When Can I Work Out After Liposuction?

Liposuction is a great way to eliminate targeted areas of fat in order to achieve the toned, sculpted figure you desire. Many men and women find this to be a great way to put the finishing touches on their workout efforts and improve the appearance of regions that haven’t responded well to diet and exercise. In addition, many of our liposuction patients have indicated that their procedure has provided them with a new-found motivation to lead an active lifestyle in order to maintain their beautiful results.

While it is important to exercise regularly after liposuction, you will also need to be patient. It will take time for your body to heal after surgery, and you’ll need to refrain from exercise until your body has recovered. Dr. Chiaramonte will monitor your recovery and let you know when it is safe to resume your favorite athletic activities.

The Importance Of Working Out After Liposuction

The fat cells removed during liposuction will never return. In this regard, the results of your procedure are permanent. However, it’s still possible to gain weight after liposuction if you don’t live an active, healthy lifestyle. If this occurs, the extra weight will be distributed among your remaining fat cells, which may result in unwanted changes to your figure.

To prevent this from happening, Dr. Chiaramonte recommends that you eat a balanced, healthy diet and exercise regularly after liposuction. If you currently live an active, healthy lifestyle, your best course of action is to keep doing what you’ve always done. For individuals who don’t currently eat well and exercise regularly, Dr. Chiaramonte recommends that you work with a nutritionist and a personal trainer in order to establish healthy habits moving forward.

Timeline For Resuming Exercise After Liposuction

The exact amount of time you’ll need to wait before resuming exercise varies from patient to patient. Factors impacting when you can start exercising include:

• The size and location of the area(s) being treated
• Your body’s innate healing ability
• Your lifestyle and level of fitness prior to undergoing liposuction

It’s crucial that you wait until Dr. Chiaramonte clears you to resume working out. If you ramp up your activity level too soon, it may increase your risk of complications.

Tips For Safely Resuming Exercise

Dr. Chiaramonte encourages you to begin light walking as soon as you feel up to it. This should usually occur within the first few days of your recovery. Walking is an important way to promote blood flow and reduce your risk of blood clots. During this early time in your recovery, you’ll need to listen to your body. If you feel like you are pushing yourself to your limits, then stop.

You will most likely need to wait about 4 weeks before resuming strenuous exercise. Once you begin working out, you’ll need to take it easy. Start out slowly and keep your workouts at a very low intensity level. Dr. Chiaramonte recommends beginning with 25% of your normal exercise routine and gradually increasing the intensity as your body becomes stronger.

Keep the following tips in mind as you begin resuming exercise:

• Aerobics – Aerobic exercise is an important component to a fitness regimen, and it will help you maintain a stable, healthy weight. You should wait approximately 4 weeks before resuming high-impact aerobic activities such as running. When you resume these activities, start off slowly and build up to a full workout as your body feels ready.
• Resistance exercises – Weightlifting and other resistance exercises are also a great way to keep your body toned after liposuction. As with aerobics, you’ll need to wait until you are sufficiently healed before you can resume resistance exercises. Start off slowly and gradually build back to your full workout. In some instances, Dr. Chiaramonte may recommend waiting a little longer to work out the muscles in the treatment area to prevent complications.

Contact Our Maryland Plastic Surgeon

Please contact Bella Cosmetic Surgery using the form on this page or 301-567-6767 today to schedule your liposuction consultation. We serve patients in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia.