I can safely say that any up and around adult will reduce on 1200 calories, for that will not supply the basal metabolism, i.e., the body’s internal activities, such as the beating of the heart, respiration, digestion, excretion, etc., and some of the body’s stored fat will be called upon to supply the deficiency.  How much one will reduce depends on how many calories are actually needed for the internal and the external activities.  See pages 26 and 27.  It is not advisable to reduce too rapidly.  See page 85.

Now you have 1200 calories a day to eat.  Let us think of this in terms of money.  You have a limited amount of money every day to spend for food.  You must spend it judiciously and get the food you need and want.  If you spend the most of it on one article you have that much less for other things.  It is possible that some days you will want to spend more than your allowance and you draw on your next day’s supply.  That will be all right if you remember that you have done so and will spend that much less the next day to equalize your account.  You must study to spend wisely and carefully so as to supply your needs, but you cannot spend more than you have without restitution and retribution.  Here are the menus: 

BREAKFASTS

100 C. Each

1.  Fruit
2 med. apples or 1 baked apple with 2
tsps. sugar
or
1 large orange
or
1/2 large grapefruit
or
1 small cup berries
or
1/2 good sized cantaloupe
or
2 med. figs
or
5 prunes

2. 1 cup coffee or cereal coffee..  O
1 tbsp. cream..................50 C
2 small tsp. sugar.............50 C
or
2 cups with cream alone or
sugar alone
——­
Total...........................100 C

3. 10 ozs. skim milk hot or cold
or
5 ozs. whole milk.....................100 C

4. 1 cup coffee clear............. 0
1 thin slice toast.............75 C
1/4 pat butter.................25 C
——­
Total.............................100 C

Note—­The skim milk breakfasts and teas are most desirable because of the protein content.

TEAS

100 C. Each See lists for breakfasts.  Also could have: 

1. 1 cup tea with 1 tsp. sugar
1 slice lemon................25 C
3 soda crackers..............75 C
——­
Total....................................100 C

2. 2 small plain cookies
tea no cream or sugar...............100 C

3. 1 chocolate cream
1 cup tea or hot water
no cream or sugar...................100 C

* * * * *

The following combinations need not be followed arbitrarily.  You may change them around if you desire.  Look in the calorie lists for substitutes of the same classes of foods, if you do not like my combinations.  If you don’t care for the 100 C’s at tea time you may have that much more for dinner.