1 glass milk LUNCH Sandwich: 2 _thin_ slices bread 2 ounces chicken or meat chopped and mixed with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon chopped celery and a little chopped onion large fresh tomato ½ green pepper fruit 1 glass skim milk DINNER 3 ounces meat, fish, or poultry ½ cup vegetables from Group I and Group II 1 glass skim milk ½ cup fruit—fresh, or cooked or canned without sugar UNDERWEIGHT AND ITS DANGERS Anyone 20 percent or more below his best weight is considered underweight. Definite underweight is not desirable in young people who are still growing. It may be a symptom of disease. The glandular disorders so often erroneously blamed for overweight are much more likely to show themselves in loss of weight or inability to gain. Even when there is nothing wrong, people whose weight is too far below normal are more likely to suffer from fatigue and poor physical endurance. Resistance to infection is often lowered. Tuberculosis strikes more often among adolescents and young people who are underweight than it does among those whose weight is closer to what it should be. _What Causes Underweight?_ Certain diseases and glandular disorders can cause underweight. In healthy people, however, underweight comes from eating too little, from poor eating habits, from over-activity or too little rest, and from worry or prolonged tension. Many people eat too little for much the same reasons which make others eat too much. Habit frequently plays a part. Meals are irregular in some families, sometimes poorly prepared, and eating is considered the least important of the day’s activities. It is not surprising if the children from such families grow up with an indifferent attitude toward food. Emotions may also play a part. The feeling of being unloved, dissatisfaction with personal relationships, discontent over job, money, or social restrictions, and other reasons of this kind cause some people to react with indifference to eating just as they cause others to overeat. Keen rivalry, a wish to take part in everything, or too great an absorption in school or social activities sometimes cause over-activity and underweight among adolescents. _How to Gain Weight_ As in overweight, the first step is to see a physician and have a thorough physical examination. It is important to find and correct anything which may be wrong. Efforts to gain may be useless unless this is done. The same principles apply to gaining weight as to losing it, but in reverse. Underweight people must take in _more_ calories than they use, so that there will be some left over to store as fat. Will power can be as great a factor in gaining weight successfully as it is in losing, particularly for people who do not like many of the essential foods. They must learn to say “yes” to enough of the right foods, regardless of their wishes, just as firmly as their fat friends need to say “no” to forbidden extras. As in overweight, it is important first to include the essential foods in the day’s meals. These foods are necessary for maximum health, whether a person’s weight is too high, too low, or just right. Some underweight individuals whose food choices have been poor may find that they are able to gain merely by making sure that they include these foods in their diet. Others need to study ways to add extra calories. _Adding Extra Calories_ The simplest way is to eat more at each meal—extra bread and butter, and second helpings of everything. Often, however, underweight people seem to have a small stomach capacity. Therefore, additions of high-calorie foods which add little or no bulk are probably easier to take at first than trying to eat larger quantities. Such additions as cream on cereals and in beverages; extra eggs in puddings, salad dressings, and drinks; and butter or other fat used generously in salad dressings, cooking and seasoning should add enough calories to enable most people to gain weight. Also, provided they are added to regular meals and not used to replace them, the high-calorie foods listed on page 14 should be used freely by anyone trying to gain weight. If they do not interfere with eating enough at regular meals, between-meal snacks also help. So do extra milk and something to eat before going to bed. _Saving Energy_ The body uses fewer calories at rest than when active, and least of all during sleep. Therefore, any extra sleep or rest which an underweight person gets will help him to gain. Whatever energy can be saved during waking hours by riding instead of walking, sitting instead of standing, and relaxing as often as possible will add to the calories saved. A healthy person who decides to gain weight, and who sticks to his program of taking in more calories than he needs, and of spending as few as possible in needless physical activity, can be sure that sooner or later his efforts will meet with success. CALORIE TABLES FOOD MEASURES[4] CALORIES Almonds 12-15 100 Apple butter 1 tablespoon 40 Apples, baked 1 large and 2 tablespoons sugar 200 fresh 1 large 100 Applesauce, sweetened ½ cup 100 Apricots, canned in sirup 3 large halves and 2 tablespoons juice 100 dried 10 halves 100 Asparagus, fresh or 5 stalks 5 inches long 15 canned Avocado ½ pear 4 inches long 265 Bacon 2-3 long slices cooked 100 Bacon fat 1 tablespoon 100 Banana 1 medium 6 inches long 100 Beans, canned with pork ½ cup 130 dried ½ cup cooked 135 lima, fresh or canned ½ cup 100 snap, fresh or canned ½ cup 25 Beef corned 1 slice 4 inches by 1½ by 1 100 dried 2 thin slices 4 by 5 inches 50 hamburg steak 1 patty (4 to 5 per pound) 150 round, lean 1 medium slice (2 ounces) 100 sirloin, lean 1 average slice (3 ounces) 150 tongue 2 slices 3 inches by 2 by ⅛ 50 Beet greens ½ cup cooked 30 Beets, fresh or canned 2 beets 2 inches in diameter 50 Biscuits, baking powder 2 small 100 Blackberries, fresh 1 cup 100 Blueberries, fresh 1 cup 90 Bologna 1 slice 2 inches by ½ thick 100 Breads Boston brown 1 slice 3 inches in diameter, ¾ thick 90 corn (1 egg) 1 2-inch square 120 cracked wheat 1 slice average 80 dark rye 1 slice ½ inch thick 70 light rye 1 slice ½ inch thick 75 white, enriched 1 slice average 75 white, enriched 1 slice thin 55 whole wheat, 60% 1 slice average 70 whole wheat, 100% 1 slice average 75 Broccoli 3 stalks 5½ inches long 100 Brownies 1 piece 2 inches by 2 by ¾ 140 Brussels sprouts 6 sprouts ½ inch in diameter 50 Butter 1 tablespoon 95 Cabbage, cooked ½ cup 40 raw 1 cup 25 Cake angel ¹/₁₀ of a large cake 155 chocolate or vanilla, 1 piece 2 inches by 2 by 1 100 no icing chocolate or vanilla, 1 piece 2 inches by 1½ by 1 100 with icing cup cake with 1 medium 250 chocolate icing Cantaloupe ½ of a 5½-inch melon 50 Carrots 1 carrot 4 inches long 25 Cashew nuts 4-5 100 Cauliflower ¼ of a head 4½ inches in diameter 25 Caviar 1 tablespoon 25 Celery 2 stalks 15 Cheese American cheddar 1 cube 1⅛ inches square or three 110 tablespoons grated cottage 5 tablespoons 100 cream 2 tablespoons 100 Cherries, sweet 15 large 75 Chicken, broiled ½ medium broiler 100 roast 1 slice 4 inches by 2½ by ¼ 100 Chinese cabbage 1 cup raw 20 Chocolate almond bar 1 bar 5-cent size 200 fudge 1 piece 1 inch square by ¾ thick 100 malted milk fountain size 460 mints 1 mint 1½ inches in diameter 100 plain bar 1 bar 5-cent size 240 sirup ¼ cup 195 unsweetened 1 square 162 Cider, sweet 1 cup 114 Clams 6 round 100 Cocoa, half milk, half 1 cup 150 water Cocoanut 3 tablespoons dry 100 Cod liver oil 1 tablespoon 100 Cod steak 1 piece 3½ inches by 2 by 1 100 Cola soft drinks 6-ounce bottle 75 Collards ½ cup cooked 50 Cooking fats, vegetable 1 tablespoon 100 Corn ½ cup 50 Corn sirup 1 tablespoon 75 Cornflakes 1 cup 80 Cornmeal 1 tablespoon uncooked 35 Cornstarch pudding ½ cup 200 Crackers graham 1 square 40 peanut butter-cheese 1 cracker 45 sandwich round snack-type 1 cracker 2 inches in diameter 15 rye wafers 1 wafer 25 saltines 1 cracker 2 inches square 15 Cranberry sauce ¼ cup 100 Cream light 2 tablespoons 65 heavy 2 tablespoons 120 whipped 3 tablespoons 100 Cream-puff shells 1 shell 85 Cucumber ½ medium 10 Custard, boiled or baked ½ cup 130 Dates 4 100 Egg 1 medium size 75 Eggplant 3 slices 4 inches in diameter ½-inch 50 thick Endive average serving 10 Escarole average serving 10 Figs, dried 3 small 100 Flour, white or whole 1 tablespoon unsifted 35 grain Frankfurter 1 sausage 100 Gelatin, fruit flavored dry 3-ounce package 330 ready to serve ½ cup 85 Ginger ale 1 cup 85 Gingerbread, hot water 2-inch square 270 Grapefruit juice, 1 cup 100 unsweetened Grape juice ½ cup 80 Grape nuts ¼ cup 100 Grapes, American or Tokay 1 bunch—22 average 75 seedless 1 bunch—30 average 75 Griddle cakes 1 cake 4 inches in diameter 75 Halibut 1 piece 3 inches by 1⅜ by 1 100 Ham, lean 1 slice 4¼ inches by 4 by ½ 265 Hard sauce 1 tablespoon 100 Hickory nuts 12-15 100 Hominy grits ¾ cup cooked 100 Honey 1 tablespoon 100 Ice cream ½ cup 200 Ice cream soda fountain size 325 Jellies and jams 1 rounded tablespoon 100 Kale ½ cup 50 Lamb, roast 1 slice 3½ inches by 4½ by ⅛ 100 Lard 1 tablespoon 100 Lemon juice 1 tablespoon 5 Lettuce 2 large leaves 5 Liver 1 slice 3 inches by 3 by ½ 100 Liverwurst 1 slice 3¼ inches by ½ thick 100 Lobster meat 1 cup 150 Macaroni ¾ cup cooked 100 Maple sirup 1 tablespoon 70 Margarine 1 tablespoon 100 Marshmallows 1 20 Milk buttermilk 1 cup 85 condensed 1½ tablespoons 100 evaporated ½ cup (1 cup diluted) 160 skim milk, dried 2½ tablespoons 100 skim milk, fresh 1 cup 85 whole milk 1 cup 168 yogurt, plain 1 cup 160 Mints, cream ½ inch cube 5 Molasses 1 tablespoon 70 Muffins bran 1 medium 90 1 egg 1 medium 130 Mushrooms 10 large 10 Mustard greens ½ cup cooked 31 Noodles ¾ cup cooked 100 Oatmeal ¾ cup cooked 100 Oil (corn, cottonseed, 1 tablespoon 100 olive, and peanut) Okra 10-15 pods 50 Olives green 6 medium 50 ripe 4-5 medium 50 Onions 3-4 medium 100 Orange 1 medium 80 juice 1 cup 125 Oysters 5 medium 100 Parsnips 1 parsnip 7 inches long 100 Peaches canned in sirup 2 large halves and 3 tablespoons juice 100 dried 4 medium halves 100 fresh 1 medium 50 Peanut butter 1 tablespoon 100 Peanuts 10 50 Pears canned in sirup 3 halves and 3 tablespoons juice 100 fresh 1 medium 50 Peas canned ½ cup 65 fresh, shelled ¾ cup 100 Pecans 6 100 Pepper, green 1 medium 20 Pickles, cucumber sour and dill 10 slices 2 inches in diameter 10 sweet 1 small 10 Pies (sectors from 9-inch pies) apple 3-inch sector 200 lemon meringue 3-inch sector 300 mincemeat 3-inch sector 300 pumpkin 3-inch sector 250 Pineapple canned, unsweetened 1 slice ½ inch thick and 1 tablespoon 50 juice fresh 1 slice ¾ inch thick 50 juice, unsweetened 1 cup 135 Plums canned 2 medium and 1 tablespoon juice 50 fresh 2 medium 50 Popcorn 1½ cups popped 100 Popovers 1 popover 100 Pork chop, lean 1 medium 200 Potato chips 8-10 large 100 Potato salad with ½ cup 200 mayonnaise Potatoes mashed ½ cup 100 sweet ½ medium 100 white 1 medium 100 Prune juice ½ cup 100 Prunes, dried 4 medium 100 Pumpkin ½ cup 50 Radishes 5 10 Raisins ¼ cup 90 Raspberries, fresh 1 cup 90 Rhubarb, stewed and ½ cup 100 sweetened Rice ¾ cup cooked 100 Roll, Parker House 1 medium 100 Rutabagas ½ cup 30 Salad dressing boiled 1 tablespoon 25 French 1 tablespoon 90 mayonnaise 1 tablespoon 100 Salmon, canned ½ cup 100 Sardines, drained 5 fish 3 inches long 100 Sauerkraut ½ cup 15 Sherbet ½ cup 120 Soup, condensed 11-ounce can Bouillon 25 Mushroom 360 Noodle 290 Tomato 230 Vegetable 200 Spaghetti ¾ cup cooked 100 Spinach ½ cup cooked 20 Squash summer ½ cup cooked 20 winter ½ cup cooked 50 Strawberries, fresh 1 cup 90 Sugar brown 1 tablespoon 35 granulated 1 tablespoon 50 powdered 1 tablespoon 40 Sweetbreads 1 pair medium-sized 240 Swiss chard ½ cup leaves and stems 30 Tangerines 1 medium 60 Tapioca, uncooked 1 tablespoon 50 Tomato juice 1 cup 60 Tomatoes, canned ½ cup 25 fresh 1 medium 30 Tuna fish, canned ¼ cup drained 100 Turkey, lean 1 slice 4 inches by 2½ by ¼ 100 Turnip 1 turnip 1¾ inches in diameter 25 Turnip greens ½ cup cooked 30 Veal, roast 1 slice 3 inches by 3¾ by ½ 120 Waffles 1 waffle 6 inches in diameter 250 Walnuts 8 100 Watermelon 1 slice 6 inches in diameter 1½ 190 inches thick Wheat flakes ¾ cup 100 germ 1 tablespoon 25 shredded 1 biscuit 100 _Alcoholic Beverages_ Beer 8 ounces 120 Gin 1½ ounces 120 Rum 1½ ounces 150 Whiskey 1½ ounces 150 Wines champagne 4 ounces 120 port 1 ounce 53 sherry 1 ounce 38 table, red or white 4 ounces 89-95 FOOTNOTES [1]_These tables are based on numerous Medico-Actuarial studies of hundreds of thousands of insured men and women._ [2]A calorie is a measure of the amount of heat (energy) which the body can get from a given amount of food. [3]_See page 18 for list of Group I and II vegetables, and for lower-calorie fruits._ [4]_1 cup equals 8 ounces. 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon. 4 tablespoons equal ¼ cup._ Transcriber’s Notes —Silently corrected a few typos. —Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication. —In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_. *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 66226 ***