In an endless stream of health and wellness content， it can be easy to fall for the promise of quick fixes. From restrictive diets that guarantee rapid weight loss to “fat-burning” supplements backed by influencers， these trends gain viral popularity despite little scientific evidence to back them. Far from harmless， some of these misconceptions may negatively impact your health. We spoke with registered dietitians to debunk1 the most common myths about weight loss and what you should know instead.
健康养生资讯层出不穷，人们容易被速效解决方案忽悠。从保证快速减重的极端节食法，到网红推荐的“燃脂”补充剂，这些风潮虽缺乏科学依据，却得到病毒式传播。这些错误观念绝非无害，还可能危害健康。我们请教了几位注册营养师来澄清最常见的减肥误区，告诉大家真相到底是什么。
Myth #1： Carbs make you gain weight
误区一：吃碳水会发胖
Many diets encourage eliminating carbohydrates2， claiming that skipping carbs will help you lose weight fast. But registered dietitians know better.
很多减肥方法鼓吹戒除碳水化合物，称这样有助于快速瘦身，但注册营养师们并不这么认为。
The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming 45 to 65% of daily energy intake from carbohydrates， which gives you enough energy to live your best life.
《美国居民膳食指南（2020—2025）》建议，每日能量摄入的45%—65%应来自碳水化合物，这样才能为身体提供充足能量，保持最佳生活状态。
“Cutting out carbs might lead to short-term changes， but it often triggers cravings， low energy and feeling out of control around food，” explains Marissa Beck， M.S.， RDN.
注册营养师玛丽萨·贝克（理学硕士）说：“戒断碳水化合物短期内有效，但经常诱发饥饿感，让人没精打采，而且容易暴饮暴食。”
Eliminating carbs may also cause nutritional imbalances–if you’re not eating carbs， you’ll have to replace them with more fat and protein. Eating too much fat and protein from high-fat animal products may increase your risk of developing high cholesterol3 and insulin resistance4.
戒除碳水还会导致营养不均衡——不吃主食就得用更多脂肪和蛋白质代替碳水。摄入过多高脂肪动物制品和蛋白质会增加高胆固醇血症及胰岛素抵抗风险。
Myth #2： The faster you lose weight， the better
误区二：瘦得越快越好
We live in a world of instant gratification， so it makes sense that you may want immediate weight loss results and will often go to great lengths to get them.
身处即时满足的时代，为了收到立竿见影的减肥效果，人们往往什么极端方法都愿意试，这也有情可原。
“Rapid weight loss often means losing water and muscle mass， not just fat. It can also slow your metabolism， making it harder to maintain that new weight long-term，” Beck explains. “Many people regain the weight they lost—and sometimes more—because their body is trying to recover from what it perceives as a threat.”
“快速减重往往会减掉水分和肌肉，而不只是脂肪；还会减缓新陈代谢，更难长期维持新体重。”贝克解释道，“很多人后来不但反弹，还比原来更胖，因为身体正试图从感知到的威胁中复原。”
The National Institutes of Health （NIH） emphasizes gradual， sustainable behavior changes for effective weight loss， long-term health and prevention of weight cycling， which has been associated with increased risks of heart disease， insulin resistance and other metabolic issues.
美国国家卫生研究院强调，循序渐进且可持续的行为改变才能有效减重、维持长期健康并预防体重反复波动——体重忽高忽低与心脏病、胰岛素抵抗和其他代谢问题风险升高相关。
To counter these risks， Beck says she focuses on sustainable habits that help people feel better about their bodies， regardless of what the scale says. While sustainable eating behavior changes might not make the weight come off quickly， “you will retain muscle and support a healthier metabolism， better energy levels and long-term weight stability，” Beck tells EatingWell.
为消除这些风险，贝克在工作中注重帮客户建立可持续的健康习惯，让客户对自己的身体更满意，而不是只盯着体重秤上的读数。贝克接受“饮食健康”网站采访时说，虽然可持续的饮食行为改变不大能立竿见影地减重，“但能保持肌肉量，使新陈代谢更健康，提升能量水平并实现长期体重稳定”。
Myth #3： You need to track every calorie and macro
误区三：必须精确计算卡路里和营养成分
“While food tracking can bring short-term awareness to what you’re eating， it often disconnects people from their natural hunger and fullness cues，” says Beck. “Obsessively counting calories or macros can increase anxiety around food and lead to burnout. Success comes from building flexible habits and learning to trust your body again， not from micromanaging what you eat，” she adds.
“虽然记录饮食短期内能让人更清楚自己吃了什么，但容易让人忽视身体的饥饿和饱腹信号。”贝克说，“执着于计算卡路里和宏量营养素会加剧饮食焦虑，导致心力交瘁。减肥成功源自培养弹性习惯并学会重新信任自己的身体，而不是对饮食进行细节管控。”
“Your body burns energy differently depending on your metabolism， the food you eat and the amount of physical activity you do. You could eat the same calories as someone else and have completely different outcomes，” says Devyn Goodman， M.S.， RDN. A 2020 study found that intuitive eating， which focuses on internal hunger and fullness cues， reduces food-related anxiety and disordered eating compared to rigid tracking， promoting a healthier relationship with food.
营养师德文·古德曼（理学硕士）说道：“能量消耗方式因人而异，取决于人体的新陈代谢机制、饮食结构和活动量。你可能摄入的卡路里跟别人一样但得到的结果大相径庭。”2020年的一项研究发现，直觉饮食法——专注于内在饥饱信号——比刻板地记录饮食更能缓解饮食焦虑和饮食紊乱，从而与食物建立更健康的关系。
Instead of tracking， Goodman recommends being mindful of portion sizes and aiming for balance and variety. “This is more attainable and sustainable for most people，” she explains.
古德曼建议大家把握好每餐分量，追求营养均衡和多样化饮食：“这种方法比较容易做到，也更可持续。”
Myth #4： You have to cut out entire food groups to lose weight
误区四：减肥就得戒断某类食物
Whether it’s carbs， fat， dairy or gluten5， if a diet promises weight loss by eliminating whole food groups， that’s your cue to run for the hills6. “Cutting out foods is one of the quickest ways people get stuck in a cycle of restriction and rebound eating，” says Beck. “Your body is designed to protect you from starvation， and in the long term， this approach might damage your relationship with food and make sustainable weight changes much more challenging to achieve，” she adds.
不管是戒碳水、戒脂肪、戒奶制品还是戒麸质，凡是承诺戒除某类食物就能减肥的饮食法，都要小心避免。贝克说：“戒断是让人陷入‘限制—反弹’饮食循环最快的一种方式。人体天生有防饥饿机制，长期这样做会破坏你与食物的关系，更难实现可持续减重。”
“All food groups have a purpose and can align with any health goal，” says Brianna Archangeli， RDN. “I tell my clients that balance means eating what you want and adding what you need，” she adds. For example， if you’re craving chocolate， eat a small handful of dark chocolate-covered almonds paired with a sliced apple. The chocolate satisfies the sweet tooth， almonds provide protein and healthy fats， and the apple adds fiber and vitamins.
营养师布里安娜·阿尔钱杰利表示：“所有食物类别都有其作用，可与某个健康目标契合。我常跟客户说，饮食均衡就是既吃想吃的，也补充身体需要的。”比如馋巧克力的时候，可以吃一小把黑巧克力杏仁佐以苹果切片——巧克力满足嘴瘾，杏仁提供蛋白质和有益健康的脂肪，苹果补充纤维和维生素。
Myth #5： the scale is the only indicator of health
误区五：体重秤读数是健康的唯一指标
It’s easy to fixate on the number on the scale as the ultimate measure of health， especially when weight loss is a goal， but this narrow focus can be misleading. “The scale doesn’t show some of the less-noticeable changes that are happening below the surface—those that are not seen outwardly at first，” explains Archangeli. The scale can go in either direction depending on many factors such as fluid shifting， phase of menstrual cycle， changes in muscle mass and bowel movements. These fluctuations can create a false sense of failure， overshadowing meaningful health improvements.
人们很容易把秤上的数字当成健康的终极指标——以减肥为目标时尤其如此——但这种狭隘关注有误导性。阿尔钱杰利说：“体重秤显示不了表象之下不太明显的变化——那些一眼看不出来的内在改变。”体重秤读数会受许多因素影响上下浮动——体液迁移、生理期、肌肉增减、排便情况等等。这类波动可能让人误以为减肥失败，掩盖了真正的健康改善。
“A better goal is to focus on non-scale victories， like feeling stronger or lowering blood pressure，” Achangeli recommends. Maybe you’re sleeping better， perhaps you have more energy， or maybe you’re able to walk longer distances without feeling winded7. These non-scale victories are important indicators of health and certainly worth celebrating.
“更明智的目标是关注体重秤读数以外的成果，比如力量增强或血压下降。”阿尔钱杰利建议。也许你睡眠质量提高了，精力更充沛了，或者可以轻轻松松走更远的路了。这些都是健康的重要指征，绝对值得庆贺。
Beck encourages her clients to focus on what helps them feel better， not just what changes the scale. “When you build consistent， supportive habits， your weight will settle where it’s meant to without extreme measures，” says Beck.
贝克鼓励客户关注让自己感觉更好的要素，而不只是体重变化。“当你养成持久而有益的生活习惯，不需要采取极端手段，体重自然会稳定在应有水平。”
Myth #6： You Must Avoid All Processed Foods
误区六：所有加工食品都不能吃
While some ultra-processed foods are higher in added sugars， fat and calories， making them easy to overeat and potentially challenging for weight management goals， other minimally processed foods are nutrient-dense and time-saving options. For instance， canned beans are a great way to increase fiber and protein intake， both of which increase satiety （feelings of fullness） and aid in weight loss.
虽然有些超加工食品糖分、脂肪、热量都更高，容易吃多，可能对体重管理目标构成挑战，但其实很多轻加工食品是营养价值高且省时的选择。比如，罐装豆类的纤维和蛋白质含量高——这两种元素饱腹感强，有助于减重。
Research shows you can carefully construct a nutritious meal plan from processed foods， such as whole-grain breads， beans， canned fish and others. “Some of my favorites include frozen fruits and vegetables， canned beans， canned tuna and chicken， precooked rice or lentils and whole grain fortified cereals and crackers，” Archangeli tells EatingWell.
研究表明，精心搭配加工食品也能构成营养丰富的饮食，比如全麦面包、各种豆类、罐装鱼等。阿尔钱杰利接受“饮食健康”网站采访时说：“我最喜欢的轻加工食品有冷冻果蔬、罐装豆类、金枪鱼和鸡肉罐头、预制米饭或小扁豆，以及强化谷物全麦饼干等。”
“All of your favorite foods should be included in your diet in moderation along with other whole， nutrient-dense foods8，” says Goodman. “When you cut out your favorite foods， you often feel deprived， making it harder to consume them in moderation.”
古德曼说：“爱吃的食物都可以适量纳入膳食，搭配其他营养丰富的全天然食物就行。戒断爱吃的东西容易让人产生被剥夺感，更难做到适量摄入。”
（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）
1 debunk揭穿。 2 carbohydrates碳水化合物。
3 cholesterol胆固醇。 4 insulin resistance 胰岛素抵抗。
5 gluten麸质。 6 run for the hills由于不愿意做一件很无趣、需要冒险的，甚至是危险的事情而躲得远远的，溜之大吉。
7 winded喘不上气的。
8 whole food（不含人工添加剂的）全天然食品，全营养食品。
《论语》英译选登
博学于文，约之以礼，亦可以弗畔矣夫！
One who keeps broadening his learning and regulating himself with the rules of propriety may not overstep what is right.
君子成人之美，不成人之恶。
A virtuous man helps others to fulfill their nice wishes but not their evil ones.
季康子患盗，问于孔子。孔子对曰：“苟子之不欲，虽赏之不窃。”
Jikangzi was troubled by stealing cases， about which he consulted Confucius， who said， “If you are not insatiate， no one would steal even if you should reward him for stealing.”
（《〈论语〉最新英文全译全注本》，吴国珍，福建教育出版社，2012）
