ESL之就医 13 Going on a Diet

13 Going on a Diet

GLOSSARY

scale – balance; a small device that one steps on to see how heavy one is; asmall machine that is used to weigh oneself* Is your bathroom scale in kilos or pounds?

to weigh – to find out how heavy something is; to find out how many kilos orpounds something is* Sheryl is too thin.  She’s almost six feet tall but she weighs only 115 pounds!

to gain – to get more of something; to increase in something* Many people gain weight during the holidays because they eat too much food.

diet – eating less food and/or eating healthier food to lose weight; eating fewercalories to lose weight* Jim is on a strange diet where he can eat only cabbage and grapefruit.

to shed – to get rid of something; to lose something; to reduce something* Fast runners can shed more than one pound of water every hour, so it’s important for them to drink a lot of liquids.

diet pill – a medicine that helps one lose weight, either by making one less hungry, or by making one’s body use more calories (energy)* This commercial says that the diet pills will help anyone lose 20 pounds in 5days, but I don’t believe it.

to take it easy – to do something in moderation; to not get too excited aboutsomething; to do something slowly and/or calmly* The car dealer said to take it easy with your new car by driving it slowly for thefirst 100 miles.

protein – something found in foods like meats, eggs, and beans that helps one’s body build muscle* How many grams of protein should people eat each day?

empty carb – a carbohydrate that has calories but little nutrition (vitamins,minerals, or fiber), such as white bread, white rice, candy, and sugar* If you want to eat fewer empty carbs, try eating whole wheat bread instead ofwhite bread.

yo-yo dieting – the practice of losing a few pounds, then gaining those pounds,then losing them again, and then gaining them again, over and over* Yo-yo dieting is frustrating and bad for our health.  Let’s talk about ways to loseweight and to keep it off.

exercise – physical activity; physical movement, usually done to lose weight orto have a healthy heart and body* The new government guidelines say that people are supposed to do at least 30minutes of exercise each day.

to fast – to not eat or drink anything for a period of time* Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan.

to come around to (something) – to begin to see things in a new way; to beginto share someone else’s opinion* I never used to like big cars, but now I’m coming around to Jorge’s idea ofbuying a truck.

weight-loss – one’s success in losing weight, so that one is less heavy than onewas before.

* Elijah’s weight-loss plan includes eating five fruits and vegetables, drinkingeight glasses of water, and riding his bicycle for 40 minutes every day.

to follow (one’s) example – to do what someone else is doing* I’m going to follow Terry’s example by saving 15% of the money I earn eachmonth.

love handles – the extra fat and skin on one’s sides, at the waist* My wife says she likes my love handles, but I’m going to get rid of them by exercising.

strenuous – vigorous and difficult; very active* If running is too strenuous, try walking quickly.

obese – very overweight; weighing too much; being too heavy; being unhealthily heavy* The doctor told Hank that he was very obese since he weighed almost 400pounds.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1. Why is Decima going on a diet? a) Because she is making a decision.

b) Because she wants to shed extra pounds.

c) Because she is getting some diet pills.

2. How did Sebastian’s wife lose 30 pounds?

a) By taking some diet pills.

b) By yo-yo-dieting for years.

c) By eating healthy foods and exercising.

______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

scaleThe word “scale,” in this podcast, means a small device that is used to weighoneself: “Take off your shoes and coat before you step on the scale.”  A “scale”

can also be used to weigh other things (not just people): “Please use the kitchenscale to weigh one pound of blueberries.”  The word “scale” also refers to thesize or importance of something, compared to what is normal: “The organizationhas a large-scale project that means working in more than 30 countries.”  A“scale” can be a system for measuring something: “On a scale from one to ten,how helpful are these podcasts?”  Or, “The pH scale is used to measure theacidity of liquids.”  On a fish or snake, a “scale” is one of the small, hard pieces that cover the body: “The snake has yellow and black scales that protect it fromother animals.”

to shedIn this podcast, the verb “to shed” means to get rid of something: “Ursula lookedmuch younger after she shed her long hair for a shorter haircut.”  The verb “toshed” can also mean for something to fall off in nature: “The trees shed theirleaves in the fall.”  Or, “The cat is shedding, so there is hair all over the sofa.” The phrase “to shed tears” means to cry: “They shed some tears when they saidgoodbye.”  The phrase “to shed light on (something)” means to explainsomething so that it is easier to understand: “They asked the professor to shedlight on his research project.”  Finally, as a noun, a “shed” is a small building thatis used to store things when they are not being used: “We keep the children’s bicycles and other outdoor toys in the shed.”

CULTURE NOTEObesity is a big problem in the United States.  According to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, which is part of the U.S. Department of Healthand Human Services, “approximately” (about) 66% of U.S. adults are overweightor obese.  The agency also “states” (says) that approximately 17% of U.S.

children and teenagers are overweight.

Why are so many Americans overweight?  Part of the answer is “genetic,” orrelated to the “genes,” or biological code, that is received from one’s parents. These genes can affect how much energy our bodies use and how we store fat. But a bigger reason for America’s obesity problems is “behavioral,” or related tothe things that people do and don’t do.

Americans are eating more food than they used to.  “Portion sizes” (the amountof food that is served at one meal) are growing.  And the food that Americans eattoday has more “calories” (energy) than it used to.  “Fast food restaurants” and“pre-packaged food” are very popular because they require little or no cooking,but they aren’t as healthy as traditional foods are.

Another behavioral “factor” in (reason for) America’s obesity problem is thatAmericans aren’t getting as much exercise as they used to.  Most Americans liketo drive instead of walk.  They often sit at their desks at work all day, and then siton their couches watching TV in the evening, with little exercise.

People who are overweight or obese have a higher “probability” (chance) ofhaving health problems like heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes.  “Consequently”

(for this reason), the U.S. government believes that obesity is a national problemand it has many programs to try to help Americans lose weight.  Unfortunately,the programs haven’t succeeded yet and Americans continue to get heavier.

______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers:  1 – b; 2 – c

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 291: Going on aDiet.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 291.  I'm your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Remember to visit our website at eslpod.com.  You can take a look at our ESLPodcast Store, which has some interesting premium courses.  You can alsodownload a Learning Guide for this episode.

Our episode is called “Going on a Diet.”  Let's get started!

[start of story]

Decima:  My scale at home can’t be right.  I weighed myself this morning and I’vegained another five pounds since last month!   Sebastian:  You’re not the only one.  My pants are feeling tight and it’s gettingharder to see my feet!

Decima:  Okay, I’m making a decision right here, right now.  I’m going on a diet,and I’m going to do whatever it takes to shed these extra pounds.  Right afterwork I’m going to the drugstore for some diet pills. Sebastian:  You’ll want to take it easy with those pills.  My wife took some dietpills last year and she did lose some weight, but she gained it right back.  Shefound it was better to eat right by getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, and toeat more low-fat protein and fewer empty carbs.  The truth is, she had been yoyo dieting for years until she changed her diet and started exercising. Decima:  Oh, no.  Not exercise.  I hate exercising.  I’d rather fast than go to agym. Sebastian:  That’s how I feel, but I’m starting to come around to my wife’s thinking.  Working out helped her with her 30-pound weight-loss earlier this yearand she’s kept it off.  I may follow her example so I can get rid of these lovehandles.

Decima:  What kind of exercise are you thinking about?

Sebastian:  Nothing too strenuous.  I’m thinking of walking before work everyday and maybe taking a walk at lunchtime.

Decima:  I suppose I could start with some walking.  Maybe I’ll join you for yourlunchtime walk.  If I don’t do something soon, I’ll be obese in a few months.

Sebastian:  No, you won’t, but you’re welcome to join me.  When should westart?  Today?

Decima:  Today?  No, not today.  Let’s start tomorrow.   Sebastian:  All right.  We’ll start tomorrow, then.

[end of story]

Our dialogue begins with Decima saying, “My scale at home can’t be right.”  My “scale” (scale) refers to a small machine, a small device, that you step on to seehow heavy you are or how heavy something is.  If you are trying to lose weight,you may want to start by finding out how much you weigh right now; if you stepon a scale, you can see.  If you're like me, and you don't want to know becauseyou do not want to be depressed, then you'd want to stay away from the scales! But, Decima wants to lose weight.  She says, “I weighed myself this morning andI’ve gained another five pounds since last month!”  “To weigh something” means to find out how heavy it is – how many kilos or pounds it is.  “To gain” means toget more of something.  We use that verb in talking about weight: “He gainedweight,” or, “He lost weight.”  I usually gain weight!

Sebastian then says, “You’re not the only one,” meaning “You're not the only person who has gained weight recently.”  He says, “My pants are feeling tightand it’s getting harder to see my feet!”  He means that his stomach – the middleof his body is getting bigger so his pants are getting tight – they don't fit, they'retoo small.  It's getting hard to see his feet because his stomach – what we wouldprobably call his “belly” (belly), which is just another word for stomach – is too bigfor him to look down and see his feet.  Fortunately, I can still see my feet when Ilook down!

Decima says, “Okay, I’m making a decision right here, right now,” meaningimmediately: “…right here, right now.  I’m going on a diet,” she wants to eat less food or eat different food so she can lose weight.  She says she's “going to dowhatever it takes to shed (shed) these extra pounds.”  “To shed” means to get ridof something, we often to use it in talking about pounds: “I'm going to shed a few pounds” – I'm going to get rid of a few pounds.  That word has a few othermeanings in English as well; take a look at our Learning Guide for an additionalexplanation.

Decima says that she's “going to the drugstore,” the pharmacy, “for some dietpills.”  “Diet pills” are little things that you swallow; a “pill” is something that is usually medicine – a drug.  In this case, it's a drug to help you lose weight.  Youcan go to many drug stores and pharmacies in the United States and buy pills that are supposed to help you lose weight.  In fact, many of these things don'thelp at all, probably most of them.  But they're very popular because it seems likean easy way to lose weight; you just take a pill.

Sebastian says, “You’ll want to take it easy with those pills.”  “To take it easy”

means not to get too excited or to go slowly – to do something in moderation, wewould say, not too much.  He says that “My wife took some diet pills last year andshe did lose some weight, but she gained it right back,” she lost it and then shegained it again.  He says that his wife “found it better to eat right,” or correctly,“by getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, and to eat more low-fat protein andfewer empty carbs.” “Low-fat” means not a lot of fat, still some fat but not much.  “Protein” is foodssuch as meat, eggs, beans; all these have protein.  It's a kind of food.  A “carb”

stands for “carbohydrate.”  It's a different kind of food; white bread, rice, sugarare all carbohydrates.  We usually abbreviated that by saying “carbs.”  “Empty carbs” are carbohydrates, sometimes called “simple carbohydrates,” like whitebread, white rice, sugar.  You can also have “complex carbohydrates,” things likebrown rice, for example, or whole wheat bread.

Well, Sebastian says that his wife has “been yo-yo dieting for years.”  “Yo-yo”

(yo-yo) is a type of toy.  You have a string around your finger, and around a disk that goes up and down, that's a yo-yo; it goes up and down.  “Yo-yo dieting”

means that you lose some pounds, then you gain some pounds, then you losesome pounds, and then, two months later, you gain them back, and so forth.  So,it's repeatedly losing and gaining back weight: “yo-yo dieting.”

Sebastian suggests that Decima start to exercise, and Decima says, “No.  Notexercise,” meaning not physical activity or physical movement, that's exercise. She doesn't want to do that, she says, “I hate exercising.  I’d rather,” meaning Iwould prefer to, “fast than go to a gym.”  She doesn't want to exercise at a gym,she says she would “rather fast.”  “To fast,” as a verb, means not to drink or eatanything for a certain period of time.  If you are going in for some medical examinations, sometimes you have to fast – not eat food for 12 hours or 24 hours before your appointment.

Sebastian says that he does not like to exercise either, but he's starting to comearound to his wife's thinking.  “To come around to something” means to begin tosee things in a new or different way, to begin to think like someone else.  “I'mcoming around to your way of thinking” means I'm beginning to agree with you, tosee things the way you do.

“Working out,” Sebastian says, helped his wife “with her 30-pound weight-loss.” “Weight-loss” is the amount or your success in losing weight.  Sebastian says, “Imay follow her example so I can get rid of these love handles.”  “To followsomeone's example” means to do what someone else is doing.  “Love handles”

is an informal expression; it refers to extra fat and skin at your waist – aroundyour waist where your belly is.  The word “handle” (handle) usually means something that you grab onto, something that you hold onto with your hands.

Sebastian says he's not going to do anything “too strenuous.”  Something that is “strenuous” (strenuous) is something that is difficult or is something that is very active.  Jogging can be very strenuous; walking is less strenuous.

Decima says, “f I don’t do something soon, I’ll be obese in a few months.”  “To beobese” (obese) means to be very overweight – to weigh too much.  This is a bigproblem in the United States; some people say that as much as 30% of the U.S.

population is overweight.  Many of them are obese, they're really overweight. Maybe we should exercise more and eat a little less.

Now let's listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of story]

Decima:  My scale at home can’t be right.  I weighed myself this morning and I’vegained another five pounds since last month!   Sebastian:  You’re not the only one.  My pants are feeling tight and it’s gettingharder to see my feet!

Decima:  Okay, I’m making a decision right here, right now.  I’m going on a diet,and I’m going to do whatever it takes to shed these extra pounds.  Right afterwork I’m going to the drugstore for some diet pills.  

Sebastian:  You’ll want to take it easy with those pills.  My wife took some dietpills last year and she did lose some weight, but she gained it right back.  Shefound it was better to eat right by getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, and toeat more low-fat protein and fewer empty carbs.  The truth is, she had been yoyo dieting for years until she changed her diet and started exercising. Decima:  Oh, no.  Not exercise.  I hate exercising.  I’d rather fast than go to agym. Sebastian:  That’s how I feel, but I’m starting to come around to my wife’s thinking.  Working out helped her with her 30-pound weight-loss earlier this yearand she’s kept it off.  I may follow her example so I can get rid of these lovehandles.

Decima:  What kind of exercise are you thinking about?

Sebastian:  Nothing too strenuous.  I’m thinking of walking before work everyday and maybe taking a walk at lunchtime.

Decima:  I suppose I could start with some walking.  Maybe I’ll join you for yourlunchtime walk.  If I don’t do something soon, I’ll be obese in a few months.

Sebastian:  No, you won’t, but you’re welcome to join me.  When should westart?  Today?

Decima:  Today?  No, not today.  Let’s start tomorrow.   Sebastian:  All right.  We’ll start tomorrow, then.

[end of story]

The script for this podcast was written by Dr. Lucy Tse. From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan.  Thanks for listening.  We'll seeyou next time on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan.  This podcast is copyright 2007.