It is unwise to attempt a sudden reduction in weight. Profound nervous depression may be caused by too rapid reduction in people of nervous temperament, especially if they have long been overweight. By gradually modifying the diet and moderately increasing the exercise, the results can be obtained with mathematical precision and without undue hardship. It may be necessary to forego certain pet dietetic indulgences, but such indulgences, are, after all, a mere matter of habit and a liking for new forms of food can usually be acquired. One can not have the cake and penny too. One can not safely reduce one's weight by any mysterious method that will leave one at liberty to continue the indulgences, whether of sloth or of appetite, that are responsible for its accumulation. [Sidenote: Summary] The reduction of weight is really a very simple matter. No mysterious or elaborate "systems" or drugs are needed. If a reduction in the amount of energy food and an increase in the amount of exercise is made, no power on earth can prevent a reduction in weight. Even a sedentary worker uses up about 2,500 calories a day. By reducing the food to 1,200 calories (this can be done without decreasing its bulk) and increasing the exercise to the point of burning up 3,000 calories, the tissues are drawn upon for the difference, and a reduction in weight must be experienced just as surely as a reduction in a bank account is made by drawing checks on it. MEN--UNDER AVERAGE WEIGHT Experience of 43 American Companies Duration of Experience, 1885-1908 Number of Policyholders, 530,108[I] --------+------------------------------------------------------------- | Underweight, || Underweight, || Underweight, | 5 to 10 lbs. || 15 to 20 lbs. || 25 to 45 lbs. Ages |-------------------||---------+---------||---------+--------- at | Death | Death || Death | Death || Death | Death Entry. | Rate | Rate || Rate | Rate || Rate | Rate | Below | Above || Below | Above || Below | Above | Std.[J]| Std. || Std. | Std. || Std. | Std. --------+---------+---------||---------+---------||---------+--------- 20-24 | ... | 7% || ... | 15% || ... | 34% 25-29 | 1% | ... || ... | 8 || ... | 16 30-34 | ... | 4 || ... | 0 || ... | 8 35-39 | 9 | ... || ... | 3 || ... | 2 40-44 | 15 | ... || 13% | ... || 3% | ... 45-49 | 3 | ... || 1 | ... || 11 | ... 50-56 | 10 | ... || 8 | ... || 9 | ... 57-62 | 7 | ... || 18 | ... || 19 | ... --------+---------+--------------------+--------------------+--------- [I] Medico-Actuarial Mortality Investigation, Volume 11, page 10.