Q. I want to lose weight using a treadmill; how can I get good results?

Treadmills are accessible for aerobic exercise, but the common belief that more running equals more fat loss is a misconception. I once ran an hour daily before commuting, only to experience fatigue and a yo-yo effect. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), obesity is often categorized into three root causes: Spleen deficiency (biheo), Phlegm-fluid (dameum), and Blood stasis (eohyeol). Biheo means the spleen is weak, unable to transform food into energy, which instead accumulates as fat. Dameum refers to sticky phlegm-like substances clinging to the body, and eohyeol is poor blood circulation that prevents waste removal. Treadmill exercise improves blood and qi circulation, aiding eohyeol, but it is insufficient if biheo or dameum are primary. Overdoing cardio can further weaken the spleen, leading to sudden appetite spikes or chronic fatigue. In clinical practice, we first perform body analysis and pulse diagnosis to determine the main cause. For example, if a patient has a protruding belly but thin limbs, feels drowsy after meals, and has loose stools, biheo is suspected. In such cases, we reduce treadmill intensity, prescribe herbal medicine to strengthen the spleen, and extend walking duration rather than speed. This is not to deny exercise—rather, the key is to tailor it to one’s constitution. Consistency is crucial, but the body must be supported to sustain it.