it can be cut down to any desired degree by
stopping the supply, a method that is not attended with any violence to
the constitution, nor even to comfort or power. This plan has the great
advantage of adding to the curative energy of disease as well; and more
than this, there is a change attending the loss that seems at first
phenomenal, as involving a physiological contradiction--there is an
actual increase in muscle-weight as the bloat and fat weight go down.

How is this, you ask? Here is the explanation: As the fat weight
increases by surplus food, so decrease the disposition and ability for
general exercise. As it declines, so do muscle and all the other
energies increase, and the use of muscle within physiological limit
tends to restore the normal weight and strength.

There are no overweights who would not receive the greatest benefit by a
fast that would diminish the pounds to that of the ripest maturity of
life, a fast that would be determined by the time required to reach the
desired number of pounds. As a means this method is available to all,
and practical where due physiological light will enable it to be carried
out with no starving concern to disable vital power.

As a general fact, the No-breakfast Plan has been attended by a highly
satisfactory reduction of surplus pounds; where there has been a failure
it has been due to such an increase of digestive power as really to add
to both an increase of the average amount of daily food and of power to
digest it. For instance, one of my fellow citizens, weighing not less
than three hundred and thirty pounds some years ago, gave up his morning
meals. This was attended with entire relief from frequent bilious
spells; but the average of daily food was increased and the business of
a barber did not add anything to muscle development. Finally from mere
excess of weight he became a prisoner to his house and yard, unable to
walk a square without the greatest difficulty; and yet there were two
enormous meals put into a stomach daily that did not complain, and the
weight increased until the three hundred and seventy-five pound notch
was nearly reached. He heard about the Rathbun fast, and I was able to
persuade him to come down to one light meal daily, and day after day
bonds were loosened. After a year there have been nearly seventy-five
pounds lost, and there is ability to labor and to walk several miles
daily.

Very many thin persons have gained as high as forty