The appeal of liposuction surgery is both clear and obvious: it is a simple procedure that removes fat far faster than dieting or exercising, and works when dieting and exercising don’t. Although the procedure can easily help to obtain a certain look, it is important to be able to maintain that look after the procedure. This often means needing to make a few lifestyle changes afterwards.
1. Relaxation and Gradual Return
This is not a permanent lifestyle change, but it is still an important one. For the first week or two after any liposuction surgery, rest is important and physical activity should be avoided. After the initial recovery period, it is possible to begin returning to the lifestyle from before the surgery – though without any heavy lifting. This means that lipoplasty should be followed by time off of work, and if that work involves physical exertion, less demanding tasks upon returning.
2. Exercise
Exercise after the surgery will go a long way in keeping up the appearances obtained from it but you have to start off easy. Starting a few days after the procedure, walking is a simple way to keep fat cells small, and to help the body both recover from the surgery and keep the positive effects of the surgery noticeable. Starting with frequent walks and gradually beginning 30-minute workouts a few times a week will keep the body healthy and keep remaining fat cells under control.
3. Keep Hydrated
Although drinking water is not necessarily a significant lifestyle change, it is an important part of keeping healthy and maintaining the necessary body state to recover from and maintain the effects of liposuction surgery. Making an effort to drink plenty of water is a small lifestyle change that goes a long way towards recovery from any surgical procedure, as well as keeping side effects, such as headaches, at bay.
4. Eating Healthy
A complete diet is generally not necessary for post liposuction recovery; however it has been proven that the procedure does not permanently keep fat away. Healthy eating will help to keep fat off of the body and preserve the effects of the surgery. Including grains, fruits, and vegetables or reducing sugars and fats in a diet means including healthy choices that benefit the results of fat reduction surgery.
5. Mind the Body
Maintaining body health is a common theme in lifestyle changes made after liposuction surgery. There are a few minor things that can be done to help this in small ways. The first is to avoid using medicines that may cause bruising. The second is to maintain a normal blood pressure. Some specific procedures may require further safeguards. Facial lipoplasty, for example, should be accompanied by a chin strap to be worn during the immediate recovery period.
The key thing to remember about liposuction surgery is that it does not guarantee instant, permanent results. The biggest lifestyle change that can be made to keep the fat off of the body after the procedure is to be healthy and heed any advice given by the plastic surgeon that performed the operation.
Image Source: Flickr/Creative Commons/Sancho McMann
