Why do I gain weight so easily when I eat out? Does the menu choice really make that much of a difference?
Restaurant meals typically combine high sodium, sugar, and fats, which slow down your metabolism. Refined carbohydrates spike insulin levels, while excess sodium causes water retention and edema, creating a cycle of blood sugar spikes, insulin overproduction, and fat accumulation. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), these stimulating foods create 'Dameum' (phlegm-fluid), which further stagnates metabolic processes.
I completely understand your frustration; even as a practitioner, I've experienced that heavy, sluggish feeling after relying too much on convenience meals during busy periods.
From a biological perspective, restaurant foods are engineered with excessive sugar and salt to enhance palatability. This causes rapid fluctuations in blood glucose, leading to an overproduction of insulin, which quickly converts excess energy into stored fat. High-fructose corn syrup and refined flours are the primary culprits in this process.
In Traditional Korean Medicine, this accumulation of metabolic waste is referred to as 'Dameum' (痰飮). Dameum is essentially 'sticky waste' produced when the body's fluid metabolism becomes dysfunctional. When this accumulates, it obstructs the circulation of Qi and Blood, making it physically harder to lose weight. Furthermore, if you are in a state of 'Bi-heo' (脾虛, Spleen Deficiency), your digestive system cannot efficiently convert food into energy, causing it to be stored as toxins and fat instead.
Ultimately, the key to choosing a menu is to select options that raise blood sugar slowly and do not produce Dameum. Rather than extreme fasting, the goal is to practice choosing foods that align with your current metabolic state. It is most effective to first determine whether your body is currently prone to Dameum or Spleen Deficiency and then tailor your diet accordingly.
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