Q. I always use a calorie calculator when exercising to lose weight; what approach does a Korean medicine clinic recommend instead?

In the past, I also relied heavily on calorie calculators and strict diets. Through that experience, I realized that the efficiency with which each person processes energy is vastly different. Tracking calories isn't inherently bad; it provides objective records that can offer a quick sense of achievement. The problem arises when you prioritize hitting a number while ignoring your body's actual condition, which leads to rapid burnout. This can eventually impair your metabolic function, potentially turning your body into a constitution that gains weight even with minimal food intake. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this state is viewed as a stagnation or imbalance of Qi (vital energy). If your metabolism has slowed due to the accumulation of Dam-eum (phlegm-fluid retention) or if you are in a state of Pi-heo (Spleen deficiency/weak digestive absorption), simply increasing your exercise volume will not solve the problem. In fact, overexertion in such a state can leave you feeling dizzy and exhausted. Therefore, I recommend first 'flipping your body's metabolic switch.' By clearing factors that obstruct blood circulation, such as Eo-hyeol (stagnant blood/blood stasis), and replenishing your vital energy, you create a body where exercise efficiency is truly optimized. Use numbers only as a reference. The fastest path to success is determining whether your body is currently capable of enduring intense exercise, or if it is time to first clear out waste and replenish your energy.