Q. Everyone says protein is crucial for dieting, but why exactly? I feel like skipping it altogether would make me lose weight faster.

I personally recall a time when I tried to lose weight by starving myself, only to suffer from hair loss and dizziness rather than fat loss. Protein is necessary for more than just building muscle. From a Western medical standpoint, protein has a high 'Diet-Induced Thermogenesis' effect; the body uses more energy to digest protein than it does for carbohydrates or fats. Essentially, the act of eating protein helps burn calories. Without it, the body enters survival mode and breaks down muscle for energy, crashing your basal metabolic rate and making a yo-yo effect inevitable. In Traditional Korean Medicine, this state is often diagnosed as Spleen Deficiency (脾虛). When the Spleen, which governs digestion and transformation, weakens, it fails to distribute nutrients efficiently. Depriving the body of essential fuel like protein causes metabolic waste, known as Phlegm-rheum (痰飮), to accumulate. This leads to stagnation, such as Blood Stasis (瘀血), causing the body to swell and feel heavy. Consuming protein is about replenishing Qi and Blood (氣血) to maintain healthy circulation. Just as an engine needs fuel to run, your body requires adequate energy to burn body fat. It is heartbreaking to see patients repeat the mistake of starving themselves. Instead of a restrictive diet that drains your vitality, you should adopt a strategy of 'filling to burn'—supplying the right nutrients to power your weight loss journey wisely.