Q. Should I exercise while on a herbal medicine diet, or can I lose weight with herbal medicine alone?

In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) for weight loss, combining exercise is more of a recommendation than an option. Herbal medicine alone can indeed lead to weight loss: it corrects constitutional biases such as spleen deficiency (biheo) or phlegm-dampness (seuptam), stabilizing appetite and normalizing digestion and absorption. Many patients experience gradual weight loss with consistent herbal medicine alone. The advantage is convenience—even busy office workers can simply take their prescribed herbs. However, there are clear drawbacks: losing weight with herbs alone often reduces muscle mass and lowers basal metabolic rate, increasing the risk of rebound weight gain after stopping medication. Also, without dietary adjustments, the effect is halved. Based on clinical experience, patients who combine appropriate exercise (aerobic and resistance training 3–4 times per week) show much better results in body composition improvement and long-term maintenance. In conclusion, the answer is 'it depends.' For those with very high initial weight or extremely low activity, it's wise to first build a metabolic foundation with herbs and then gradually add exercise. For those already active, maintaining exercise from the start while using herbs as a supplementary tool is more efficient. Personally, after initially trying herbs alone and struggling, I found that incorporating exercise provided much more stable management. It's best to decide through consultation based on individual condition and schedule.