《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》35 Weight Loss Myths

　　Unit 35

Weight Loss Myths

Dieting and weight loss is a subject filled with myths, half-truths and inaccuracies. Here are some of the more common fallacies about losing weight.

Myth 1. Being Overweight is Unhealthy: Being overweight may be unfashionable but it's not necessarily unhealthy. Indeed there is evidence that people who are up to 15 pounds overweight actually live longer than those of normal weight. it is only when we become seriously overweight or "obese 1" that our health begins to suffer. Another important factor is where we carry our excess weight. For example, an obese man who carries his excess weight around his middle is more vulnerable to disease than an obese man whose excess weight is distributed more widely.

Myth 2. Losing Weight Means eating Small Portions: We are all brainwashed into thinking that losing weight or dieting means eating tiny portions. But it's not true, because some foods contain a lot more calories than others. For example, one small pastry 2 can be higher in calories than a whole plateful of chicken, potatoes and vegetables. Losing weight means eating fewer calories than we need. However, by choosing foods which are low in calories (and taking regular exercise) we can often lose weight WITHOUT eating less. In fact, sometimes we can actually eat MORE.

Myth 3. We can Lose Weight From Specific Parts of Our Body: Nonsense. When we start a weight loss plan, our body burns fat from all available fat stores, not just from particular parts. We cannot control this process. If a diet claims to help you lose weight from your thighs 3 only, don't believe it!

Myth 4. Some People Are Fat Even Though They Eat Next to Nothing: Each of us uses up calories at a slightly different rate, according to our metabolic 4 rate. Also, certain foods are very calorie-dense. So even though we eat like a sparrow, we can still weigh like a hippo! Also, studies suggest that when we are overweight we tend to underestimate our calorie intake 5. Unless we are in a specific medical condition, the reason we become overweight is because we are eating more calories than we use. The unused calories are then stored as fat.

Myth 5. Late Night Eating Leads to Weight Gain: Our body metabolises food in the same way, whether it's midday or midnight. It's not WHEN you eat that counts -- it's WHAT your eat. So although eating high-calorie foods like cookies, ice cream and cakes in front of the TV can lead to weight gain, this is because of the high-calorie nature of the foods, not because it's late in the evening.

Myth 6. People are Overweight Because They Don't Exercise: Lack of exercise is a contributory factor to a general rise in weight. However, in view of the fact that you need to walk 80 kilometers (50 miles) to lose 1 pound of fat, it's clear that exercise (or lack of it) does not have a big direct influence on our weight. Over-reliance on exercise alone for weight loss is not a good idea. The single biggest cause of obesity 6 is bad eating habits.