Nelly Min

Reader's question: Most high-protein diets limit grains to a couple servings a day, so you want to make sure the grains you do eat are pulling their weight. Could you explain “pull one’s weight”?

My comments:

“To pull one’s own weight” means to do one’s share, as in work. For example, if someone you work with takes really long lunch breaks or doesn’t seem to be working very hard, you can say: “She’s not pulling her weight.”

In the above example, “you want to make sure the grains you do eat are pulling their weight,” the dietary advice is saying, make sure to eat grains that are filling, because you can’t eat huge portions.

This term comes from rowing, where each crew member must pull on an oar at least enough to propel himself or herself. Its figurative use dates from about 1900.

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本文仅代表作者本人观点，与本网立场无关。欢迎大家讨论学术问题，尊重他人，禁止人身攻击和发布一切违反国家现行法律法规的内容。

Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily website.