Q. Doctor, I always give up after trying to eat nothing but chicken breast. How should I plan my diet from a Traditional Korean Medicine perspective? I'm looking for an effective approach.

Relying solely on dry chicken breast and cold salads can quickly exhaust your body, causing it to shut down its metabolic gates. To ensure your weight loss journey isn't a painful ordeal, here are five TKM-based secrets: First, identify your body's 'Cold or Heat' (寒熱) balance. If you naturally have cold hands and feet, insisting on cold foods will cause your metabolism to plummet. In such cases, it is much more beneficial for digestion and absorption to prepare chicken as a warm soup (like Dak-gomtang) rather than eating it dry. Second, manage 'Spleen Deficiency' (脾虛) to solidify your metabolic foundation. When Spleen function is weak, energy cannot circulate throughout the body. By boosting digestive function and relieving the burden on the stomach, you can create a bodily state that stays energetic even with smaller portions. Third, you must clear out metabolic wastes such as 'Phlegm-fluid' (痰飮) and stagnant 'Blood Stasis' (瘀血). If these residues remain, your body becomes resistant to weight loss no matter how hard you try. The detoxification process must come first for the diet to be truly effective. Fourth, add 'warmth' to your diet. I recommend lukewarm water over cold water and lightly blanched vegetables over raw ones. A warm body promotes smooth blood circulation, which helps body fat burn more actively. Fifth, be careful not to trigger 'Liver Qi Stagnation' (肝氣鬱結) by over-suppressing yourself. When energy is blocked due to stress, it inevitably leads to binge eating. I know that feeling well from my own past struggles. It is essential to naturally manage appetite and find psychological stability through custom herbal medicine tailored to your constitution. A step-by-step approach suited to your specific constitution is the fastest shortcut. Instead of struggling alone, please visit the clinic so we can thoroughly check your current physical state.