HOW FITNESS IS ATTAINED

     Plenty of physical exercise, fresh air, sufficient sleep, frequent bathing, three well-balanced meals a day, erect carriage and comfortable clothing will help to make you strong and well.

     Exercise.-- To keep physically fit, exercise regularly every day of the year.  Many forms of exercise are enjoyable as well as beneficial.  Walking to and from school or office, "hiking," skating, canoeing and swimming are excellent forms of outdoor exercise.  Games, such as basket ball, volley ball, hockey and tennis, stimulate both mind and body and are enjoyable sports.  The blood tends to flow to the part of the body that is used and gradually strengthens the otherwise weak and flabby muscles.  Girls who sit in offices, work in factories, or spend the day in the schoolroom are using only a part of their bodies.  They need to make special effort to exercise the unused muscles during leisure hours.

     Fresh air and sleep.-- You should always insist upon working in well-ventilated rooms.  Spend some time each day in the open air.  By sleeping in a room with the various windows open, much fresh air is secured without special effort.

     Sleep rests the brain and relaxes the muscles.  A growing girl needs from 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 of sleep every night.  Older girls may find that they can keep well with somewhat less.

     Bathing.-- Many impurities are cast off by the body through the pores of the skin.  In order to keep these pores open and clean, frequent baths with soap and warm water are necessary.  The best way to bathe is to take a warm bath followed by a cold shower or sponge and a brisk rub with a coarse towel.  A cold bath is excellent for you, if after the rubdown it leaves your body warm and glowing and is followed by a feeling of general well-being.

     What to eat.-- A vigorous body demands wholesome food, eaten regularly.  three meals a day are sufficient.  They should include fruits and vegetables, either fresh or canned; cereals including bread, especially whole-wheat and corn bread; butter, eggs and milk; a moderate amount of simple desert.  Meat once a day is sufficient.

     Proper food, at least eight glasses of water a day, plenty of exercise, and care in keeping the bowels emptied each day will prevent constipation.  If waste material in the bowel is not removed, it will generate poisons which are likely to damage the entire system.

     Erect Posture.-- Not only unattractiveness but also headaches and disturbances of the digestive system and breathing organs may be due to slouching positions which crowd the lungs, stomach, and intestines.  The essentials of a good standing position  are to "stand tall" -- chest up, not out -- the back touching an imaginary straight line.  The feet should be parallel, with toes pointing straight forward.  Aside form all questions of health, the erect girl who carries herself with ease and grace inspires, by her very appearance, the confidence of her employer or teacher and her friends.

   Clothing.-- Clothes should be loose fitting, warm and light, and should hang from the shoulders, which have a bony frame and are well able to carry the weight.  Avoid extremes of fashion, particularly in shoes.  For street wear at least those with low heels will prove attractive as well as practical.  The body needs a level foundation upon which to stand.