How can I use a treadmill to lose weight? Will I lose weight just by running hard?
If you get out of breath and your face turns red while running, it shows some effect. However, if your appetite surges or your knees hurt afterward, you need to change your approach. It is better to exercise 1–2 hours after a meal rather than on an empty stomach. Aim for 3–4 times per week, at least 30 minutes per session. But depending on your constitution, running may actually be harmful.
Treadmill exercise itself is not bad, but the idea that 'just running will make you lose weight' requires caution. In Traditional Korean Medicine, obesity is not seen simply as a calorie problem. If there is spleen qi deficiency (biheo), exercise can further drain your energy; if there is phlegm-fluid retention (dameum), the body feels heavy and unresponsive. Many patients come in with knee pain and no weight loss despite vigorous treadmill use. I have experienced this myself—how your body responds is more important than exercise intensity. The core question is whether the exercise promotes blood circulation and metabolism or depletes qi. For example, a spleen deficiency constitution requires restoring organ function before full-body exercise, while a phlegm-fluid constitution benefits more from gentle aerobic activity than heavy sweating. If blood stasis (eohyeol) is present, the body may feel stiffer and recover slowly after exercise. Ultimately, it is more important to understand why your constitution prevents weight loss rather than just focusing on how to run. When you visit our clinic, we assess your body composition and pulse to identify patterns such as spleen deficiency, phlegm-fluid, or blood stasis, and then recommend appropriate exercise intensity along with herbal medicine. We do not advise everyone to simply run.
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