Q. I'm using the treadmill to lose weight; is there a more efficient way to walk or run?

Have you ever stepped onto a treadmill with great ambition, only to find that you barely broke a sweat while your knees started to ache? I recall a time when I blindly ran for hours, only to end up spraining my ankle and wasting my effort.

From a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) perspective, weight loss does not occur simply by moving as hard as possible. If you exercise excessively while in a state of Qi deficiency (氣虛)—meaning your vital energy is low—you may actually accumulate fatigue and experience a drop in metabolic rate.

• Low-Intensity Walking: Warm up by walking slowly for 5 to 10 minutes to prepare your body.
• Moderate-Intensity Intervals: Alternate between walking briskly for 2 minutes and jogging lightly for 1 minute to fluctuate your heart rate.
• Utilizing Incline: Instead of pushing the speed to an unreasonable level, slightly increase the incline to engage your lower body muscles more effectively.
• Cool-down Stretching: Stretch thoroughly after exercising to resolve Eo-hyeol (瘀血), or blood stasis, and ensure smooth blood flow.

However, sudden high-intensity exercise can place undue strain on the body. Since it is important to find the appropriate intensity tailored to your current physical condition, I recommend visiting our clinic for a consultation to receive a personalized guide.