Q. After dieting, my weight always goes back up. Is there a way to prevent the yo-yo effect?

The yo-yo effect is not simply weight regain; it arises from the body's attempt to maintain homeostasis. Traditional Korean Medicine explains this through the concept of spleen deficiency (biheo). The spleen is the organ responsible for digesting food and regulating water metabolism. Excessive dieting weakens the spleen, making it prone to phlegm-fluid retention (dam-eum) or blood stasis (eohyeol). Phlegm-fluid retention refers to accumulation of unnecessary fluids or waste, while blood stasis indicates poor circulation; both impede metabolism and promote the yo-yo effect. Conditions can be divided as follows: First, if the yo-yo effect occurs after stopping appetite suppressants (e.g., Wegovy, Saxenda), it typically involves spleen deficiency with significant qi depletion. Here, the approach is to tonify the spleen and boost qi (bobi-ikgi). Second, if it follows exercise-focused weight loss, the main cause may be qi and blood deficiency (gihyeol bujok), with reduced muscle mass and fatigue. In this case, the approach is to tonify qi and nourish blood (bogi-yanghyeol) while also strengthening the spleen. In any case, the key is to avoid sudden changes and adjust gradually according to one's constitution. Herbal medicine treatment focuses on improving these deficiencies, but the degree of accompanying phlegm-fluid or blood stasis varies by patient, so a pulse diagnosis is used to assess the condition and customize the prescription. For example, formulas like Bobitang (Spleen-Tonifying Decoction) or modified Bojungikgitang (Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction) may be used, but they must be tailored individually. While lifestyle improvements are important for preventing the yo-yo effect, restoring fundamental metabolic function is the priority.