Losing weight is a sort of self-abuse.

There is an increasing number of dieters who treat their stomachs as a measure of how much they've eaten.

Although I have two love handles around my waist, I never meant to lose weight until the day I struggled to squeeze into my wedding gown. In order to make a perfect appearance on my big day, I soon joined the weight-loss force without any reluctance.

Acupuncture is considered one of the efficient methods.

I went to the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital's acupuncture department. Before me was a young girl who is not fat but eager to lose weight so she can dress more elegantly for an upcoming job interview.

Watching her treatment was horrifying. A dozen 20-cm-long needles were inserted into her belly, which later was wrapped tightly by an elastic band and connected with electric wires for half an hour.

I was curious to ask the girl what she felt but as I saw the look of pain on her face, I swallowed my question.

"So far no man has dared try the treatment but female patients ask for it," a male doctor sighed to me.

To help me pluck up the courage, a nurse said cheerfully: "Think about your wedding dress! Your pain will be worth it."

Well, I did want to become slim but I didn't want my belly to become a dartboard. I just could not be so cruel to myself.

"No matter how much pain you suffer, you cannot quit in the middle of the treatment," said the doctor as I prepared to be invaded, "because if you move, the needles might break and make things worse."