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

This is a common question. Herbal medicine diet focuses on correcting imbalances rather than just weight loss. For example, in cases of Spleen Deficiency (biheo), weak spleen function leads to poor digestion and absorption, making it easy to gain weight. Herbal medicine regulates organ function, stabilizes appetite, and improves metabolism. Advantages: Many people feel reduced appetite and lighter body with herbs alone; it is suitable for those with joint pain or severe fatigue who cannot exercise; herbs help remove Blood Stasis (eohyeol) or Phlegm-Fluid (dameum), creating a better internal environment for exercise effects. Disadvantages: Herbs alone cannot maintain muscle mass—fat loss with muscle loss lowers basal metabolism, increasing rebound risk; if diet and activity do not improve after the medication period, weight regain is likely; excessive dispersing (balsan) action from herbs may drain energy, making exercise harder. In conclusion, while weight loss with herbal medicine alone is not impossible, long-term maintenance and health favor adding light aerobic or strength training. In my experience, those who combine exercise report higher satisfaction. However, avoid overexertion—consider your current fitness and constitutional factors like Spleen Deficiency or Damp-Phlegm (seupdam) when approaching this.