People gain weight for many reasons and such weight gain often leads to stubborn fat in different areas of the body such as the thighs, arms, hips, abdomen, buttocks, face, etc. Exercise and a healthy diet can help you lose pounds, but these measures usually fail to eliminate those unwanted fat deposits. Many people opt to have liposuction to treat the issue. It removes the excess fat and you achieve a well-shaped body.
Once the procedure is over, you need to adhere to a healthy lifestyle with a proper diet and exercise regiment to maintain your results. Here are some important things you should know about exercising after liposuction treatment.
Many patients want to know if it necessary to do exercise after liposuction. The answer is yes – if you want to maintain your results. Liposuction removes the stubborn fat cells and the loss is permanent. Fat will not reaccumulate in that area. To maintain this, you should exercise regularly and follow a proper diet. If you don’t, it can result in substantial weight gain, with new fat cells being produced and stored again in all areas of your body, including the areas that had been treated.
Another question patients ask their liposuction surgeon is when they can resume their routine exercises. It is alright to begin exercising after liposuction, but you cannot do so immediately after the procedure. It is important that you should not engage in strenuous activities in the first three weeks after surgery. Most doctors recommend that patients start or restart an exercise regimen about 2-3 weeks after the procedure to enhance the results. However, light activities can be resumed after 1-2 days. Resuming normal activities is important not only for the body’s circulation but also for the patient’s recovery. You can gradually resume your intensive exercise regimen after you start moving and get used to doing simple exercises.
Recovery time varies among patients and how soon you can resume your exercise regimen would depend on factors like:
- Your body’s ability to heal
- Your medical history
- Your surgeon’s protocols
- how intensive the procedure was (the area treated, the amount of fat removed)
For more specific advice on your exercise regimen, talk to your surgeon. This is important to understand how to exercise during each stage of recovery. The following are examples of light activities that you do 1-2 days after the procedure:
- Light Physical Activity: This includes general activities like household activities and easy walking. To help avoid blot clots, it is essential to maintain this activity level in the first 1-2 days after the surgery. Normally, physicians will recommend you exercise at 25% of your normal effort during the first phase of recovery.
- Aerobic Activity: Light aerobic activity like walking is recommended in the first two days after surgery. A crucial thing to do is listen your body’s signals and not push yourself beyond your comfort level while healing. You can slowly get back to your old exercise routine but at a much lower intensity level than you are likely used to. Slowly build up to the six-week mark when you can continue higher impact activities like aerobics and running.
- Resistance Exercises: These exercises can be resumed on second week of the surgery. Like aerobic exercise, you should begin your resistance routine gradually and increase it only with great care. You should pay special attention to the way your body reacts during and after the exercise. If you feel any pain, discomfort, or drainage during resistance exercise, seek medical attention. Exercises that target the treated area should be avoided in the first few weeks after the procedure. Once your incisons have healed well and the bruises start to disappear (usually about 6 weeks after the surgery) you can resume resistance exercises as tolerated around the surgical areas.
The Bottom Line: If you have liposuction treatment, keep in mind that exercise and proper diet are crucial to maintaining your liposuction results. However, follow your surgeon’s instructions on exercise and avoid vigorous activities and strenuous exercise for about 2-3 weeks. Keep your follow-up appointments as monitoring progress is important for smooth and fast recovery.
