How can we lose weight and keep it off?

This is the million dollar question. It seems in the West we tend to put a lot of emphasis on outer appearance and not the inner beauty. We idolize the super skinny models that we see in magazines and the media. Some people follow the trends of new diet fads and don’t realize we abuse our body with yo-yo dieting. There is a disconnection between body and mind. 

In the East the emphasis is on food and the types of food that builds Qi health. We put emphasis on awareness of the body and how food makes us feel. The concept of Qi has deep roots in the Chinese culture. I remember when I was little I loved to watch martial arts movies. What sticks with me is that the old masters emphasize how to build Qi because Qi means inner strength. They use herbs, food, Qi Gong, or Kung Fu to increase Qi. It is ingrained in me, it is part of my culture that food and Qi are the basis of our health. It is all about the “Qi”, the life force that drives us and keep our metabolism moving at all times by adapting a healthy lifestyle.

Tradition Chinese Medicine puts importance on moving the Qi in the meridians to move stagnation in the body. TCM also focuses on the awareness of the body and how food and energy makes us feel. It is going back to the basics. Eat fresh, healthy, and nutritious food. Exercise, meditate and think positive. Simple right? Why do we not follow these old proven methods? That is because in the modern world, we are looking for quick fixes. We are stressed, we do not have enough time, and we want that magical pill that will change things over night. There is always a price for everything. 

Quick fix = problems will come back eventually!
Long and steady = wins!

Here are some simple steps to weight loss in the TCM world:

1) Eat slowly and mindfully. You enjoy your food more when you eat slowly and you will also eat less. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full. If you finished your meal too quickly the chances are you may go for seconds. By then you already over ate. This will cause weight gain and dampness to form in the body. Overtime, dampness will cause other issues in the body such as joint pain, foggy brain, and digestion problems. 

2) Stick to a simple eating plan rather than going through the yo-yo dieting. Having a steady plan of what will work for you is the key. Your body has a natural rhythms so eating at the same time every day is best.

3) Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and organic meat. Avoid packaged food, refined food, artificial colors. Avoid “diet” foods. They take out the fat so they can advertise “fat-free”, but since fat gives food flavor, they have to replace that flavor with more sugar and/or salt which may entice you to overeat. It is best to consume alkaline food to avoid inflammation in the body. 


Some examples of alkaline food are garlic, beets, apples and figs [You can read more about alkaline foods in my blog specific to the topic, click here]. 

4) It is best to be done with dinner by 5pm so the food is fully digest before you go to bed. Unfortunately, most people can’t do that due to work, school, or a busy life. At least try to finish dinner no later than 7pm. If any later than that, eat something light that is easy to digest as you will see why in #9 below. Your liver detoxifies everyday whether you like it or not. If you load up your

stomach with too much food, it causes the liver to work too hard. I am sure you heard of Fois Gras and how it’s made.....too much food. We don’t want a fatty liver from over eating or eating too late. It is not healthy for the liver. 

5) Take essential fatty acid. Our body needs quality fat. Don’t be afraid to eat good fat. Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, fish oil, and flax seed oil are all great oils to consume. 

6) Engage in any kind of exercise that promotes the movement of Qi such as walking, Qi Gong, swimming, and yoga. Weigh bearing exercises are great for building bone density. It is especially beneficial for people with small bones, since people with small bones are prone to osteoporosis.  


Here is a test to see if you have small bones:
- Wrap your middle finger and your thumb around your wrist
- If they overlap you are small boned.
- If they barely touch, you are medium boned
- If they don't touch, you are big boned. 

7) Besides physical movement, the mind needs to be move as well. Clear your mind of clutter. It stagnates the Qi. It’s just as important for the mind to move as it is the body. For example, over thinking, constant worrying, anger, over working, and obsessive behaviors, etc. will stagnate and deplete the Qi.

8) Avoid eating too much cold food or beverages. It depletes the Spleen Qi energy and eventually slows down your digestion (metabolism), among other things. This includes raw food. Raw is considered cold because it makes the body use a lot of energy to transform cold food. Overtime it will weaken the Spleen and slow down digestion. You need the heat in order to metabolize food so you want your digestive fire to be working optimally.

9) Sleep by 10-10:30pm. The liver detoxifies the body and cleans the blood between 1 – 3am which is the “liver time”. Adequate rest is important for weight loss. Lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. 

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10) Manage your stress. We don’t think about stress being one of the culprits of weight gain but it plays a big part in your diet plan. When stress rises, cortisol rises, and most likely you will gain the weight in your belly. The liver processes the stress energy and if you are stressed, Liver Qi is stagnated. Stagnation keeps the Qi from flowing properly and smoothly.

Did you know that acupuncture is great for stress and weight management among other things?! 

Don't hesitate to take steps towards wellness, use the contact tab at the top of this page to make your next appointment. 

Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226