The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-02-03
HOW TO REDUCE ~FLESH.
Special Course Of Simple Exercises
and Attention to Diet Work
Wonders.

Most persons who are too stout have
two peculiarities; they have good appe-
titles and a Discrimination for a great
amount of exercise, says William S.
Birge. M. D., in Good Housekeeping.
1t is said to be almost impossible for
anyone to accumulate large stock Of
adtpose tissue if really active exertion
In proper amount is made every day.
Stout people begin to exercise in va
rious ways, and are so possessed with
the idea that they wear themselves out
at the beginning; they are consequently
unable to continue; they drop back into
inactivity, on the plea that they really
cannot endure so much exertion
Many stout persons, women especially.
find Objectionable fatty tissue accumu-
lating about the waist line. 1t is this
fact that gives them the keen discom-
fort. A fat figure may be gotten rid OF
In very short time If the owner is will
Ing to make the effort. The important
point is to educate the muscles. Many
women seem to have no knowledge OF
the existence OF the abdominal muscles.
They have beet in the habit of trusting
to their corsets to keep them in condi-
ton, forgetting that the abdominal mus
cles have any part to play in the physi-
cal economy. To get rid of an unpleas-
ant bulkiness, it is necessary to go
through simple muscular movements
Spread on the floor Of the bedchamber
thick comfortable or blanket, and have
ready a small pillow to use in case of
need. Remove the clothing and put on
loose slip or nightdress Then lie
down on the blanket. If giddiness does
not result from placing the head fiat
on the floor, take this position. If it is
uncomfortable, use the pillow. When
all is ready, clasp the hands together
under the back of the head and straight
en- the body out, extending the muscles
OF the legs as straight as possible. Then
begin by taking long breaths; after this
try to contract the muscles of the abdo-
| men. At first maybe there will be no
effect perceptible, which is in itself the
most conclusive evidence of the need
of such exercise. Five minutes of effort
at the outset is all that is wise to take
"A~AAO~S 1A AASOA vol "a ACoI' IL LuCAc ID
abundance Of time, lie still on the blan-
ket for little while, put the feet close
together, keep the head nat on tie floor
and resting on the clasped hands, then
try to raise both feet at one time from
the blanket. Do not move the body;
simply life the feet if possible. Very
likely the attempt will prove failure.
l know a woman who tried Is times
before she was able to raise her feet six
inches from the floor. After the effort
has proved successful, release the hands
from under the head and let them rest
gently on the abdomen, then lift the feet
and observe the contraction of the mus
Giles under the hands; the higher the feet
are raised the more rigid these muscles
become.
AS soon as practice enables one to
contract these muscles readily, study the
structure Of the body and try to move all
| of the internal organs independently Of
each other. This is possible, and it is
surprising, indeed, how many muscles
will make themselves felt, muscles Of
which one never even suspected the
existence.
A few months Of this kind of training.
with a diet carefully selected and rea-
sonably restricted, will do wonders in
the way of reducing corpulence.