After Liposuction, Regular Exercise and Healthy DietKeeps the Fat off

Liposuction can do many things. It can help both men and women get rid of stubborn areas of fat on the body. It can create an etched and sculpted appearance that’s nearly impossible to achieve with only diet and exercise. And it can help patients increase their self-esteem and self-image. But after surgery, patients are still responsible for adhering to healthy lifestyle habits in order to keep their new look pristine.
For patients who don’t have a healthy lifestyle to begin with, it’s important to start as soon as possible if liposuction is in the forecast. Diet and exercise are a good place to start, but patients need to realize that if they smoke or drink a lot, they may need to modify these habits before pursuing a procedure. Smoking especially can wreak havoc on the body, making it more difficult for patients to heal following surgery. A patient who smokes is more likely to heal slowly following liposuction and experience other complications. Most doctors recommend that patients stop smoking at least 2 weeks before their scheduled operation.
Many patients mistakenly believe that after liposuction surgery, they won’t be able to gain the fat back where it was initially removed. This isn’t entirely true. Though fat cells are removed during liposuction, some still remain and if a proper, healthy diet isn’t enforced, patients may see a decline in their results over time. The good news is that patients who take the time to plan healthy meals and eat right are likely to have liposuction results that last a really long time.
Exercise is also important following liposuction surgery. Indeed, it’s valuable for patients to take up an exercise regime before their surgery and form a solid habit. If patients have a good habit going before their liposuction surgery, they’ll be significantly more likely to maintain it after the fact. It’s a challenge to start a healthy new habit and a much better strategy to do that part of the work before liposuction surgery rather than after. Once you’ve established an exercise routine that works for you, it will be much easier to return to it following your procedure. Individuals who are able to successfully maintain a healthy amount of exercise will be much more likely to maintain their liposuction results.
A study in Brazil recently considered the potentially negative effects of liposuction on patients who were susceptible to gaining fat after their procedure. Specifically, researchers wanted to know if the fat gained would contribute to heart or metabolic issues. Patients who followed a healthy lifestyle including regular exercise and a calorie-restricted diet were able to keep off extra pounds and maintain reasonable health. In contrast, patients who did not follow a healthy lifestyle following liposuction were more likely to develop visceral fat, the dangerous type of fat that can lead to health issues down the road.
Patients undergoing liposuction need to be prepared to maintain a healthy lifestyle after their procedure in order to keep the fat off, but also to keep their bodies in tip top condition. Though patients are often more concerned about appearance than inner health, the two are intimately intertwined and following liposuction it is vital that patients follow a lifestyle that will help them get lasting results from their procedure.