BRD Clinic
Only people currently living in Korea with their own Korean 010 mobile number can apply. Overseas residents are not eligible.

I’ve been eating only chicken breast to diet, but why isn’t my weight changing and why do I feel so bloated?

While chicken breast is a good protein source for maintaining your basal metabolic rate (BMR), relying on it exclusively can impair digestive efficiency and slow your metabolism. In Traditional Korean Medicine, this often leads to Spleen Deficiency (Biheo), where the body fails to circulate energy properly. This results in the accumulation of metabolic waste known as Phlegm-fluid (Dameum), which creates a plateau in weight loss and causes digestive discomfort.

It is a common pitfall to assume that a 'textbook' low-fat, high-protein diet will always yield results. However, consuming chicken breast in isolation can disrupt the balance of digestive enzymes and lower gastric motility. When your digestion slows down, your body may enter an 'emergency mode,' holding onto fat stores to conserve energy rather than burning them. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this phenomenon is identified as Spleen Deficiency (Biheo). The Spleen is responsible for the 'Transportation and Transformation' (Yun-hwa) of nutrients into energy. When this function is weakened, undigested nutrients stagnate and turn into 'Phlegm-fluid' (Dameum), a form of sticky metabolic waste, or 'Food Stagnation' (Sik-jeok). If your internal system is clogged with these wastes, energy cannot circulate, and weight loss becomes stagnant. To fix this, you should pair your protein with warm-natured vegetables to support the digestive fire. If you feel heavy and swollen despite a strict diet, the issue is likely your circulation, not your calorie count. It is important to first assess whether your current constitution is healthy enough to handle and process a high-protein regimen effectively.

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Dr. Yeonseung Choe

Dr. Yeonseung ChoeChief Director

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