Q. I've succeeded in losing weight before, but I always end up experiencing the yo-yo effect. How should I manage my weight this time?
Rather than simply eating less, you must restore your metabolic capacity. The key is to reinforce your body's vital energy (Qi) to maintain a healthy basal metabolic rate.
📝 Detailed Answer
The reason weight is regained after loss is that the body perceives a 'starvation state' and naturally attempts to store energy. Many people try extreme fasting, which often leads to dizziness and a rapid return to their original weight—essentially an inefficient approach.
In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this state is viewed as Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛), where the function of the Spleen—responsible for digestion, absorption, and energy metabolism—is weakened. When the body lacks the strength to burn energy, it becomes a constitution that gains weight easily even with minimal food intake.
💡 Goals of Yo-Yo Prevention Therapy
Instead of simple weight loss, we focus on normalizing 'metabolic efficiency' so the body can burn energy independently.
- Reinforcing Qi and Blood: Filling energy deficits to support and prevent the basal metabolic rate from dropping.
- Removing Dam-jeok (痰積): Clearing accumulated metabolic waste (phlegm-stasis) to open circulatory pathways.
- Appetite Control: Stabilizing gastrointestinal function to reduce 'false hunger' and improve dietary adherence.
- Lifestyle Correction: Lowering the body's 'set point' by establishing eating habits and activity levels tailored to the individual's constitution (Sasang typology).
Ultimately, the goal is not to force suppression, but to create an environment where your body can regulate itself. We recommend a detailed constitutional diagnosis to determine the best management direction for you.
Expert Verified
Dr. Yeonseung Choe
Chief Director
Last reviewed 2026.04.24