Liposuction is a miracle treatment. You get the fat cells sucked out and then you can just go off and enjoy all the foods and drinks you want. After all, your fat cells are gone, so there is no harm, right?
Spoiler alert: if you want your lipo results to stick around long-term, you can’t treat every meal like you are at a Vegas buffet.
That’s the little detail about lipo that the media forgets to tell us: you can gain weight after liposuction. In fact, it is just as easy as it was before lipo.
Let’s Talk About Fat Cells
Your fat cell numbers remain the same throughout your life. The number of fat cells you had at your heaviest is the same as you had at your thinnest.
Removing fat cells from one area of your body does not mean you will never gain weight anywhere again. Sorry, ladies.Which may leave you wondering how on earth you can get chubby in the first place.
Well, first of all, these are not the same fat cells. Ours will die and be replaced often in our lives. Second of all, fat cells can swell based on how many calories you consume, your metabolic rate and other factors. You can even just naturally have larger fat cells than other people.
And that, my dears, is why gaining weight is a thing.
Okay, but How Do You Gain Weight After Lipo, Then?
Liposuction is great, but it is not a miracle. Yes, it can reveal the six-pack you have worked so hard for, but if you aren’t taking care of your body, weight gain is going to happen.
Now, there are a lot of misconceptions about this. We have all heard the “boogeyman” stories about lipo, such as the fat taken out just comes back somewhere else, like your arms.
Take a deep breath; this is not the case.
But the reality is that the fat cells left behind can still swell. And eventually, your body will produce new fat cells, which can replace the ones removed. After your plastic surgeon does their job, it is time for you to do yours.
How to Maintain Lipo Results
If you were hoping that lipo meant you could stop hitting the gym, think again. Part of maintaining the results of your lipo is exercising, eating well and taking care of yourself.
We suggest you reframe the way you look at liposuction to make this work. Rather than thinking of it as a shortcut to a better you, reframe it as part of your self-care. And self-care includes eating right and staying active.
As for how active to be and how healthy to eat, the same rules you used prior to lipo will still apply. So stock up on fruits and veggies, opt for lean meat and go ahead and renew your gym membership. Lipo or not, you are still going to need it.
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