Q. How can I prevent the 'yo-yo effect' of regaining weight after dieting?

Weight regain after dieting occurs due to 'homeostasis,' the body's natural tendency to return to its original state. When many people lose weight rapidly through starvation or medication, the body perceives this as a crisis and attempts to conserve energy more aggressively, which creates a challenging cycle.

In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this state is often viewed as Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛). When the function of the Spleen is weakened, energy metabolism becomes inefficient, leading to a constitution that gains weight easily even with minimal food intake. Furthermore, the accumulation of phlegm-fluid retention (Dam-jeok, 痰積), which are internal metabolic waste products, further reduces metabolic efficiency.

• Metabolic Decline: Excessive calorie restriction $\rightarrow$ Decrease in basal metabolic rate $\rightarrow$ A body that gains weight even while eating little
• Functional Weakening: Spleen Deficiency (脾虛) $\rightarrow$ Reduced nutrient absorption and transport $\rightarrow$ Edema and waste accumulation
• Disruption of Homeostasis: Rapid weight loss $\rightarrow$ Hormonal imbalance $\rightarrow$ Failure in appetite control and occurrence of the yo-yo effect

Therefore, instead of blindly eating less, you must support the circulation of Qi and Blood (Gi-hyeol, 氣血) and restore the function of weakened organs to break the cycle of the yo-yo effect. Since this requires an approach tailored to your specific constitution, I recommend visiting the clinic for an accurate assessment of your current state.