Background: This ESL podcast is a discussion about health and losing weight. Here we discuss about the topic of dieting while learning excellent daily phrases and vocabulary. Tell us what you think on the discussion forum linked below.
Discussion forum
Losing Weight
ESL Reading
|
|
Many people from all over the world are obsessed with their body weight. Many of those people wish to lose weight but are utterly clueless when it comes to how to lose it. They often try fad diets, weight loss pills, over-training, or a combination. These extreme measures are unhealthy and virtually impossible to maintain. These people often lose weight quickly at first, only to gain it all back and even more once they return to their normal lifestyle. Some people even develop illnesses such as anorexia. |
Phrases and Vocabulary used:
Obsessed – It means to put too much thought into something. If you are obsessed about something it means you are spending too much time thinking about it and worrying about it too much. You could say, “He’s obsessed with playing video games”. Or “She’s obsessed with her looks.” It’s used in a negative way. It doesn’t just mean, “pay a lot of attention to”, it means “pays too much attention too”.
Utterly – It means “completely”, “totally” or “100%”. Some examples are:
She’s utterly beautiful.
That idea is utterly stupid.
He is utterly unaware of the dangers of smoking.
Clueless – It means “having no knowledge about”.
He is utterly clueless about how to treat woman.
I’m clueless about computers.
My friend is absolutely clueless about how to save money.
Fad diets – A fad is something that becomes very popular or fashionable quickly, but is only popular for a brief period of time.
A diet is a plan for what someone can eat. Sometimes certain diets like, “seafood diets” or “No fat” diets become very popular with people for a while. Different diets are popular at different times. The USA often has a lot of fad diets.
Over-training – When someone exercises too much. They make themselves too tired and hurt from over-exercising. This is unhealthy and people often become sick from it.
Extreme measures – Here, a “measure” means an action taken to solve a problem. Extreme measures mean that the action taken is very serious and strict. If you get sick one time from eating chicken, and because of that you decide never to eat meat again, that is an extreme measure.
Virtually impossible – Here virtually means “almost”. Virtually is often used with the word impossible. To say something is impossible it means that there is absolutely 0% chance of something happening. It can’t happen. If you say virtually impossible it means that there is almost no chance of it happening, but maybe in some strange case it might happen.
Anorexia – an eating disorder where you don’t want to eat at all. Some people get this because they want to be really thin and they always think they are too fat. This is a very serious disorder and some people die from it.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Heh. Some people though are obsessed with how to gain weight
but certainly not from fat 
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:08 am
I don’t quite remember whether a grapefruit diet was mentioned in this podcast or another. Just post to say that I have just read about this diet in the John Berardie’s book “Scrawny to Brawny”. In Russian translated version of this book I read a year ago that diet wasn’t mentioned here.
October 26th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Hey Guys!
I’m from Brazil!
That’s a fantastic podcasts. You’re helping to improve my English.
Thank you!
January 19th, 2011 at 3:13 am
038 – Losing Weight… the player doesn’t work & the file isn’t downloadable
January 20th, 2011 at 1:26 am
a few of the older files seem to have disappeared from the place where the files were. I have contacted the company that has the files and will try and get them up as soon as I can.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:36 am
Awesome!! Thanks!!
September 4th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
It is the best time to make a few plans for the long run and it is time to be happy. I have learn this post and if I may I want to counsel you some fascinating issues or suggestions. Perhaps you can write next articles relating to this article. I wish to learn more issues about it!
October 6th, 2011 at 5:54 am
I used to be questioning if you could be all for becoming a guest poster on my blog? and in alternate you would put a hyperlink the put up? Please let me know whenever you get a chance and I will ship you my contact particulars thanks. Anyway, in my language, there arent much good supply like this.
February 7th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Terrific tutorial and suggestions. Looking onward to lose a few bodyweight. I’ll provide some feed back after i try this. Thank you!