Diet Plan Before and After — From Weight Loss Speed to Meal Composition and Yo-yo Prevention

The most common thing I hear in the consultation room is "Doctor, I really want to lose weight this time." And at the end of that sentence, there's always an awkward laugh that follows, like "I made the same resolution last year…"

![A scene in the consultation room where an oriental medical doctor is sitting across from a patient for a consultation. The doctor is gesturing with 3 fingers while asking a question, with a scale and body composition analysis chart in the background, in a warm clinic atmosphere]](/api/files/assets/2026-06/9ad7b171.jpg?sig=a9490f24957f243ea278bdb0eeb4621dcb202e3e4d0a09021a2819b12b7e0c42)

Why is 'Plan Before and After' Important?

Before-and-after photos and reviews are great for motivation. However, I have seen many people who start after seeing a single photo only to collapse within a month. You must first establish a realistic weight loss speed and a safe plan that fit your body and lifestyle for the results to differ.

The recommended weight loss speed is 0.5~1.0kg per week. In terms of calories, you need to create a deficit of 3,500~7,000kcal per week. If you want to lose 3kg in 3 months, the goal is a daily deficit of 300~500kcal. For someone whose maintenance energy expenditure is 2,000kcal, start your diet intake at around 1,500~1,700kcal/day.

The reason these numbers are important is that if you eat only 800kcal a day, you will certainly lose weight quickly. The problem is that a body created that way cannot last for two months.

How Things Actually Change Around 100 Days

Looking at publicly shared 100-day diet reviews, individual differences are really significant. In one case, it was 74.8kg to 53kg, a loss of about 20kg. Another person went from 98kg to 73kg, losing 25kg. And another review was 11kg in 100 days. Even with the same 100 days, results vary tremendously depending on starting weight and diet intensity.

What you need to look at more than the weight number is body composition. In one case, body fat percentage dropped from 31~32% to 16%. In another review, body fat mass decreased from 21.6kg to 6.9kg. One person I saw on Instagram had lost 4kg of body fat and gained 2kg of muscle over 100 days.

Exercise often involves both cardio and strength training together. In one case, cardio was set at more than 1 hour with strength training at less than 100 minutes. For diet, rather than simply starving, the pattern that appeared frequently was focusing on protein intake and adjusting carbohydrates, with intermittent fasting (12:12 or 16 hours fasting) added.

However, among those who lost weight quickly, there were also cases that experienced side effects such as menstrual irregularity or sensitivity. There were also reviews noting that they improved after maintaining their weight and refining their meals. Before envying short-term results, please look at "the next 1 year" together.

The 'Before and After' from a Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective

When it comes to viewing diet in Korean medicine, what matters most is not the number on the scale but body constitution and metabolic state. Even at the same 70kg, for some people half of it is edema, while for others the problem is insufficient muscle mass. If you give those two people the exact same diet plan, the results cannot possibly be the same.At the 'before' stage of dieting, I always ask patients three questions. Whether their hands and feet are usually cold, whether they feel bloated after meals, and whether they sleep well. These three answers determine about half of the prescription direction. If you aggressively cut carbohydrates for someone with a weak stomach, they'll collapse with binge eating within a month. For those with an edema-prone constitution, even eating the same calories, if water is expelled well, they can easily become lighter by 1~2kg.

In the 'after' stage of dieting—meaning the maintenance phase after weight loss—TCM perspective is a bit different. Maintaining lost weight is ultimately a battle of appetite control and basal metabolism, and these two areas are ones that can be clearly refined through herbal prescriptions. Short-term weight loss is possible through willpower. However, to sustain it for 6 months or more, you need to give the body time to adapt to its new weight.

![Checklist with 5 items arranged vertically. Each item is preceded by a checkmark icon (✓). The background uses bright tones to emphasize a sense of achievability]](/api/files/assets/2026-06/ce19f14b.jpg?sig=6d05bc8410b77dfea473d6c719a8ad02d86855810cda52222542571ef3c718ff)

![A 4-step arrow flow showing meal sequence. Step 1 (raw vegetable icon)→Step 2 (egg·meat icon)→Step 3 (brown rice icon)→Step 4 (completed bowl) in order, with Korean text labels below each step]](/api/files/assets/2026-06/4f70f9b5.jpg?sig=4e65ea8fdee1a140deded66099956fcb8f006eeef7fe89a51eab01f5bcf97ca5)

Actionable Tips You Can Start Right Now

Before putting together an elaborate plan, let me share some things you can change this week.

• Write down your current numbers: Write down your weight, height, and BMI in a notebook. If you're 158cm tall and weigh 52kg, your BMI is approximately 20.8, which is within the normal range.
• Set a daily calorie goal: Based on the Ministry of Health and Welfare standards, the average recommended energy intake for Korean adult women is 1,690kcal. During dieting, aim for 1,200~1,400kcal and adjust according to your activity level.
• Balance your carb-protein-fat ratio: Carbohydrates 4050%(120170g), protein 2530%(7090g), and fat 2530%(3545g) are a good starting point.
• Change the order you eat: Start with fiber, then protein and fat, and finish with carbohydrates. One success case had a raw vegetable ratio of 50~55%.
• Exercise 3~5 times per week: Don't try to exercise every day from the start. 3~5 times per week is more sustainable.

Now, let me add one more thing. The numbers above are based on the 'average adult.' For those with reduced thyroid function, hormonal imbalances after childbirth, or a slowed basal metabolism due to chronic fatigue, the same diet can actually be harmful.

I feel this constantly when I see patients. Spending time accurately understanding the 'before' state of your body is far more valuable than envying 'before and after' diet photos. If you've tried diets two or three times and always hit the same wall, it's less about willpower and more likely that you're repeating a method that doesn't suit your body type. That's why Baekrok Gambi-jeong prescribes a constitutional consultation before starting any treatment. Before committing to a 100-day plan, let's first figure out what kind of person your body is.