Which body type is more likely to gain weight? Come and understand the 6 principles of "eating thin" diet

Summer is approaching, it's time to prepare for a lighter figure!

Being overweight or obese not only affects your appearance, but is also a breeding ground for chronic diseases. But losing weight is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires scientific methods and persistent efforts. The National Health Commission's "Guidelines for Adult Obesity Diet (2024 Edition)" provides us with a personalized weight loss plan based on the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine. Let's explore how to eat healthily and lose weight scientifically!

TCM diagnosis of body constitution

TCM believes that obesity is a syndrome of deficiency of the root and excess of the superficial symptoms, and the syndrome differentiation involves pathological factors such as phlegm, dampness, and heat, and is often accompanied by symptoms of excess of the superficial symptoms such as phlegm and dampness, blood stasis, and qi stagnation. The disease site is mostly in the spleen and stomach, and is closely related to kidney qi deficiency, and may involve the five internal organs. Common syndrome differentiation types and clinical manifestations are as follows:

Syndrome of stomach heat and fire stagnation : obesity, excessive appetite, rapid digestion and hunger, uncomfortable bowel movements or even dry and hard bowel movements, yellow urine, or dry and bitter mouth, preference for drinking water, red tongue, yellow tongue coating, and rapid pulse.

Syndrome of internal accumulation of phlegm and dampness : obesity, heaviness, drowsiness in limbs, abdominal distension and chest fullness, may be accompanied by dizziness, dry mouth but no desire to drink, sticky and uncomfortable stools, preference for fatty and sweet food and alcohol, lazy lying down, pale, fat or large tongue, greasy or white and slippery tongue coating, and slippery pulse.

Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome : obesity and laziness, prone to sighing, chest tightness and fullness in the ribs, dark face and lips, dull color of limbs or even purple, accompanied by dry stool and insomnia. Male sexual desire decreases or even impotence, female menstruation is irregular, with scanty menstruation or even amenorrhea, dark menstrual blood or blood clots, dark tongue or ecchymosis, thin tongue coating, and stringy or wiry pulse.

Syndrome of spleen deficiency and dysfunction : obesity, fatigue, heaviness, abdominal distension, or mild edema in the limbs, which is lighter in the morning and heavier in the evening, especially when exerting oneself, normal or less diet, a history of overeating, difficulty urinating, loose stools or constipation, a pale and fat tongue with teeth marks on the edges, a thin white or greasy tongue coating, and a moist and fine pulse.

Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome : obesity, easy fatigue, cold limbs or even cold limbs, preference for hot food and drinks, clear and long urination, pale and fat tongue, thin white tongue coating, and deep and fine pulse.

Eat right and choose food and medicine rationally

Highlight the key points!

By following the theory of "medicine and food have the same origin" and combining it with TCM's syndrome differentiation and treatment, choosing the right food and medicine can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Stomach heat and fire stagnation syndrome : We recommend ingredients such as Dendrobium officinale and malt to help clear stomach heat and relieve stagnation.

Syndrome of excessive phlegm and dampness in the body : Food ingredients such as coix seed, tangerine peel, and amomum villosum can eliminate phlegm, relieve stagnation, and lighten the body.

Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome : Tangerine peel, hawthorn, angelica (only used as spices and condiments) and other ingredients can regulate Qi, remove blood stasis, and promote blood circulation.

Spleen deficiency and dysfunction : Foods such as Poria cocos, yam, lotus seeds, etc. can strengthen the spleen and replenish qi, and improve digestion.

Spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome : Foods such as fennel, yam, cinnamon, etc. can warm the yang, replenish the deficiency, and strengthen the physical constitution.

* Specific consumption methods need to be consulted by doctors, nutrition counselors and other professionals

Understand the 6 principles of "eating thin" diet

If you want to lose weight through dietary intervention, you must not blindly diet right away. This is not only bad for your health, but also affects the sustainability of weight loss and is prone to rebound. Daily diet therapy proposes 6 principles and suggestions.

1. Control total energy intake and maintain a reasonable diet.

The choice of other dietary weight loss intervention measures such as high-protein diets, low-carbohydrate diets, intermittent fasting diets or nutritional meal replacements needs to be carried out under the guidance of professionals such as doctors or nutrition counselors.

*If you are interested in this content, please refer to the "Guidelines for Medical Nutritional Treatment of Overweight/Obesity in China (2021)" and "Expert Consensus on Obesity Prevention and Treatment among Chinese Residents" for specific methods.

2. Eat less high-energy foods, eat a light diet, and limit alcohol consumption.

To quantify, high-energy foods refer to foods that provide more than 400 kca1/100 g of energy. Generally speaking, fried foods, candies, and sugary baked goods are all in this category.

3. Correct bad eating habits and eat scientifically.

Pay attention to breakfast, do not skip meals, and have dinner between 17:00-19:00.

4. Move more and sit less, get enough sleep, and maintain a regular schedule.

You should follow your circadian rhythm to ensure about 7 hours of sleep a day. It is recommended to go to bed before 11 p.m.

5. Eat right and choose the right food and medicine

Follow the theory of "medicine and food have the same origin" and combine it with Chinese medicine's syndrome differentiation and treatment to choose the food and medicine that suits you.

6. Lose weight safely and reach and maintain a healthy weight.

You can refer to the suggestions given in the "Guidelines for Adult Obesity Diet" issued by China's National Health Commission: reduce 5%-10% of your current body weight within 6 months, and lose 2-4 kg per month . Although there are slight differences, the core of both is to avoid damaging the human body by losing weight too quickly.

Do you really need to lose weight?

Don't blindly pursue weight loss

BMI

To determine whether your weight is overweight, a well-known indicator is BMI.

BMI = weight (kg) / height² (m²)

The normal range is 18.5 kg/m²≤BMI<24.0 kg/m², 24.0 kg/m²≤BMI<28.0 kg/m² is overweight, BMI≥28.0 kg/m² is obese, and BMI<18.5 kg/m² is underweight. The appropriate BMI for people over 65 years old is slightly higher (20~26.9 kg/m²) .

The BMI value has its own flaws: on the one hand, for those who exercise all year round, have very low body fat, and have large muscles, which leads to a heavy weight, only calculating the BMI may result in a judgment of "(false) obesity"; on the other hand, for those who lack exercise, have high body fat but not heavy weight, only calculating the BMI may make them considered "slim", but in fact this group of people may already have the problem of central obesity.

Body fat percentage

To solve this problem, we can use "body fat percentage" to determine. The body fat percentage of a normal adult male should be less than 25%, and the body fat percentage of a normal adult female should be less than 30%. However, body fat percentage often requires professional instruments to accurately measure, which is not friendly to ordinary consumers.

waistline

There is another indicator that is an alternative to body fat percentage - waist circumference. Indeed, waist circumference can reflect the degree of central obesity and the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, it is recommended that the waist circumference of adult men in my country should not exceed 85 cm and that of women should not exceed 80 cm.

For ordinary people who do not do high-intensity exercise, it is better to combine BMI and waist circumference (body fat percentage) and consider them comprehensively with the physical examination report to more accurately reflect their health status.

Losing weight is not the goal, health is what we pursue!

References

[1] National Health Commission, Dietary Guidelines for Adults with Obesity, 2024.2.8.