I look thin on the outside, but my body fat percentage is high. (Skinny Fat)
This is a condition where your weight is normal, but you have low muscle mass and a high proportion of body fat. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this is not viewed simply as a weight issue, but as a result of poor energy metabolism leading to the accumulation of waste products. Specifically, when digestive functions decline, nutrient absorption is impaired, often causing muscle loss and an increase in fat.
I remember a time when I strictly restricted my diet; my overall weight dropped, but I was shocked to find that only my belly fat remained. It can be quite frustrating. 'Skinny fat' is not a problem that can be solved simply by eating less.
From a TKM perspective, this can be explained by three main factors:
1. Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛): This refers to a weakened digestive system. The body should convert nutrients into energy to build muscle, but when this function fails, nutrients are stored primarily as fat.
2. Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-eum, 痰飮): These are waste products formed by stagnant fluid metabolism. When this sticky, residue-like 'phlegm' accumulates in the abdomen, it creates a protruding belly despite a thin frame.
3. Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血): This is a state of stagnated blood circulation. When blood becomes turbid, oxygen supply to the cells decreases, lowering the basal metabolic rate and turning the body into a constitution that gains fat easily.
Essentially, your body's 'metabolic switch' is turned off. Attempting a crash diet through starvation will likely be counterproductive, as it may lead to further muscle loss. The priority should be accurately identifying which part of your system is stagnant and restoring your metabolic capacity through treatments that promote the circulation of Qi and Blood.
