Liposuction Versus Diet And Exercise
It is no secret that we live today in a world where the majority of the people in developed countries are unhappy with their physical appearance. A survey done in the third quarter of 2010 found that adult Americans are more likely to be overweight than at a normal weight with 62.6% being either overweight or obese.[1] We also live in a microwave-minded society. Almost every aspect of modern life is dominated by a caffeinated desire for instant gratification and our technology has become a way for us to make everything faster. Often, many would argue at the expense of quality and in some cases, sanity. It is thus no surprise that in a world where most get restless if a website takes more than two seconds to load [2] -it’s not speculation, but the result of an actual study- it should be no surprise that liposuction rather than diet and exercise is becoming more and more of an acceptable way to lose the extra pounds. But is it really a practical alternative to diet and exercise?
Liposuction, (the correct term is actually lipoplasty) for the past twelve years has been the number one cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States before it was nudged out by breast augmentation in 2009 [3]. Nonetheless, in 2009 Americans spent well over five hundred million dollars on liposuction surgery. Most of those undergoing liposuction were female, with women making up almost 90% of total liposuction surgeries. While the number of men going under the knife has increased by 18% from 2008 to 2009, liposuction remains a procedure done mostly by women[3]. While it is very much an invasive surgical procedure, people talk of liposuction with the casualness one might use in referring to having your teeth cleaned- yet in spite of the its popularity, liposuction is still a potentially dangerous operation. In contrast, diet and exercise offers a much safer, more fulfilling and healthier approach to weight loss in general.
Liposuction Versus Diet & Exercise- Liposuction Does Not Offer A Faster And Safer Option
The most appealing aspect of liposuction is the speed in which the procedure can vacuum the fat deposits off your problem areas- while diet and exercise require not only a longer time frame, but also call for more work being done on your part. That being said, for someone that doesn’t wish to invest months (and very often years) of sweat and attention to what they eat- liposuction sounds like it trumps diet and exercise in every possible way. Walk into the clinic with fat hanging off your lower abs and walk out several hours later with all the excess fat left sitting in the surgeon’s office. The reality isn’t necessarily that simple. First of all it can take liposuction can be very painful after surgery, with some considerable swelling that takes one to two months to subside. Depending on the amount of fat removed and the location you may have to wear a compression garment for a few weeks and you will not be able to resume regular activity immediately after surgery. Most people that I know have a four to six week waiting period before they can resume any form of exercise and this all presupposes that all goes well.
Real world liposuction isn’t instant and is not without possible complications such as scarring, numbness and in very some cases death. While the mortality rate for liposuction isn’t high-the numbers seem to be a bit in dispute. The FDA cites “studies indicate that the risk of death due to liposuction is as low as 3 deaths for every 100,000 liposuction operations performed. However, other studies indicate that the risk of death is between 20 and 100 deaths per 100,000 liposuction procedures.” [4] Putting the figures in perspective the FDA citation quotes a study that puts those figures in perspective- noting that deaths from liposuction are higher than the mortality rate from car accidents which is 16 deaths per 100,000 accidents. The FDA also warns those considering it that “liposuction is a surgical procedure and that there may be serious complications, including death.” [4]
Liposuction Versus Diet & Exercise: Exercise Reduces Mortality Rates- Liposuction Does Not
While opting for liposuction can increase the likelihood of premature demise, hundreds of studies have shown that exercise DECREASES the risk of premature death. In one of the largest studies ever conducted to identify the link between exercise and mortality a study done by U.S. Veterans Affairs found that increased exercise capacity from something as simple as brisk walking reduced the risk of death in African-American and Caucasian men by 50 to as high as 70% depending on their fitness levels.[5] On the other hand, while liposuction may create a cosmetic illusion of health by removing visible fat stores, it offers no health benefits whatsoever. According to Dr. Amit Khera head of the preventative cardiology program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center reducing fat by liposuction does not reduce the levels of C-reactive protein, which is used to measure inflammation and risk of heart disease. Since liposuction is only able to remove subcutaneous fat directly under the skin, it has no effect on visceral abdominal fat that clings to the internal organs and is directly linked to risks for cardiovascular disease.
Liposuction Versus Diet And Exercise- Liposuction Is Not A Permanent Fix
I have seen this myself over the years on numerous occasions. A young healthy individual with some pockets of fat, decides to undergo liposuction to get rid of the unwanted bulges. After a successful operation all seems to be well- but fast forward five to as little as two years and they are back again for more procedures. Why? Because there was no concurrent change in diet and lifestyle. Basically if you don’t eat well and exercise regularly, whatever fat that is removed from liposuction will come back over time as you are addressing only the symptoms and not the cause of your unwanted fat deposits. Repeat surgeries are fairly common and there is some concern among those in the psychology fields that liposuction does not improve obsessive preoccupation with one’s appearance and may indeed exacerbate such negative attitudes.
Contrasted with exercise which when done as part of a lifestyle change rather activity which tends to decrease feeling of depression [6,7,8,9] and is a long term pursuit that continues to reap benefits as the years go by. The more you continue to exercise and eat well the better that you will look, the better your health will be and the better you will feel all without the risks of invasive surgery. There is also something to be said for the journey. Every pound lost comes with a new revelations, and an invaluable education in the most important of subjects- you. The process- slow though it may be is one that makes you inherently a better person. The lessons of self control, consistency and determination that you have to learn on the way to a slimmer, trimmer body stay with you forever and carry over to every other aspect of regular life. You can’t get that kind of life changing experience from a surgeon’s suction device.
Liposuction Versus Diet & Exercise- The Costs
The average liposuction procedure in 2009 cost approximately $3,000 in the United States.[10] That figure represents an out of pocket expense as liposuction is not covered by health insurance as it is a cosmetic procedure. The average cost of a gym membership is between $40 and $60 per month which works out to under $1000 a year- which is one third the cost of a liposuction procedure. Those figures are not too far off true even with higher end health clubs in urban areas like New York and Los Angeles where the rates can be a bit higher- either way you won’t spend $3,000 for a gym membership. Hiring a personal trainer might be a bit more costly as the rates can range anywhere from $500 to over $1,000 a month for an experienced trainer that can also help you with your diet- but it is worth it. The lessons that you will learn will stay with you for life- as will the results if you stick with the program.
But you need not hire a professional to exercise and eat well. Brisk walking costs nothing, nor does exercising on your own at home or in the park and eating healthy can often result in your spending less money on food. It isn’t the quick fix that liposuction offers but over time a simple program can not only take care of those love handles, but also decrease your risk of everything from heart disease to common forms of cancer, and that at the end of the day is priceless.
References
1. Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey July 1-Sept. 30, 2010
2. Akamai Technology Survey conducted by Forrester Consulting: 2 Seconds as the New Threshold of Acceptability for eCommerce Web Page Response Times
3. The American Society For Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
4.What are the Risks or Complications Associated with Liposuction?- Food & Drug Administration
5.American Heart Association (2008, January 23). Daily Exercise Dramatically Lowers Men’s Death Rates. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 14,
6. McNeil K, LeBlanc E, Joyce M. The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in the moderately depressed elderly. Psychology of Aging
7. Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Moore KA, et al. Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression. Archives of Internal Medicine
8. Doyne EJ, Ossip-Klein DJ, Bowman ED, Osborn KM, McDougall-Wilson IB, Neimeyer IB. Running Versus Weight Lifting in the Treatment of Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
9. Craft LL, Landers DM. The effect of exercise on clinical depression and depression resulting from mental illness: a meta analysis. J Sport Exerc Psychol 1998.
10. Source: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for statistical data.
Kevin Richardson is one of New York City’s most sought after personal trainers and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training 10 Minute Workouts. Get a copy of Kevin’s award winning free weight loss ebook here and visit his official website at www.naturallyintense.net.
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