Why does the yo-yo effect happen after dieting, and how can I prevent it?

Many people try extreme fasting, but this often leads to dizziness and fatigue, severely impacting daily productivity. The human body is remarkably intuitive; when forced to starve, it perceives a state of famine and effectively 'switches off' the metabolic engine to conserve energy. From the perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), the yo-yo effect occurs through the following processes: 1. Acceleration of Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛): When the function of the Spleen—responsible for nutrient absorption and transport—weakens, extreme dietary restriction worsens this deficiency, thereby lowering the basal metabolic rate. 2. Accumulation of Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-eum, 痰飮): When food intake resumes while metabolic capacity is low, waste products are not properly excreted. This leads to the formation of 'Dam-eum,' a sticky metabolic byproduct that lingers in the body. 3. Circulatory Stagnation due to Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血): When blood circulation becomes sluggish, it creates a state of blood stasis, which can lead to localized fat accumulation or severe edema, causing weight to increase more rapidly. 4. Homeostatic Rebound: The body's strong tendency to return to its remembered set-point weight causes it to store fat more aggressively than before. Ultimately, the key is not to suppress the body forcibly, but to restart the metabolic engine. By supplementing Spleen Deficiency to boost energy and clearing Phlegm-Fluid and Blood Stasis to open circulatory pathways, you can break the cycle of the yo-yo effect. Let's examine your current physical condition together to find the right balance.