Q. Why is it harder to lose weight and why do I gain 'age-related fat' once I hit my 50s?

As we age, it is common to feel that our physical stamina is no longer what it used to be. Many people find that while skipping a single meal once led to quick weight loss, the body now feels heavy even with minimal dietary lapses. Biologically, the period around age 50 is a time of drastic hormonal transition. As sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone decrease, muscle mass declines and the basal metabolic rate drops significantly. Much like a car with a degraded engine, the body can no longer burn all the fuel it takes in, leaving excess energy to be stored as fat. In TKM, this is viewed not just as aging, but as the 'stagnation of Qi and Blood.' Specifically, there is an increase in 'Eohyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis/stagnant blood) and 'Dameum' (痰飮, phlegm-fluid/metabolic waste) caused by poor circulation and impaired fluid metabolism. When these wastes block the body's pathways, metabolic efficiency inevitably plummets. Furthermore, if the function of the Spleen—which governs digestion and absorption—weakens (a state known as 'Bi-heo' or Spleen Deficiency), the body fails to absorb nutrients properly and instead accumulates 'Seup-dam' (濕痰, damp-phlegm), which makes the body feel heavy. This creates the frustrating situation where one gains weight even without overeating. Consequently, dieting in your 50s is not about indiscriminate fasting. It is essential to simultaneously clear the stagnated circulation of Qi and Blood and revitalize the lowered metabolic functions. The key is to first determine whether your current condition is driven by 'Eohyeol' or metabolic decline resulting from 'Bi-heo'.