Liposuction - A Weight Loss Method?

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery employed to remove excess fat from body parts. It is also called lipoplasty, suction lipectomy, liposculpture or fat suction.

Generally the fat is removed from thighs, chin, buttocks, lovehandles (abdomen), breasts and stomach for women and chin, waist, breasts and buttocks for men.

This surgical procedure is not an alternative to exercise and dieting and should be used only to remove the stubborn fat that does not respond to exercises and diet.

Liposuction is not a weight loss method but a method to remove excess fat. 10-15 pounds of fat is removed generally. However, taking out of large amounts of fat can be dangerous at times.

There are many types of liposuction performed today like traditional liposuction, tumescent liposuction, ultrasound liposuction, superwet liposuction. All these methods employ a cannula (a blunt straw like tube) for suction of fat.

Saline water is injected into the space between muscle and fat to separate them. If the amount of saline water is less than the amount of fat to be removed it is called traditional liposuction.

If the saline water is 3 to 4 times the volume of fat to be removed it is called tumescent liposuction. Adding extra water assists the surgeon in moving the cannula back and forth to break up the fat cells. However excess water may affect the homeostasis of the body. In super wet liposuction the amount of saline water is the same as the amount of fat to be removed. This is the most popular surgical method used by surgeons.

In ultrasonic liposuction the fat is initially liquefied by ultrasound before being suctioned out. However, ultrasound methods are not popular as they sometime lead to necrosis (death of skin) and seromas (collection of yellow fluid in pockets).

In all types of liposuction either local anesthesia or general anesthesia is used. The usual anesthetic used is lidocaine. Epinephrine is also used in liposuction to reduce blood loss.

To perform liposuction the patient must be over 18 and in good health with elastic skin. If the skin is not sufficiently elastic the excess skin may have to be removed after liposuction. Generally the excess skin is removed from abdomen called abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. This leaves scar marks on the skin.

Diabetics and patients on antibiotics are advised not to undergo liposuction. Before operation the patient should not have taken any anticoagulants like warfarin, phenindione etc.

If general anesthesia is given the patient has to fast on the night before the operation. If local anesthesia is given there is no requirement of fasting. Smoking and drinking etc should be avoided.

The incisions are usually less than an inch. After operation the excess fluid takes days to weeks to drain out. During that time antibiotics and/or pain killers are prescribed.

Patient recovery varies from days to 2 months. As with all surgeries there are surgical risks in liposuction too. There are minor risk, up to 0.7%, of side effects like internal organs being scraped, seromas, necrosis, excessive bleeding etc.

Liposuction is not a weight loss method and the patient should expect realistic and not dramatic changes in appearance.

Weighing-In On Low Carb Diets

With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of information, it's no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the value and safety of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are raging everywhere!

Whether it's Atkins, the South Beach or some other low-carb plan, as many as 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.

Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.

Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale show a year after going off the diet?
Let's see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may be insufficient information available to answer all questions.

- Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake.

Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.

- What We Know about Low-Carb Diets
Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly.
Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.
Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce.
Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting. This helps to explain discrepancies between studies.

The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.

Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. But, adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of the studies. Researchers note that losing weight typically leads to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range weight change for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).
Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn't matter weather they come from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.

What Should You Do? -

There are 3 important points I would like to re-emphasize:

- The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.
- Despite their popularity, little information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.
- Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes willpower.
It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are needed. There just isn't a lot of good information available, especially concerning long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this might cause health related complications.

The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your weight goal. If you can't see yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it's not the right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.
If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember that certain dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from animal origins.

Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red meat!
Another alternative to "strict" low-carb dieting would be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not "throw out the baby with the bath water". In other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and whole grains, retained.

Weight Loss Diary 10

Days 29 thru 36.

Wonderful news on my weigh in on Friday March 10; my weight is down by another 2 pounds (900 grams) in just a week. That is double my target figure and it seems to get easier each week. My weight is now 188 pounds (93 kilograms). That means that the seventeen-week program that was going to shed 17 pounds (8.5 kilos)will now end in around 10 weeks.

This week the biggest plus has been that my stomach is now becoming used to smaller portions and it is easier than ever to accept smaller servings. This may seem a long way off for some that are following the program; just trust me for now, this will happen for you too in the very near future.

Serving sizes are the cause of most instances of overweight and were I asked for a single specific goal for all overweight people it would be to slowly reduce the size of servings. Get your daily calorie intake down to 3000 or less. – An adult body requires 2000 calories each day to function properly, three thousand a day is still considered high by more than half the population of the world.

The best part of this program is reclaiming my aerobic physical fitness. In the past five weeks I have witnessed the return of my leg muscles, my stamina levels have increased and finally my lungs are responding to the extra (deep-breathing) exercise they receive. I am now able to take a deep breath over the count of 8, hold it for the count of 12, and exhale over the count of 8. This is 35% better than it was at the start. (The counts I refer to above are slow counts, each figure taking at least one-second.) In fact I now enjoy stepping out up the final hill of my morning walk to lose my breath because each time I lose my breath my lungs are being exercised and my heart is pumping solidly.

Note: As I said in the first article of this diary, and repeat in the exercise program – “Never start a physical exercise program until you have discussed it with your doctor, just in case you have health problems that preclude this type of exercise.”

Over the weekend I didn’t eat any chocolate or cake. But today I look forward to a serving of chocolate cake. - Honestly, I’d never stick to a weight loss program if I had to give up anything that I like to eat.

Weight Loss Diet: Move Past The Four Letter Word

D-I-E-T…most people could not think of a more vulgar four-letter word. Diet immediately brings to mind images of hunger, frustration, and ultimately failure. This one single word has stopped many people dead in their tracks. It seems many people prefer to be overweight rather than suffer the consequences of a diet.

But eating healthy does not have to involve four-letter words. You can eat healthy, delicious meals without starving and without beating yourself up. A healthy eating plan is a lifelong commitment to look and feel better, and it is the only plan you will ever need to follow to lose weight and keep it off. A healthy, balanced diet will also strengthen the immune system, reduce fatigue, lessen the side effects of certain medications, prevent constipation and other digestive disorders, and maintain the chemical balance within the body. So stop cursing and get ready to lose some weight!

It's Time To Eat

Hunger is a natural signal from the body telling us to eat. Don’t ignore it. You should never have to be hungry in order to lose weight. On the contrary, when we are hungry we tend to panic into eating whatever is in sight to protect us from starvation. And skipping meals will slow down your metabolism and cause you to overcompensate with a larger meal later in the day. So go ahead and eat when you are hungry. Eating regular meals that leave you full and satiated will help you stick to a healthier meal plan and reach your weight loss goals. Eat five or six small meals spaced regularly throughout the day so that you will be better able to moderate portion sizes and remain in control of what you eat. If you want to lose weight you just need to be more selective about the foods you are choosing to satisfy your hunger. Permanent weight loss does not involve starving or deprivation, rather it involves a healthy eating plan that keeps you in control of what you put in your mouth.

Plan Ahead

The best way to ensure you stick with a healthy diet is to plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Most people think that in order to achieve permanent weight loss they need to get their minds off of food. This is not true! When you are hungry, and you haven’t thought about what healthy food you can eat to satiate your tummy, you will more likely grab for whatever is fastest and easiest like chips or a fast food burger.

Think about what you are going to eat each day and what healthy snacks and meals you need to have ready for when hunger strikes. If you are going out to eat, plan ahead to make sure you choose a restaurant with a minimum amount of unhealthy temptations.

Keep It Interesting

Variety and moderation are the keys to a good diet. Try to eat a range of different selections from fresh organic fruit and vegetables and range fed meats. Remember, your body needs over forty different vitamins, minerals, and nutrients on a daily basis just to grow and function. Eating a variety of foods will help you meet these needs.

Moderation is also important, but again, this doesn't mean that you should starve yourself. Try to eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day so that you are never hungry. And eat slowly, giving your brain enough time to recognize when you are actually full.

Don’t Give Up Or Give In

The first thing you need to realize about losing weight is that there will be days when you want to give up. Temptations are always around you and its so easy to give in to fast food drive through or an extra serving of desert. Stay committed to your goals through these tough times. Remind yourself of any small accomplishments you’ve made already and the weight loss goals you will eventually achieve. But don’t punish yourself if you do stray. If you eat right most of the time, it will more than compensate for the days when you simply cannot resist a little treat. And don’t fall for the latest weight loss schemes. Weight loss takes time, but the goal is permanent. Short cuts will not get you and keep you where you want to be.

Here's a few more guidelines to keep in mind as you make your menu selections:

Use fats and oils in sparing amounts. You can still use some but try to cut back a little bit each day.

Avoid putting extra table salt and sugars on prepared foods.

Drink more water: Aim for six to eight glasses a day.

Avoid drinking alcohol. If you do drink, try to do so in moderate amounts.

And remember weight loss is not easy. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun! Enjoy your life to the fullest by taking care of yourself, eating delicious wholesome foods and making the commitment to a healthier lifestyle.

Weight Loss Diets with Negative Calorie Foods

Negative calorie foods are said to use more calories to digest than the calorie content of the foods themselves, resulting in a negative calorie balance. It is therefore natural to consider a diet containing these foods for weight loss.

A diet is a combination of a balanced selection of foods designed for medical or nutritional reasons. A good diet should include all major food groups. The weight loss diets (with or without negative calorie foods) are made to reduce body fat and weight. Some of the popular weight loss diets are: Atkin's diet, cabbage soup diet, grapefruit diet, Hollywood diet, negative calorie foods diet, Pritikin diet, the South beach diet and the zone diet.

Most of the weight loss diets promote to eat a particular food group and restrict other food groups. Such diets may show temporary results. If you follow these restricted diets for a long time, you may develop some health problems at later stage as these diets do not contain all the necessary nutrients needed for your body.

The secret to losing weight is to eat and drink the right kind of foods until you are satisfied. Skipping of meals is not the answer for weight loss, it can rather deteriorate your health. A healthy weight loss diet plan should include vegetables, fruits, grains, lentils and beans in your diet. Following is a sample daily diet plan that is good for keeping healthy weight and good health, irrespective of whether you follow a diet plan with negative calorie foods or not.

Skim milk and skim yogurt.

Salads or boiled vegetables or vegetable soup as starter.

Whole-wheat bread/tortila, whole grain cereal and rice.

Whole grains like kidney beans, chick peas and lentils.

Lightly cooked green vegetables.

Any dessert with minimum sugar.

Lean variety of meat (it is better to avoid).

The dinner should be light. If you had bread for lunch then have rice for dinner.

Include as much negative calorie foods as possible in the above diet plan. If you are meat eater, choose from a lean variety and restrict to one serving in a day.

A diet with negative calorie foods as main ingredients can include foods that are loaded with carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers necessary for keeping you fit. The diet with negative calorie foods can be tailored for fast or gradual weight loss. The fast weight loss diet that can lower the weight up to two pounds per day, is not recommended for long term. The gradual weight loss diet can reduce one pound in a week and can be followed until desired weight is achieved. The diet can be made according to ones needs. The negative calorie foods will not give you much benefit if you are eating foods loaded with fats and sugars. If you eat a serving of potato fries, don't think that you can reduce the calories gained from fries by simply eating some negative calorie celery.