Reviewed by최연승대표원장
I've succeeded in losing weight, but I gain it back quickly. Is there a way to maintain my weight without the yo-yo effect?
The key is to shift your body's internal 'set point.' Relying solely on starvation or medication triggers a survival response, causing your body to store energy more aggressively. Please check if you experience post-meal lethargy, sensitivity to cold, weight loss plateaus despite low caloric intake, or stress-induced binge eating.
Many people experience the frustration of rapid weight regain after aggressive dieting. When you suddenly restrict calories, the body enters 'survival mode,' drastically lowering your basal metabolic rate—the primary driver of the yo-yo effect.
In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), we look beyond mere calories and focus on 'metabolic waste' and 'organ dysfunction.' For instance, we address 'Dam-eum' (痰飮), the accumulation of unnecessary fluids and metabolic waste that slows down metabolism. We also examine 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血), or blood stasis, which hinders circulation and can cause localized swelling and stubborn fat.
Furthermore, if you are in a state of 'Bi-heo' (脾虛), meaning a deficiency in the Spleen/Digestive system, the cycle becomes more difficult: your body fails to absorb nutrients efficiently and instead accumulates waste. Forcing a fast in this state only encourages the body to store energy more stubbornly.
Rather than pursuing drastic weight loss, the goal is to flip your 'metabolic switch' back on. By replenishing deficient Qi and clearing metabolic waste, you can transform your body into one that utilizes energy efficiently even with modest intake. This is the most sustainable way to prevent the yo-yo effect. I recommend a personalized strategy based on your specific body constitution.