Q. I want to lose weight using a treadmill. Is there an effective way to do it?

To see results from a treadmill alone, it's not just about increasing time and speed—you need to understand how your body uses energy. In TKM, the spleen (pi) transforms food into qi and blood. If you have spleen deficiency (pi xu), meaning weak spleen function, excessive aerobic exercise can deplete your energy, causing swelling or poor weight loss. In such cases, lower exercise intensity and first supplement spleen qi with herbal medicine or dietary adjustments. Conversely, if muscle pain lingers or joints ache after exercise, blood stasis (yu xue) may be present, which blocks circulation and lowers metabolism. For these individuals, gentle stretching or warm compresses to promote blood flow are more urgent than exercise. Another type: those with phlegm-fluid (tan yin) constitution often find it hard to sweat and feel heavy even when exercising. Exercise alone has limits here; combining it with herbs or acupuncture that resolve phlegm-fluid yields much better results. Ultimately, the key is not 'how to exercise' but 'what state is my body in right now.' I learned this after some trial and error myself. Rather than jumping on the treadmill blindly, I recommend assessing your body condition first.