Q. Can I have a cheating day while dieting? I'm curious how you handle it as a TKM doctor.

In the past, I tried starving myself out of sheer ambition, but I experienced dizziness and a significant drop in work efficiency. Through that trial and error, I realized that unconditional restriction is not the answer. The advantages of a 'cheating day' are clear: it signals to a brain exhausted by a low-calorie diet that energy is still coming in, which prevents the basal metabolic rate from dropping. More importantly, it provides psychological liberation from the obsession with food restrictions. However, there are distinct downsides. A sudden influx of large quantities of food causes rapid spikes in blood glucose and overloads the digestive system. From a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) perspective, those with 'Bi-heo' (脾虛, Spleen deficiency/weakened digestive function) are prone to accumulating 'Dam-eum' (痰飮, accumulated fluid waste or phlegm) if they binge eat, as waste products are not efficiently expelled. Furthermore, individuals with 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis) constitutions—those who experience frequent bloating or poor circulation—may feel particularly sluggish and heavy after a cheating day. For such individuals, rather than a day of unrestrained binge eating, I recommend a compromise: a day to moderately enjoy foods you love. Ultimately, my recommendation is to 'monitor your body's response.' Check how you feel and how your digestion performs the day after a cheating day. If you need personalized guidelines tailored to your specific digestive power and metabolic state, please visit the clinic so we can determine the best approach together.