Q. Doctor, using calorie-counting apps during my diet is so stressful. What approach does a Korean medicine clinic recommend instead?

While calorie calculators objectively show intake, the human body is not a simple machine. Even with an identical 500 kcal intake, one person might burn it all off while another stores it as fat. In TKM, this is often explained as 'Spleen Qi Deficiency' (Bihu). When Spleen function weakens, the body fails to utilize energy effectively, leading to the accumulation of metabolic waste known as 'Phlegm-fluid' (Dameum). This waste acts like a toxin, creating a constitution that is resistant to weight loss. Simply starving yourself can trigger an 'emergency state' in the body, further lowering your metabolic rate. Instead of focusing solely on restriction, I recommend increasing your body’s 'internal firepower.' Through herbal prescriptions that improve Qi and Blood circulation and clear Phlegm-fluid, your body transitions into a state where it consumes energy efficiently on its own. While tracking can be a helpful habit initially, the ultimate goal is shifting the focus from 'what to eat less' to 'how well my body burns.' Don't let the numbers stress you out; let's first identify the root cause of why your metabolism has slowed down.