"I Skipped Lunch and Lost Weight?" Rapidly Shedding Holiday Pounds... Doctor Warns, "You Could Develop Gallstones" [Health Issue]

[Financial News] Experts have warned that drastically cutting food intake to quickly lose weight gained during the Chuseok holiday could instead harm one's health.

According to Health Kyunghyang and other outlets on the 26th, Yoo In-seon, a professor of family medicine at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, pointed out, "If you fast or drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake, your weight may drop rapidly during the first few days. However, much of that loss comes from reduced glycogen and water, not an equivalent reduction in body fat." Yoo added, "Hunger may actually intensify after dieting and lead to overeating, while dizziness, headaches, fatigue and constipation may also occur."
Excessively restricting food intake can reduce muscle mass because of insufficient protein and essential nutrients. Rapid weight loss may also lead to gallstone disease.
Gallstone disease occurs when components of bile harden and accumulate in the gallbladder like stones. When a person loses a significant amount of weight in a short period, the amount of cholesterol released by the liver into bile increases, while reduced food intake weakens gallbladder contractions. As a result, bile remains in the gallbladder longer and becomes more concentrated, increasing the risk of gallstones. Extreme dietary restrictions, including very-low-calorie diets and eating patterns approaching fasting, require particular caution.
Lee Kyung-joo, a professor of gastroenterology at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, advised, "Even during obesity treatment, avoiding excessive short-term weight loss and very-low-calorie diets, while consulting medical professionals to develop a gradual weight-loss plan, can help prevent gallstones and protect gallbladder health."

To manage weight gained during the holiday, the priority should be restoring normal eating and daily routines rather than starving yourself. It is advisable to moderate food portions and cut back on snacks, alcohol and sugary drinks.
Yoo said, "Reducing daily calorie intake by about 500 kcal from your usual level can lead to an expected weight loss of approximately 0.5 kg per week." Yoo added, "I also recommend combining this approach with at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week and strength training at least twice a week."
Lee advised, "If weight gain continues or binge eating and severe food restriction recur, it would be wiser to have a medical professional assess your weight, comorbidities and eating behaviors rather than continuing with an overly strenuous diet."
[email protected] Kim Soo-yeon Reporter