make-believe.org

What did you call me?

Those of you who mistook the apparently subtle humour of my last post will be excited to learn that I am currently ranked #2 in the Google search results for big, fat and ugly. Only you can take me to #1, guys!

The rest of us will study how we might overcome such difficult personal problems under the tutelage of Mr Maurice White, editor of How to Succeed in a Man's World.

White on "How to lose weight"

Successful weight reduction means getting weight off and keeping it off. This is rarely easy. There are three important rules: 1. Do more. 2. Eat less. 3. Weigh daily.

Doctors today are putting more emphasis on Rule 1, because careful studies have shown that overweight people tend to be unduly sparing in energy output, especially those who have been overweight since childhood. This was well shown when a group of children were secretly filmed playing a ball game in a school yard. The lean children were more inclined to chase the ball, the overweight children were inclined to wait for the ball to come within reach. This is not simple laziness, but a difference in temperament and outlook. It can constitute a life-long problem. It very often leads us, for example, to choose an occupation requiring little energy output. This was shown by a study of the drivers and conductors of London's buses.

If you are overweight, it is important to look for ways of increasing your energy output. If you are young, choose an active rather than inactive job if you can. Play games regularly, walk don't ride, learn to do things the hard way. Wait on others, don't sit and let others wait on you.

Elsewhere, White begins his "Reducing Diet" with the following morning regimen:

On arising: Juice of 1 lemon in glass of water, or juice 1/2 grapefruit. Luke warm shower and brisk rub down with rough towel.

White on how to "Give Yourself a Manicure"

(from 101 Ways to acquire and develop a Good Appearance and a Winning Personality)

Although most men would shrug their shoulders at the thought of giving themselves a manicure, they would be well advised to pay reasonable attention to their nails. Good nail care is not only a question of cutting your nails regularly. How many men do not suffer at times from sore fingers, because they did not pay attention to the cuticle, with the result that the area around the nail started to crack and inflame?

For the manicure you need nail scissors or clippers, a bowl of warm, soapy water, a nail brush, orange stick, and cotton wool. If you want to be "manly", you can remove dead cuticle with a potato knife or the blunt side of the scissors, but if you want to be practical and efficient, buy yourself cuticle remover. Just say it is a little gift for your girl friend or fiancée. If you are married, there is no difficulty obtaining it; you just use your wife's.

Joseph | 25 Sep 2004