Liposuction is one of the most popular surgical cosmetic procedures for removing fat deposits that can’t be exercised or dieted away. The surgery can target multiple areas of the body including the abdomen, hips, glutes, thighs, and arms. But according to new research, removing abdominal fat can cause a person to develop dangerous belly fat.

Otherwise known as visceral fat, this type of fatty tissue is stored in areas surrounding the abdominal organs. The presence of this type of fat puts you at an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Fortunately, the research also indicates that regular exercise is helpful in counteracting this effect.

Researchers say that the findings are proof that exercise is essential after liposuction. Even if you have the toned body of your dreams, you still have to engage in physical activity.

The Effects of Exercise

Many people who undergo liposuction are very close to their goal weight. They want to remove the fat in their abdominal cavity to create a smoother, flatter, more toned appearance. During a liposuction procedure, the pockets of fat and many of the fat-producing cells are permanently removed from a particular area. This keeps fat regrowth from occurring.

But while fat won’t regrow in the excised areas, the new research indicates that the fat cells found in other portions of the body may begin reproducing at unhealthy rates to compensate.

A new study uses data from thirty-six women in Brazil. Each had a small-volume liposuction procedure performed on their abdomen. Two months after the surgery, half of the participants partook in a strict four-month exercise program. Each exercise session began with five minutes of warm ups followed by a strength training session and a cardio component including treadmill runs of up to forty minutes. Six months following the surgery, the women who didn’t exercise had a ten percent greater increase in their body’s visceral fat percentage than the women who exercised three times each week.

Regaining Weight After Liposuction

A liposuction procedure is not a guarantee of permanent weight loss. The procedure is cosmetic and used to help with toning the body. To maintain your post-surgery body, you need to participate in adequate diet and exercising. Liposuction is not even classified as a weight loss surgery. Your number on the scale will diminish because fat is removed, but the point of liposuction is to contour.

Failing to maintain a good exercise regimen and diet will cause you to gain weight again, no matter how much fat was removed during the procedure. You should be aware that your body will start producing more fat cells after surgery to compensate for the sudden loss. Fat storage is a metabolic process that isn’t altered by a surgical procedure. Having a supply of stored energy in fat cells is a survival mechanism. Your body is evolved to fight to retain them. For this reason, it’s important to exercise regularly in order to maintain the results of a liposuction procedure.

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