The Art of Stage Dancing Part 21

So believe me when I say that what I am about to put down here in black and white is not said for the fun of it nor for any other purpose but to enable every woman to increase her capital stock and secure the largest possible dividends in the beauty market.

The thin, slight, under-nourished woman will heed my words on this subject with satisfaction. Her procedure is pleasant and easy, comparatively. She can and will improve rapidly if she is determined to do so and will stick to what I tell her.

The "just right" woman wants to remain in her perfect form, and the words here printed will serve as a sign-post to direct her in the way that is best for the accomplishment of that desirable end. Her task is easiest of all.

The stout woman who would regain the more pleasing figure that nature intended she should have can do so if she will, but her inclination to indolence and indulgence must be overcome--by herself, not by anything anyone else can do for her--and she must make up her mind that she has a real task before her, and one that calls for all her will power and stern determination. And she must be patient, for in her case results are apt to be slow. But let her be encouraged: Some of the most admired women of the stage have experienced her same difficulty with too abundant flesh and have perfected themselves by this identical plan set forth here. So it has been done, and can be done in your case; but it all depends upon you, your zeal and your stick-to-it-iveness.

To see how your present weight conforms to the proper standard, I present here a table of average weights based on heights and age. In this table the weights are taken in scant costume, a single garment and no shoes. Any table of this kind can be only approximate, however, for the frame and general build vary in different people and the bone structure must be considered in fixing the weight.

STANDARD TABLE OF AVERAGE HEIGHTS AND WEIGHTS OF MEN AND WOMEN OF VARIOUS AGES

WOMEN

_Heights_ _Weights_

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 Ft. In. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs.

4 11 110 113 116 119 122 126 129 131 132 5 0 112 115 118 121 124 128 131 133 134 5 1 114 117 120 123 126 130 133 135 137 5 2 117 120 122 125 129 133 136 138 140 5 3 120 123 125 128 132 136 139 141 143 5 4 123 126 129 132 136 139 142 144 146 5 5 126 129 132 136 140 143 146 148 150 5 6 130 133 136 140 144 147 151 152 153 5 7 134 137 140 144 148 151 155 157 158 5 8 138 141 144 148 152 155 159 162 163 5 9 141 145 148 152 156 159 163 166 167 5 10 145 149 152 155 159 162 166 170 173 5 11 150 153 155 158 162 166 170 174 177 6 0 155 157 159 162 165 169 173 177 182

MEN

_Heights_ _Weights_

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 Ft. In. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs.

4 11 111 117 122 125 127 130 132 133 134 5 0 113 119 124 127 129 132 134 135 136 5 1 115 121 126 129 131 134 136 137 138 5 2 118 124 128 131 133 136 138 139 140 5 3 121 127 131 134 136 139 141 142 143 5 4 124 131 134 137 140 142 144 145 146 5 5 128 135 138 141 144 146 148 149 150 5 6 132 139 142 145 148 150 152 153 154 5 7 136 142 146 149 152 154 156 157 158 5 8 140 146 150 154 157 159 161 162 163 5 9 144 150 154 158 162 164 166 167 168 5 10 148 154 158 163 167 169 171 172 173 5 11 153 158 163 168 172 175 177 178 179 6 0 158 163 169 174 178 181 183 184 185 6 1 163 168 175 180 184 187 190 191 192 6 2 168 173 181 186 191 194 197 198 199 6 3 173 178 187 192 197 201 204 205 206

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRANCES WHITE]

Now first of all, weigh yourself and see how near you come to the standard, and take note how many pounds you have to add or subtract to reach the perfect mark. Weigh yourself at regular intervals, every Sunday or Monday, but weekly, if possible, and keep a record of your weights and the dates they are taken.

First I am going to direct the too thin as to the best method for them to put on flesh, fill out hollows, become symmetrical and graceful and pleasing to the eye.

HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT

1. If you are thin, have an examination by a competent physician to be sure you have no organic trouble, before you try to put on flesh.

2. Calm yourself. "Learn to accept the trivial annoyances and the small misfits of life as a matter of course. To give them attention beyond their deserts is to wear the web of your life to the warp."--Hubbard.

3. Exercise and air. Take at least 10 minutes of Ned Wayburn exercises every morning as soon as you get up. Begin with a small number of movements and increase gradually. Be in the open air as much as possible.

4. Sleep. Resistance is markedly lowered by a lack of sufficient sleep. Have a rest period during the day if possible. Do not sleep longer than eight hours. For every hour you are in bed over that time the fat piles on or else you are losing flesh.

5. Avoid unnecessary exertion. Don't talk too much. Delete the details. Never talk about your ailments except to your physician. You pay him to listen (or should).

6. Avoid tea, coffee and nicotine and other stimulants.

7. Masticate your food thoroughly and leave your troubles behind when you go to the table.

8. EAT. Stretch your stomach and train it to take care of more food.

You must eat three meals each day at regular intervals. They must consist of what your system requires and not just what tastes good on your palate. Never eat between meals. Give your digestive apparatus a chance to function as it should, three times daily, at the same time each day, always giving it an opportunity to rest as well.

9. EAT. Eat whether you enjoy it or not. You will enjoy it later.

Don't heed the advice that you should not eat as a matter of duty. You should.

10. EAT. But no second helpings.

I have seen printed advice never to eat unless you enjoy your food and to avoid eating as a mere duty. I tell you to discard that advice. Do eat whether you enjoy it or not, and do eat as a matter of duty.

Once the food is in your system, whether you like it or not, a large part of it will be a.s.similated. Perhaps not so well nor so readily, for we know that the enjoyment of food adds to the efficiency of the digestive juices.

There is a small bird called the ortolan, which is highly esteemed by the Italian gourmands. When it is fat it is very delicious, but as it feeds normally only once a day, when the sun rises, it naturally has no fat on it. So the Italians confine these birds in a darkened room and succeed in getting them to eat four or five times a day in the following manner:

They put a lantern at a little window in the room. The ortolans, thinking the sun has risen, hop around and eat. The lantern is withdrawn and they are left in darkness four or five hours. Now the lantern is again put in place. The ortolans, evidently an unsuspicious, guileless type of bird, thinking the sun has risen again to perform its duty by telling them it is time to eat, hop down from their perches and busy themselves very seriously and dutifully with their breakfast.

Apparently they do not keep track of time and do not suspect that only four hours of the 24 have elapsed. This same sun rises for them four or five times during the day and each time they obey its summons and gallantly eat. The result is that they are converted into little b.a.l.l.s of delicious fat.

You can get a lesson from these birds.

DIET TO INCREASE WEIGHT

Thick soups. Thick gravies. Plenty of b.u.t.ter and sugar.

_Fruits._ The best fruit to fatten is bananas, eaten slowly with cream and sugar. Any kind of stewed fruits, cooked with sugar. Orange juice, with plenty of sugar. Grapefruit, with plenty of sugar. Any kinds of berries, with plenty of cream and sugar.

_Cereals._ Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Corn Flakes. Avoid bran foods.

_Meats._ Anything fried is good. Roast beef, roast veal, roast pork, roast ham, veal chops, pork chops. No lamb. Must have steaks rare. Ham and eggs.

_Vegetables._ White potatoes, creamed, hashed, any kind of fried potatoes, sweet potatoes fried, mashed potatoes with b.u.t.ter. Beets are fattening boiled--not pickled. Spaghetti, macaroni, boiled onions, spinach, creamed, creamed carrots, lima beans, peas.

_Bread._ White bread, fresh bread, hot tea biscuits, plenty of b.u.t.ter.

_Pastries._ Pies, cakes, puddings, bread puddings, any sort of French pastry, and candy (in moderation).

_Beverages._ Sweet milk, cocoa, chocolate, malted milk. Perhaps one cup of coffee a day, not too strong, with plenty of cream. Weak tea with cream and sugar.

Keep your system well flushed. Drink plenty of water, about 45 ounces a day, say nine tumblerfuls. A gla.s.s of water before and after each meal, one in the middle of the morning, one in the afternoon, and another just before going to bed, are essential. This induces perspiration, which opens the pores and lets out the impurities, the worn out tissues, and keeps the system healthy, incidentally relieving the kidneys. Never take any liquids during a meal. This interferes with the work of the digestive juices and prevents the proper a.s.similation of the food.

There is no hardship involved in selecting one's meals from this extensive and comprehensive menu, and if proper eating were all that is necessary to perfect your figure the process would be a joy indeed.

But we are seeking to make you not only pleasant to look upon, but also physically adapted to a stage career, which means that vigor, strength, endurance, "wind" and flexibility are demanded as well, so, in order to accomplish both, we unite exercise to diet, and the combination of the right food and habits and the Ned Wayburn Foundation Technique brings about the direct result; you become shapely, graceful, strong, and accomplished in a great art, all as the result of the same instruction, and simultaneously.

NED WAYBURN'S DAILY MENUS FOR THE UNDERWEIGHT

MONDAY