Diet Herbal Medicine, How Long Should I Take It?

Is taking it for just one month enough? This is the first question asked in the consultation room. Whether it's a wedding in two months or a health check-up next month, the reasons vary, but the way of asking is the same. They want to know when they can stop taking it.

Whether you answer one month or three months to this question, a plan is formed the moment you hear the answer. Therefore, the duration is an issue that must be decided before starting the intake. If you decide while taking it, it's already too late.

Why Should the Duration Be Decided First?

There's Already a Baseline for Weight Loss Speed

The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity's 「Obesity Treatment Guidelines 2022」 recommends a weight loss rate of 0.5-1.0 kg per week, with a primary goal of 5-10% weight loss within 6 months. These numbers are the starting point for calculating the duration.

For someone weighing 70 kg, a 5% reduction is 3.5 kg. At a rate of 0.5 kg per week, it takes 7 weeks; at 1.0 kg per week, it takes 4 weeks. If the goal is 10%, or 7 kg, it takes 14 weeks and 7 weeks, respectively. Once the goal is set, the duration is a calculated value, not a negotiated one.

Conversely, if the duration is fixed first, the pace becomes unreasonable. Losing 7 kg in 4 weeks requires 1.75 kg per week, which is nearly double the upper limit recommended by the treatment guidelines.

The Speed at Which the Body Changes Differs from the Speed at Which Habits Form

Weight can change in a few weeks. However, the behaviors that maintain that weight take longer to establish.

A habit formation study published in Volume 40 of the 『European Journal of Social Psychology』 in 2010 had 96 participants record new eating, drinking, and exercise behaviors daily for 12 weeks in the same situation. For participants whose data could be analyzed, the time it took for the degree of behavioral automaticity to reach 95% of its asymptote was a median of 66 days, with individual differences ranging from 18 to 254 days.

In other words, even if weight is lost after 4 weeks of intake, the eating habits at that point have not yet become ingrained. If the timing of stopping intake and the timing of habit formation are misaligned, there will be nothing left to sustain the reduced weight.

How Does the Duration Vary According to the Goal?

This table is calculated based on a 70 kg body weight, applying the recommended rates from the treatment guidelines. It varies depending on individual weight and living conditions.

| Goal | Weight to Lose | 0.5 kg/week Rate | 1.0 kg/week Rate | Habit Formation Standard (66 days) | |---|---|---|---|---| | 3% of Body Weight | 2.1 kg | Approx. 4 weeks | Approx. 2 weeks | Insufficient | | 5% of Body Weight | 3.5 kg | Approx. 7 weeks | Approx. 4 weeks | Close | | 7% of Body Weight | 4.9 kg | Approx. 10 weeks | Approx. 5 weeks | Sufficient | | 10% of Body Weight | 7.0 kg | Approx. 14 weeks | Approx. 7 weeks | Sufficient |

What should be read from the table is the far-right column. While 4 weeks may be enough for weight to change, it is too short for habits to become established. When considering both weight loss and maintenance, the 8 to 12-week period generally becomes the minimum.

How Does Jaimdang Divide the Duration?

Gongbihwan Signature divides the intake period into 5 stages. Lite has 3 stages. The prescription composition changes with each stage, and the same prescription is not continued by simply extending the duration.

The reason for dividing into stages is that the body's condition changes during intake. Appetite, swelling, and bowel movements at the start are different from those after 6 weeks. If the initial prescription is maintained as is, you will continue to take medicine that doesn't suit your changed body.

The dosage form is pills (hwan). The pills contained in a sachet are swallowed with water, and 3 sachets per day are taken. It is not a stick form to be sucked.

Preparation is carried out at Jaimdang's directly operated Paju Outpatient Herbal Dispensary. It is a facility designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and it is self-operated, not outsourced. 11 years in Cheongdam-dong, accumulated 200,000 people, exported to 24 countries.

5 Tips for Adhering to the Duration

First, write down the end date before starting. Write the date, not the target weight. Weight fluctuates daily, but the date does not.

Second, view weight as a 7-day average. Comparing daily numbers can lead to judgments swayed by the weight of water and food. Use the same scale, weigh yourself immediately after urinating in the morning, in the same attire, and compare weekly averages.

Third, set interim check-up dates in advance. For example, pre-determine the 4th and 8th weeks. Decide whether to change the plan on that day, and do not change it in between.

Fourth, use the last 2 weeks for maintenance practice. If you suddenly return to your original diet on the day intake ends, that's when problems begin. Test the diet you'll return to in advance before it ends.

Fifth, also set conditions for stopping. If signals that don't suit your body, such as persistent digestive discomfort or shallow sleep, continue, consultation should come before completing the duration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to take it for only one month?

If the sole purpose is weight loss, 4 weeks also has meaning. However, as shown in the table above, 4 weeks is insufficient for habits to become established. If you plan to do it for a short period, it is better to set your post-intake meal plan at the start.

Can I stop in the middle and restart?

Yes, it's possible. However, since prescriptions vary by stage, if the break period is long, it's appropriate to restart from the initial stage. Please inform us during consultation how many weeks you rested, and we will determine which stage to continue from.

Is a longer duration more effective?

Duration and results are not proportional. The treatment guidelines setting 5-10% within 6 months as the primary goal also indicate that indefinitely extending the period is not recommended. It is generally better to set a goal, determine an appropriate duration, and then transition to maintenance once completed.

Jaimdang means 'entrusting to oneself.' For 11 years, Jaimdang has maintained its position in Cheongdam-dong and directly operates its Paju Outpatient Herbal Dispensary, taking responsibility from prescription to preparation. Results may vary depending on individual constitution and living conditions, and the intake period and prescription are determined through consultation with a Korean medicine doctor.