Q. How can I prevent the yo-yo effect of regaining weight after dieting?

To prevent the yo-yo effect, you first need to change your approach to weight loss. Drastic calorie restriction or reliance on medications makes the body perceive a 'famine state,' lowering basal metabolism and turning you into a constitution that gains weight more easily. In Traditional Korean Medicine, this process is explained as spleen deficiency (pi xu) and the formation of phlegm-fluid (tan yin). Start with a constitution diagnosis: different types have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, Soeumin (少陰人) has relatively weak spleen and kidney, leading to slow digestion and water metabolism—cold foods or fruit-based diets worsen spleen deficiency and trigger yo-yo. Conversely, Taeeumin (太陰人) has weak liver and lung, causing poor qi and blood circulation and stagnant blood stasis (eo hyeol) that slows fat metabolism. Methods that don't match your constitution offer only short-term results and lead to rebound. Next, restore spleen-stomach function: dieting most commonly damages spleen and stomach. Spleen deficiency impairs absorption and creates phlegm-fluid waste, making weight loss difficult. Herbal formulas use herbs like cangzhu, baizhu, and ginseng to strengthen spleen qi, plus amomum and magnolia bark to aid digestion and restore organ balance. Adjust lifestyle according to constitution: Soeumin benefits from warm soups and meat, while Soyangin (少陽人) does well with cold vegetables and seafood. Exercise intensity and duration should also match your type—sweating excessively isn't always beneficial. Herbal treatment focuses on recovery, not appetite suppression or bowel stimulation. It aims to correct spleen deficiency and phlegm-fluid, gradually transforming your constitution. Once organs regain proper function, appetite regulation and metabolism improvement follow naturally, preventing yo-yo. Results vary by individual, and weight may not drop quickly, but for sustainable, rebound-free weight management, this approach is worth considering.