Q. After finishing a diet, I always regain the weight. Is there a way to avoid the yo-yo effect?

I’ve been there myself. At first, I thought, 'If I cut this much, the weight will just fall off,' but in the end, it all came back. Why does that happen? Because the body never forgets its survival instinct. When you drastically reduce calorie intake, the brain perceives a state of ‘famine,’ lowers your metabolic rate, and increases appetite. So the moment you stop dieting, fat pours back in. In Traditional Korean Medicine, this is linked to Spleen Qi Deficiency (脾虛, biheo). When the spleen’s function weakens, its ability to process nutrients declines, and any surplus calories are more easily stored as fat. If Blood Stasis (瘀血, eohyeol) is involved, blood circulation also drops; if Phlegm-Dampness (痰飮, dameum) accumulates, the body’s water metabolism is disrupted, leading to edema. Here are the key points Baekrokdam recommends to prevent yo-yo effects: First, keep the weight loss rate slow—0.5–1 kg per week is enough. A pace the body can adapt to is ultimately faster than chasing quick results. Second, combine dietary therapy with constitutional correction. Focusing only on cutting food intake can lower your basal metabolic rate. Using herbal medicine or acupuncture to supplement Spleen Qi Deficiency while maintaining gut function ensures that even after the diet, nutrient processing returns to normal. Third, you must preserve muscle mass. Muscle loss directly reduces basal metabolic rate. Even light, consistent exercise is beneficial. Fourth, the crucial point is to continue management for 2–3 months after finishing the diet. During the diet, the body constantly sends hunger signals and feels sluggish—the period right after weight loss is the most dangerous. If you’re serious about trying this, I recommend visiting us in person for a constitutional analysis and a customized management plan.