Well, I am no doctor or nutritionist so perhaps this stuff is valid. I have noticed some interesting weight loss theories, particular from local girls. I am sure you have all encountered women/girls here who do not believe in cardio/sweaty workouts because they do not want to sweat (though some of them have said they are fine with swimming, which is probably one of the dirtiest workouts since you are in a pool of everyone else’s bacteria). So some of them have this long routine of massaging and pounding their flab, or raising their legs in the air, not really sure what it is supposed to do, but they have told me it’s part of their weight loss technique. Has anyone else encountered this? Is there any evidence to say this works?
From my experience with Taiwanese girl friends, who, just as any other women on the planet, are always talking about losing weight (regardless of the fact that they probably have a lot less of it to lose compared to some other out there): There is nothing in Taiwan that works magically as opposed to anywhere else in the world.
Over the years I’ve seen them drink powders (Chinese meds) and take diet pills (Watsons), avoid certain food combos, take laxatives, etc. But 8 years later and none of them have had any noticeable weight loss. The fact that they don’t believe in exercise doesn’t help them. But then again, just believing in the science of exercise doesn’t guarantee success either, or else most of us here would be in great shape.
The beating yourself on your body is a Chinese medicine thing, as far as I know. My doctor used to beat me that way on places that needed better blood flow and for the muscle to relax. So circulation and massage are the main reasons they* do it. Nothing to do with weight loss. But somebody please correct me if I’m wrong.
When I say “they” I mean “we”. I still catch myself doing it sometimes. Which is a bit weird to be seen doing on the streets of… well, anywhere outside Asia, I suppose 
if enough girls put their legs up in the air then someone will cum along and give them a good workout.
The “Only Drink Tea Diet” seems to work well. 
I suppose women everywhere have equally strange diet practices. Such as in the US, eat-only-this-diet (reminds me of “The Man Show” and the chocolate diet, haha), or avoid-this-nutrient-diet. I suppose if the spent the same amount of energy that they do just thinking and talking about losing weight on actual exercise, then they might see some real results.