Reviewed by최연승대표원장
I want to focus on losing weight for about a month. How exactly should I get started?
Rather than simply starving yourself, the first step is to identify why your body is holding onto weight. I recommend checking three key indicators: whether you experience frequent swelling and heaviness (Phlegm-Fluid/Dameum), poor digestion and low energy (Spleen Deficiency/Bi-heo), or high stress and chest tightness (Qi Stagnation/Gi-ul). Your approach must change based on these factors to create an efficient plan.
I have personal experience trying restrictive diets, like eating nothing but chicken breast, only to end up feeling dizzy and giving up quickly. From that experience, I can tell you that the key to successful weight loss is clearing the 'bottlenecks' in your body.
In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), weight gain is viewed not just as a calorie issue, but as a circulation problem. For example, if you are in a state of 'Dameum' (accumulation of Phlegm-Fluid), waste products build up and block the flow, making your body feel heavy regardless of how little you eat. If you have 'Bi-heo' (Spleen Deficiency), your digestive function is impaired, which can actually trigger 'false hunger' because nutrients aren't being absorbed properly.
Furthermore, if 'Eohyeol' (Blood Stasis) is present, your metabolic rate slows down, significantly reducing the efficiency of your efforts. That is why I don't simply tell patients to 'eat less.' Instead, I propose the following:
1. Accurately diagnose whether the cause of your metabolic stagnation is Phlegm-Fluid, Spleen Deficiency, or Blood Stasis.
2. Use tailored herbal medicine to 'flip the metabolic switch' based on that specific cause.
3. Establish a diet and activity level that your body can sustainably handle.
Since every individual's constitution (Sasang typology) is different, a one-size-fits-all answer does not exist. I recommend we work together to find the optimal path that best suits your unique body type.