Two medical experts reveal the truth about obesity: the underlying scientific logic of weight loss from energy balance to insulin resistance.

Starting with diet and exercise, you could be the next slim girl. Obesity can be seen as a war between energy intake and expenditure. Overeating and insufficient activity are common lifestyle habits among many obese individuals, and also common causes of weight gain. While public concern for weight loss and health is increasing, why are basal metabolic rates and physical activity levels continuing to decline, and why is the obese population gradually increasing? This is a major issue in modern society. After interviewing the challengers and confirming their health status, I found that their Body Mass Index (BMI) was all severely obese; moreover, according to multiple criteria for metabolic syndrome, they were classified as having a waist circumference exceeding 80 cm, triglyceride levels exceeding 150 mg/dL, fasting blood glucose exceeding 100 mg/dL, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol below 50 mg/dL (for women). Before starting exercise and diet control, I confirmed with the challengers that they all shared the common characteristics of "irregular eating habits and lack of exercise." I explained their blood test results and body composition analysis to them, helping them understand "obesity" and emphasizing that it is a disease. The reason is that obesity is a major cause of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. I also told them that severe obesity can shorten lifespan. Because the challengers had a family history of obesity, their basal metabolic rate was lower than others, requiring them to put in more effort to see significant improvement. Obese patients consume too much energy, while their energy expenditure is significantly insufficient. Conversations with the challengers revealed that they were accustomed to eating until they were very full, and some used food to relieve stress. As their bodies gradually gained weight, they became more averse to exercise, trapped in a vicious cycle of feeling that "exercise is too tiring." "Weight loss" is a lifelong endeavor, and consistency is key after achieving weight loss. "Don't eat dinner too late, avoid high-sugar foods, and abstain from alcohol"-these three are essential conditions for weight loss and are now common knowledge. Through appropriate weight loss diets and excellent coaches, we propose a plan to overcome obesity, advocating the philosophy of "the past is the past" and focusing on health rather than weight loss. During a weight loss plan, losing weight too quickly will inevitably cause health problems. Therefore, it's crucial to consult with doctors and coaches before maintaining a suitable weight loss pace. One of the "slimming girls" went from 77 kg to 63 kg in three months, and her BMI dropped from 28.4 back to the normal range of 23.4; however, she maintained her muscle mass through exercise. If muscle mass decreases during weight loss, it can easily lead to the "yo-yo effect" and affect the basal metabolic rate, resulting in rebound. Furthermore, sufficient muscle mass is essential to improve body elasticity and prevent sagging skin. During rapid weight loss, collagen, water, and protein are also lost, leading to decreased skin elasticity. Therefore, it's necessary to drink at least 1.5 liters of water daily and consume protein-rich foods such as chicken breast; foods rich in tannins, such as chestnuts and apples, are also helpful for replenishing collagen. Congratulations to everyone who participated in the "slimming girl" program for successfully achieving their goals. Seeing all the challengers lose weight, regain confidence, and become beautiful and cheerful over these three months is the most gratifying thing. Buying new clothes because old ones are too big doesn't just represent successful weight loss; it seems to symbolize a new life. I reminded them that weight loss can easily trigger the "yo-yo effect," so they should always maintain the mindset of continuing to lose weight. Of course, it's not easy to stay away from favorite foods forever, but I believe that as long as you develop an exercise habit and eat some of the foods you crave in moderation, there won't be a problem. Changing your diet is the beginning of weight loss. The first thing I told the "slimming girls" was: "No matter who loses the most weight, in three months, you must become the most beautiful and charming person!" They also need to completely discard the current thoughts of wanting to hide their figure, lacking confidence, and only envying others' appearances; cherishing themselves and boosting their self-confidence should be the ultimate goal. I think that perhaps sincerely congratulating the "slimming girls" on their transformation each time I meet them at the clinic, and not being stingy with praise, is the greatest help for them. Kim Hee-ok is at a disadvantage in terms of age and physical strength, and her blood tests also show problems such as hyperlipidemia, vitamin deficiency, and high liver enzyme levels. Therefore, while effectively burning fat, improving her nutritional status is also very important. So, I also gave her vitamin C to relieve fatigue and magnesium to improve muscle pain. Perhaps that's why she showed energy and weight loss results that were comparable to those of a young person. Kim Soo-in is a typical late-night snack addict, habitually eating spicy and salty food and binge eating. In this situation, once the diet ends, the "yo-yo effect" will quickly come due to the inability to suppress appetite. Therefore, she needed to readjust her mindset from the beginning. Whenever she thought of the food she wanted to eat, she would close her eyes and imagine a large, dark hole next to her, throwing the food she wanted to eat and the person eating it into the hole. She said that thanks to this, she could use this method to resist the dangerous moment whenever she couldn't resist eating. Finally, Lee Won-hee used to take appetite suppressants to lose weight, but as soon as she stopped taking the medication, she would face the "yo-yo effect," which, with repeated relapses, caused her weight to exceed the limit. The "yo-yo effect" of repeated weight loss, rebound, and weight loss can cause hormonal imbalances, making it difficult to lose weight. Once hormones are imbalanced, the process of breaking down and burning fat slows down. The most important thing when losing weight is to "change eating habits" and provide sufficient nutrition to effectively burn fat and maintain body balance. Considering her blood tests and personal medical history, I supplemented her with components that help maintain hormonal balance through intravenous nutrition, achieving good results. Changing eating habits is essential for weight loss. Exercise and diet are the core of weight loss. However, the duration and method should be determined based on individual physical strength, lifestyle, and health status. Losing weight is for your own health, not for others to see. It is absolutely forbidden to cause stress, fatigue, or harm to your body due to weight loss. Below are some weight loss tips to help you achieve beauty and health. 1. Eat less cake and bread to reduce carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates cause blood sugar to rise, especially simple sugars, which can cause a sharp spike in blood sugar, resulting in a rapid increase in the amount and frequency of insulin secretion. Repeated occurrences of this will increase the amount of insulin secreted in the body, disrupting the process of cellular signal reception. As a result, sugar in the blood will be drawn into the cells, and even if insulin is being secreted, the cells cannot read the signal from the body to "use sugar as energy." This condition is called "insulin resistance." Once insulin resistance develops, blood sugar cannot be lowered immediately, and it cannot be used as energy in cells, instead being converted into body fat, which is stored more quickly, leading to a gradual increase in fat mass. Therefore, I suggest eating more brown rice, bananas, sweet potatoes, etc., and avoiding cakes, bread, and all foods made from flour. Try creating a menu focused on protein and vegetables to reduce carbohydrate intake, and add foods such as beef or chicken breast, boiled eggs, poached eggs, and fish; replace dessert with a glass of low-fat milk or a slice of cheese. 2. Eat vegetables before rice, reversing the order of meals. During my weight loss journey, I asked "slimming girls" to reverse their "eating order," eating cold dishes and green vegetables first, and then brown rice last. What are the effects? Cold dishes and leafy greens, because they are not salty or spicy, must be lightly stir-fried or dipped in a little perilla seed oil before eating. Rice, because it's eaten halfway through the meal, means the stomach is already feeling full, naturally reducing carbohydrate intake. Additionally, avoiding sauces or only eating the solid ingredients when drinking soup can also produce noticeable results. Why not try these techniques today? 3. Chew slowly and thoroughly; chew each food 30 times before eating. I repeatedly tell "slimming girls," "Eating slowly reduces food intake." Why? Because swallowing food without chewing burdens the stomach and intestines, and harmful substances are easily produced during the breakdown and absorption process. Furthermore, chewing sends signals to the brain, creating a feeling of fullness. Therefore, chewing slowly helps to achieve a feeling of satiety compared to wolfing down food.