Q. My body fat percentage is 28%. What exactly does this mean, and why is it considered so important for weight loss?

Many people make the mistake of focusing solely on the scale through extreme fasting, only to find that while their weight drops, their body composition and silhouette remain unchanged. This highlights the 'trap' of body fat percentage. While 28% may fall within a general healthy range for women, the actual appearance varies greatly depending on muscle mass. Physiologically, when fat cells exceed a certain threshold, they release inflammatory substances that hinder blood circulation and plummet metabolic efficiency, creating a body that resists weight loss even with low caloric intake. From the perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine, this condition is viewed as a congestion of 'Dameum' (phlegm-fluid retention) and 'Eohyeol' (blood stasis). Dameum refers to waste products formed by impaired fluid metabolism, while Eohyeol is stagnant, turbid blood. When these wastes block the body's pathways, nutrients and energy cannot be utilized efficiently and are instead redeposited as fat, creating a vicious cycle. If this is accompanied by 'Bi-heo' (Spleen deficiency), meaning weakened digestive function, the situation becomes more complex. In TKM, the Spleen is the core organ responsible for transforming nutrients into energy. When the Spleen is deficient, the resulting lack of energy leads to sugar cravings and increased edema (swelling). Ultimately, a high body fat percentage is a hurdle not simply because of the fat itself, but because the fat has 'switched off' your metabolic engine. This is why, instead of mindless fasting, it is essential to first clear the internal obstructions and restore the flow of Qi and blood.