你的身邊有熱愛運動健身的人嗎？鍛煉身體固然對健康有益，但有些人卻過分地沉迷于此。本期節目討論是否有運動過量一說，以及為什么一些業余運動愛好者會癡迷健身。

詞匯：fitness 健康

Do you like to keep fit? We’re always told that regular exercise is good for our body and mind. More and more people are taking up activities that improve their fitness. But is there a risk some of us might get obsessed and overdo it?

Well, for some people, fitness has become an obsession as they aim for perfection. And fitness trackers and apps can add to this addiction, especially if someone is driven by achievement and perfectionism. And sharing data on social media means exercising becomes public and competitive, which could cause problems in someone who is vulnerable.

Experts say this can lead to a medical condition called orthorexia nervosa, or addiction to ‘healthy’ eating and over-exercise. Untreated, it can lead to malnutrition and mental health complications. According to a BBC Worklife article: “Research from scientists at University College London in 2017 found that higher Instagram usage was associated with increased likelihood of developing orthorexia, especially among followers of the ‘healthy eating’ influencers.”

Too much exercise can also take its toll on someone’s physical health as well. Symptoms of over-exercising include injuries such as stress fractures, tendinitis and a low immune system. So how much exercise is too much? Research by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found the ideal pace to jog was about eight kilometres per hour – and that it was best to jog no more than three times a week or for 2.5 hours in total, showing that moderate jogging is possibly more beneficial than being inactive or undertaking strenuous jogging.

If you’re more of a couch potato than a sprinter, this might sound like good news. But for amateur athletes who can’t help but push their bodies to the limit, the advice from Martin Turner, a sports and exercise psychologist, is, “it’s all about letting go, not being obsessed, learning not to control everything, saying, ‘You don’t need to be perfect.’”   

詞匯表

keep fit 健身，保持健康
exercise 運動，鍛煉
obsession 癡迷，念念不忘的事情
perfection 完美
fitness tracker 健身追蹤器
addiction 上癮，沉溺
achievement 成績，成就
perfectionism 完美主義
competitive 有競爭性質的
orthorexia nervosa 健康食品強迫癥
malnutrition 營養不良
take its toll 造成傷害
stress fracture 疲勞性骨折，應力性骨折
tendinitis 肌腱病變，肌腱炎
low immune system 免疫力低下
jog 慢跑
inactive 不活動的
strenuous 費力的，劇烈的
couch potato 喜歡窩在沙發上看電視的人
sprinter 短跑運動員
amateur 業余的
to the limit 最大限度地，到極限
letting go 放下，不再想

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What is thought to add to people’s fitness addiction?

2. When might healthy eating and over-exercise lead to malnutrition and mental health complications?

3. True or false? According to research, being inactive is better for you than moderate jogging.

4. Which verb used in the article relates to athletes doing something to their body’s limit?

5. Who might prefer to hear the news that it’s best to jog no more than three times a week or for 2.5 hours in total?

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. My boyfriend strives for physical _______ and spends hours at the gym.

perfect                          perfection                      perfecting                 perfections

2. After being _______ for a few days, my legs have seized up, and now it’s hard to walk.

strenuous                     keep fit                           addiction                  inactive

3. I’m test-driving a new sports car, and I’m going to push it _______.

to a limit                       to the limit                       in the limit                at the limit

4. Too much eating and drinking at Christmas has _______ – I’ve put on so much weight!

taking its toll                 take it tolls                      taken my toll            taken its toll

5. Learning how to speak a new language fluently in just a few months is a great _______.

malnutrition                  achievement                   perfection                 amateur

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。  

1. What is thought to add to people’s fitness addiction?
Fitness trackers and apps can add to the addiction of exercising.

2. When might healthy eating and over-exercise lead to malnutrition and mental health complications?
If untreated, it can lead to malnutrition and mental health complications.

3. True or false? According to research, being inactive is better for you than moderate jogging.
False. Research suggested that moderate jogging is possibly more beneficial than being inactive or undertaking strenuous jogging.

4. Which verb used in the article relates to athletes doing something to their body’s limit?
The word is ‘push’. “Amateur athletes who can’t help but push their bodies to the limit…”

5. Who might prefer to hear the news that it’s best to jog no more than three times a week or for 2.5 hours in total?
If you’re more of a couch potato than a sprinter, this might sound like good news.

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. My boyfriend strives for physical perfection and spends hours at the gym.

2. After being inactive for a few days, my legs have seized up, and now it’s hard to walk.

3. I’m test-driving a new sports car, and I’m going to push it to the limit. 

4. Too much eating and drinking at Christmas has taken its toll – I’ve put on so much weight!

5. Learning how to speak a new language fluently in just a few months is a great achievement.