Q. I'm in my 40s and I've noticed that even with dieting, it's much harder to lose weight than before. Is there a reason why it feels different now?

Many people in their late 30s and 40s experience this frustration. At this stage, 'metabolic efficiency' becomes more critical than simple calorie counting. From the perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), here is why dieting alone often falls short: 1. Aggravation of Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo): The Spleen is responsible for digestion and absorption. When this function weakens, the body fails to utilize energy efficiently and tends to store it instead. 2. Accumulation of Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-eum): This refers to sticky metabolic waste that accumulates when metabolism is sluggish. This causes a feeling of heaviness and bloating, significantly slowing down weight loss. 3. Circulatory Decline due to Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol): When blood flow is stagnant and impure, oxygen and nutrients cannot reach the cells effectively, which drastically reduces the rate of fat burning. 4. Decline in Vital Energy (Qi) and Metabolic Efficiency: A general drop in Qi lowers the basal metabolic rate, meaning your body may perceive the same amount of food as 'excessive' compared to your younger years. Forcing yourself to starve can actually worsen Spleen Deficiency, creating a shortcut to the 'yo-yo effect.' Instead of restrictive dieting, the focus should be on prescriptions that 'restart your body's engine' to find a sustainable pace for weight loss.