The yo-yo effect is not simply a matter of willpower. In Traditional Korean Medicine, improper weight loss in a state of Spleen deficiency (脾虛) leads to poor drainage of fluids and wastes, allowing phlegm-fluid (痰飮) to accumulate and cause weight regain. In other words, when the Spleen (digestive and absorptive function) becomes exhausted, the body shifts toward energy storage. I personally tried ‘eat less, move more’ at first, but without changing the constitution, yo-yo effect repeated. At Baekroktam Korean Medicine Clinic, we use a time-phased approach: • Week 1: Light herbal medicine (often modified Yinchenhao Tang) to clear the liver and intestines, stabilize meal times, and help the body adapt to satiety. You may feel lighter rather than losing weight. • Weeks 2–4: Herbs that tonify the Spleen (補脾) and expel phlegm (祛痰)—such as Astragalus (黃芪) and Atractylodes (白朮) to supplement Spleen deficiency, plus Pinellia (半夏) and Tangerine peel (陳皮) to resolve accumulated phlegm. This boosts metabolic efficiency, focusing on energy utilization rather than just burning. After this phase, appetite stabilizes and digestion improves. • Months 2–3: Address blood stasis (瘀血) to improve circulation and remodel body shape. Lifestyle coaching (gentle stretching, walking, consistent sleep) is integrated so new habits become natural. Ultimately, preventing yo-yo is about matching the body’s adaptation speed—not the speed of weight loss. Once constitution improves, you can maintain weight without extreme dieting or binging. Individual responses vary, so an in-person consultation with pulse and tongue diagnosis yields the most accurate prescription.