Could fasting help you lose weight? 禁食能帮你减肥吗？

你听说过禁食这种节食法吗？什么是间歇性禁食？研究表明，这种节食法有助于控制血糖，且有可能降低患糖尿病的风险。它有哪些利弊？听本文围绕这些问题展开讨论，学习与节食有关的词汇。

词汇：dieting 节食

Most of us would agree that being healthy is important. We are inundated with articles in health magazines talking about the latest fad diets, or adverts¹ that offer potential miracle cures for obesity that are often too good to be true. One of the latest crazes is fasting, often referred to as intermittent² fasting. But what is it? And how can it help us to lose weight?

Fasting refers to a period of abstinence from consuming food. The idea of intermittent fasting is to reduce calories over a certain number of days or hours rather than a sustained³ period. It has been linked to longevity and generally improved health. It also helps those interested in keeping off the weight or dropping a few pounds. There are also different ways to fast. For example, in the 5:2 diet, you eat normally⁴ on five days of a week and reduce your calorie intake⁵ on the other two. Then there's a restricted-hours diet that sees people only eating during a limited part of the day, for example, over eight hours. But is it for everyone? Well, before we get to that, let's look at some of the possible benefits.

A study published on the National Library of Medicine website suggests that intermittent fasting may help with the control of blood sugar and potentially lower the risk of diabetes⁶. However, more research on this is needed. Other studies have claimed that some form of intermittent fasting may help to prevent some diseases⁷, aid with metabolism, slow the ageing process, support brain function, and help to shed weight.

And what about the downsides? Well, this diet is not for everyone. Fasting might not suit those who are underweight or with a long-term medical condition. Fasting may cause some people to experience symptoms such as headaches or make them prone to overeating after a reduced calorie intake day. As with many diets, it's always wise to speak to your doctor or weight loss professional before changing your eating habits. And, at the end of the day, it could just come down to what lifestyle choice suits you.

词汇表

inundate 使应接不暇
fad 一时的风尚
miracle cure 灵丹妙药
obesity 肥胖
too good to be true 好得令人难以置信，好到不像真的
craze 风靡一时的事物
intermittent fasting 间歇性禁食
abstinence 节制
consume 吃，喝
longevity 长寿
keep off the weight 保持体重
drop a few pounds 减重
intake 摄入量
blood sugar 血糖
metabolism 新陈代谢
ageing process 衰老的过程
brain function 大脑功能
shed weight 减重
underweight 过瘦的，体重不足的
prone to 有…倾向的，易于
overeat 过量饮食，吃得过饱