Q. I'm thinking of starting an exercise diet. From a Traditional Korean Medicine perspective, what do you recommend?

You must have many concerns about exercise dieting. I personally had an experience where I thought 'just running will make me lose weight,' but instead I only accumulated fatigue and my appetite exploded. From a TKM perspective, exercise has the advantage of smoothing qi and blood circulation, supporting the spleen-stomach function, and aiding water metabolism. Moderate aerobic exercise, in particular, helps resolve phlegm-fluid (dam eum) and is good for stress relief. However, there are also disadvantages: exercise that is too intense or prolonged for your stamina excessively consumes qi, leading to a spleen deficiency (bi xu) state. Spleen deficiency means the spleen's function weakens, impairing digestion and absorption of food. This can result in fatigue buildup and actually make you more prone to weight gain. Also, excessive sweating causes loss of body fluids (jin yeok), which may lead to constipation or skin issues. Therefore, rather than saying 'this exercise is good,' the answer is to choose based on your own constitution (chejil) and current condition. For example, a Soeumin constitution may benefit from light walking or stretching, while a Taeyangin constitution may find strength training more effective. I recommend getting a diagnosis at a Korean medicine clinic to assess your constitution and the state of spleen deficiency or phlegm-fluid, and then receive personalized advice on exercise intensity and type. Finding a method you can do consistently without overexertion is the real shortcut to successful dieting.