We all have small pockets of fat that we wish we could eliminate. However, it is impossible to spot-reduce fat with diet and exercise. Therefore, we have to live with the contours we don’t like or seek professional body contouring help. Today, our aesthetic experts at Murphy Plastic Surgery in Englewood, CO are discussing how quickly you can see the final results from the gold standard in fat removal, liposuction.

How Soon After Liposuction Will You See Results?

You can expect to see your final liposuction results approximately one to three months after your procedure depending on how much fat was removed. Although the excess fat is removed at the time of your procedure, you won’t see the results of your procedure right away because it takes a while for your skin to adjust to your new contours.

If you only have a small amount of fat removed, this may take around one month. It will take closer to three months if you have a lot of excess fat removed.

How You Can See Your Final Results Faster

To see your final results as quickly as possible, you need to ensure that your skin is as healthy as possible. One of the most important things you need to do to ensure the health of your skin is to drink plenty of water. You will also need to eat lots of protein and vitamin C so your skin has the building blocks it needs to produce collagen, a special protein that is required for your skin to heal itself.

How Long Will Your Results Last?

The results of lipo are considered permanent because your body can’t grow new fat cells to replace the fat cells that are suctioned out during the procedure. However, it is still important to maintain a healthy lifestyle after your procedure. Depending on the areas targeted for fat loss, lipo may eliminate between 26 and 80% of the localized fat cells.

Typically, a single lipo session can remove around a quarter of localized fat cells from a large area targeted for treatment, like the abdomen or back. On the other hand, a single lipo session can remove closer to four-fifths of localized fat cells from a small area targeted for treatment, like the chin or underarms.

How You Can Extend the Longevity of Your Results

To enjoy your ideal contours for the rest of your life, you need to do a decent job of maintaining your weight. Individual experiences are unique, but you can feel fairly confident that you will remain happy with your new contours if you do not gain more than 10 pounds of fat following your lipo.

Nevertheless, you should understand that you may only be able to gain five pounds post-op if you have a genetic predisposition for developing submental fullness and you get chin lipo. On the other hand, you may be able to gain 20 pounds post-op before feeling the need to lose weight if you tend to store excess fat fairly evenly. Here are some actionable steps you can take to maintain your weight following your procedure.

Track Your Macros

If you’ve struggled to maintain your weight in the past, it may be because you consumed too many calories due to hunger. Sometimes, people gain weight because they snack throughout the day in addition to eating three main meals. Other times, people gain weight because they did not adjust their calorie intake when their regular physical activity decreased.

However, it is very common for people to overeat calorie-dense foods because they feel hungry. Often, this hunger is the body signaling that it needs more protein. You may find it easier to maintain your weight if you track your macros to ensure you’re getting enough protein and you’re not getting too many calories. Depending on your weight and activity level, you should aim for 46 to 150 grams of protein daily.

Stay Hydrated

People also commonly feel hungry because they misread their thirst cues as hunger cues. When you’re dehydrated and you think you’re hungry, you often crave salty foods because sodium helps your body retain more of its water. If you find yourself hungry before it is time for your next meal, drink a cup or two of water and wait 30 minutes. You may find that your hunger goes away because it wasn’t hunger in the first place.

As a good general rule of thumb, women should try to drink half of a gallon of water, coffee, and tea daily to stay hydrated. Men tend to weigh more than women, so they usually need closer to a gallon of hydrating fluids daily to stay hydrated. Note, if you struggle to drink enough hydrating fluids that you have clear or very pale urine, try eating more foods that are high in water, like berries, melons, cucumbers, celery, and asparagus.

Walk

Walking is another great way to maintain your weight for the rest of your life. For optimal heart health, you should walk at a moderate pace for at least 150 minutes every week. However, if you eat more calories than you planned to eat, you should get more walking in so you can balance what you eat and do.

For example, you need to consume 14,000 calories weekly to maintain your weight when you get in 2.5 hours of walking weekly. However, you consume an extra 500 calories at the office party. If you change nothing else about your routine for the week, you will gain one-seventh of a pound of fat. On the other hand, you can maintain your weight by walking approximately an extra five miles to burn an extra 500 calories for the week.

Swim

Swimming is yet another great way to maintain your weight following liposuction. There are many things that make swimming great, including its efficiency. You can burn more calories faster while walking by increasing your speed. You can also burn more calories faster while walking on a treadmill by increasing the incline on the treadmill. However, swimming is a much more efficient way to burn calories regardless of the stroke or intensity you choose.

Swimming is such an efficient calorie torcher because it uses almost every muscle in your body, including the largest muscles in your body, like your hamstrings, quads, glutes, and back. Besides being an incredibly efficient calorie burner, swimming is great for maintaining your weight after liposuction because it is a low-impact activity. In other words, it won’t hurt your joints regardless of how intense your session is.

Erg

Erging, also known as indoor rowing, is similar to rowing on the water but much more accessible than on-the-water rowing. Erging, like swimming, is a low-impact calorie torcher that your joints will thank you for. Erging is also a very effective way to burn calories because it uses almost all of the muscles in your body. If you choose to go this route to burn any excess calories you consume, just make sure you are careful about your form.

How To Row Properly

The first phase of indoor rowing is known as “the catch.” During this phase, you are sitting with your shins vertical, you’re leaned forward at the hips, your arms are parallel to the store, your head is neutral, and your back is straight. The second phase of indoor rowing is known as “the drive.” During this phase, you will press with your legs until they are fully extended.

Once your legs are fully extended, lean backwards until your hips and shoulders are aligned. The third phase of indoor rowing is known as “the finish.” Lean backwards slightly from your hips and use your lats to pull the handle to your ribcage. Then, push the handle with your arms, lean forward, and use your hamstrings to pull yourself back to the catch.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today

You can expect to see your final lipo results roughly four to 12 weeks post-op. The more excess fat you have removed, the longer it will take your skin to adjust to your new contours. However, you can see your final results faster by drinking plenty of water and eating nutritious meals so your skin can make enough collagen to heal itself quickly.

To learn more about liposuction or find out if it is a good fit for you, contact us today at Murphy Plastic Surgery in Englewood, CO. We have proudly helped the residents of Denver, CO, Englewood, CO, and other nearby cities achieve their ideal contours for years. We welcome the opportunity to help you achieve the contours of your dreams.