Having a body sculpting procedure is an investment in yourself. It’s like a jump start or a boost to encourage you to take better care of yourself. It is not an “easy fix.” In order to get the most out of your liposuction procedure you need to continue to work at improving yourself.
Regular exercise helps you keep off the inches shed through liposuction or CoolSculpting. It also improves heart and vascular health, builds strong healthy bones and reduces your risk for cancer. But exercise has been proven to be beneficial for more than just your physical health. A regular exercise program will decrease depression, improve your cognitive function and help you sleep better. A good fitness goal is to do some sort of physical activity for 30 to 60 minutes at least 5 days a week. If you have recently had a liposuction procedure, our recommendations are to start exercising again as soon as possible. It’s hard to get back into a workout routine if you completely stop for an extended period. You can start doing low impact exercise, like walking, elliptical training or biking the day after your procedure. You can do light weight training as soon as you feel comfortable with it. Swimming is ok after your incisions have healed (usually a week). We do recommend that you wait 3 full weeks before going back to high impact exercises like running or aerobics. Not only will it be painful, it can affect your results. You want to let your body heal. High impact exercise can interrupt this healing and can lead to longer recuperation or uneven results.
Patients often ask about diet after liposuction. For the first few weeks you should follow a healthy, low salt diet. High salt content can cause you to retain water, making your swelling last longer and making you uncomfortable. If your final goal includes general weight loss you should follow a reduced calorie diet as well, but wait until a few days after your procedure to start; your body will need a few extra calories to heal after the surgery. The most efficient way to lose weight through diet is by counting calories. There are a number of commercial diets that tout cutting certain foods out of your regimen, but in the end it’s all about calories in versus calories out. You must burn more calories than you eat in order to lose weight. There is a free app that you can get on your phone or iPad called “My Fitness Pal” which makes counting calories a snap and offers motivation to continue your good behaviors.
For long term health, you need to look at more than just the calories. You want a balanced diet that is low in processed foods. Fortunately these diets tend to be low in calories as well. A healthy diet includes a large portion of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables every day (4-5 servings each) along with whole grains and fiber (6-8 servings). You also want to stick to lean meats and chicken and eat dairy products in moderation. You should use oils, butter and salt sparingly. This type of diet is similar in theory to the DASH Diet, the Mediterranean Diet and the Paleo Diet. Over the long term you should generally avoid diets that recommend that you eat large quantities of a particular food or completely cut one out. The reasoning behind this is that this decreases the balance in your diet, but also because it makes it harder to stick with it and turn your “diet” into a “lifestyle.”
Liposuction can be a pivotal event in your life that encourages you to make better lifestyle choices. It can give you the self confidence that you need to go to the gym or to get outside and exercise. The best results from your liposuction will be obtained when the procedure is combined with diet and exercise. These components are essential to maintaining the results that you desire *. If you would like more information about SmartLipo liposuction or about our recommendations on diet or exercise, please contact us or call Imagen at 402-509-8473 for a complimentary consultation.