Excuse my political incorrectness when I tell you that liposuction is for lazy people, yet when I Googled this rude thought to verify that the masses also agree, my search barely netted any results. Does this mean I’m the one with the problem? Could be.
I wandered through Google a while longer and don’t quite recall how I landed at the Fat Pride Meetup Group, but that’s when the light bulb went off. Hey, I know some people that got the fat sucked out of them! This includes Fad Diet Diva, the one who gave me the Cookie Diet Interview. I gave her a call to get her side of the story, but did she alter my lopsided view on liposuction?
Liposuction Notes as spoken by Fad Diet Diva
- I was only a size 7/8 when I chose to have liposuction, but I had a lot of fat in my stomach. It’s not recommended for obese people because the procedure is generally limited to removing only 10 pounds at a time. For me, it helped with my problem area.
- Most people that get liposuction are just a little thick, not really fat (that’s what bariatric surgery is for). I know someone who was rejected for lipo because, according to the doctor, she was too thin.
- When I came out of lipo I was still a 7/8, but my stomach was smoother. I had 2 liters of fat extracted, a little over 1/2 a gallon.
- Liposuction is about aesthetics and a finishing touch to smooth out troubled zones, not weight management. My doctor did a good job explaining this to me.
- After lipo I ended up re-gaining weight, but it never came back in my stomach the way it was. The fat was redistributed to my arms and butt, but I’m still happy and I’d do it again.
- The procedure will make you look and feel better, but it’s not a cure all because it won’t fix your life. It also won’t give you body definition or muscle tone. Liposuction won’t make your body look like you workout unless you actually go and workout.
- I’m an advocate for exercise, but if you have the cash, why not let technology give you some help?
Yum Yucky’s Notes
At present, liposuction costs generally range from $2,000 to $10,000. When Fad Diet Diva had her procedure almost then years ago I recall her mentioning she paid around $7,000.
People don’t typically re-gain in areas where they’ve had fat extracted because fat cells are removed and cannot grow back. This is also the reason the procedure can backfire if you fail to manage your weight. Another individual’s post-lipo weight gain also redistributed to her arms and has become unsightly, while yet another became hunchback when fat redistributed to her upper back. So what’s the point?
This brings me back to my original question: Is liposuction for lazy people? I say “yes” when its about people who forgo the discipline required to maintain their surgical-induced weight loss. For others who opt in for aesthetics, I’m not so critical anymore. I put them in the same category with fake boob, fake nail, and fake hair wearers who take short cuts (cheat?) to look good.
I had my fourth child six months ago, so I know plenty about dealing with excess weight and stubborn troubled spots. Over the years my closet has seen clothes ranging in size from 4 to 12, but I’m all for the non-surgical route to weight loss because the hard work of training and eating right is rewarding when the results show up in the mirror and bring about health benefits that surgery can never offer. I’m not in to quick fixes. Just my two cents.
Photo credit: Daleen Loest
I think it might make sense for those folks who end up with weird patterns of fat distribution–you know, you’ve seen people who look normal most places and then have a huge belly or butt or whatever. So that no matter how much weight they lose they always have this one area they feel self-conscious about.
But just to drop a few pounds if you have a more “normal” shape–I think it’s a questionable choice to risk surgery when you’re going to have to figure out how to change your lifestyle anyway in order to keep the weight from coming back.
Just my 2 cents!
The only plastic surgery I’ve ever considered is a tummy tuck. Not lipo. I told myself, if I get to my goal weight and keep it off for 3 years and that extra mommy apron skin is still there, I would treat myself. I’m not big on lipo, but reconstructive surgery for those that succeeded in their weight loss goals I’m more forgiving for. My exbf frmo high school’s sister lost over 140 lbs, and the stretched skin just looked horrific and almost deterred her from enjoying her weight loss. It was a reminder of her “bigger” days.
I was watching a show on some cable channel with some rich daddy’s girl that was 19 yrs old and had already had 3 liposuctions. She still had the babyfat, and you could totally tell she’d never worked a day out in her life. People like that are definitely lazy, and shame on the doctor that was performing that on someone so young.
btw… that sister of my exbf. She got her arms (the “bat wings”) done, legs, and had so much skin taken off her stomach, they had to actually cut out her belly button and relocate it after all the extra skin was off. She looks amazing now, and for her I feel it was a gift to herself after all the hard work she had put forth in losing all that weight.
I have a quote on my mirror, “I shall judge nothing that occurs today.” I tend to think we’re all here learning different lessons and in a variety of ways. So the question instead of “Is lypo for lazy people?” could be “What is the lesson behind the act?”
It could be self-acceptance, discipline, self care etc.
@Crabby – You’re right about that weird fat patterns. Like the people who have big stomachs and really skinny legs and arms.
@cher – I may consider a tummy tuck in the future if I can ever get past the issue of the huge scar AND if I’ve got the cash. I don’t frown on tummy tucks because it’s more about lose skin and stretch marks. I certainly have belly battle wounds that my 4 kids inflicted on me but I’ll probably just leave it alone.
Good post. I have to agree, I think it’s for lazy people. I say get a good trainer and have them target those areas that fat is being stored, it also may mean they need a diet change?
Twitter: truth2beingfit
says:
Excellent points Josie. Like others said, there are some where this may help BUT you have to be a person that is going to work at keeping their weight in check long term. The short fix for laziness is not a good thing because fat cells will grow back in other places like you said. A person never really learns how to eat right & exercise!
I know people will be surprised by me saying this but I don’t see a prob with people doing this for those that work really hard, eat right etc. (like me) but there may be spots that just never tighten up. I know you all my disagree, but I do have a problem with the lower tummy (my pic hides this!!!! I am not dumb!) The only time my lower tummy (or my little inner tube as I like to call it) was flat & really tight was when I did amateur bodybuilding and right before a contest & there is no way I am going to eat a “contest diet” as hard as I work now.
So, I am one that if I had the money, I might consider tightening up the low tummy (which also becomes even harder to tighten with age) that eludes me even with all my hard work.
If a person is doing all they can already, I think it is fine & up to the person.. same with boobs etc. I am way less critical than I used to be & especially now as I age & work hard at it & see the few things I just can’t do anything about. Course, my family & friends do call me “the queen of self criticism”!
Ah, a deeper, more cerebral take on the issue. Body image is so warped in America and quick fixes are all the rage. That’s partly why lipo is “in”.
I think Jody says it all. Plastic surgery is good and bad no black and white answer. In terms of loosing weight fast without trying any other means ie exercise and eating right, then yes. If a person is doing everything they can and still needs some extra help and has the money, go for it
I gotta say I would do it if I had the cash to spare. I’m plenty active and all that, but if I need some tuning up – lipo, tucmmy tuck, whatever … I would do it. If it is going to improve my quality of life, make me feel better about myself or even make me nicer to other people because I feel better – then I’m getting it done.
It’s cool hearing these varied opinions. When it comes down to it, the lazy people know who they are!
I don’t think liposuction is for lazy people at all. I know there are a ton of people who work 2 jobs or 1 job that requires a lot of overtime. If your one of these people chances are you don’t have enough time to exercise during the week to maintain that healthy weight.
Thank you for bringing up this very important issue,i was looking for the topics as this it will help me a lot for my liposuction treatment soon.
by: sphin
http://www.skinps.com/gen_dermatology.html