Liposuction Recovery Diet: What Should You Eat After Lipo?

If you are either considering liposuction or have surgery scheduled, you might be wondering if there are any dietary changes you should make either before or after surgery to boost recovery or prepare your body for the procedure. Patients frequently have questions about diet when it comes to liposuction and the simple answer is that a special diet is not required but that a well-balanced diet built around healthy eating habits is recommended. In addition to this, there are some foods that can be incorporated to aid the recovery process that we will cover here. Click here to discover everything you need to know about Vaser Liposuction with Dr Leonardo Fasano.

Pre liposuction diet

In order to maintain your results from liposuction, it is important to start preparation before surgery. If you do not already do so, you should adjust your diet to ensure a healthy balance of macronutrients. This should include increasing your intake of vegetables, fruit and low-fat protein sources and reducing the amount of sugar, saturated fat and simple carbohydrates in your diet. Doing this will reduce the likelihood of weight gain following surgery and help to preserve your results long after surgery.

Do’s:

• Increase protein intake – helps to promote tissue repair and aids immune function
• Eat fresh vegetables and fruits – ensures a healthy intake of vitamins and minerals and helps keep you feeling fuller for longer
• Keep hydrated – drinking lots of water helps maintain healthy digestion, and can help prolong satiety

Don’ts:

• Don’t drink too much alcohol – try to reduce your alcohol intake prior to surgery to eliminate the negative effects of alcohol on wound healing and recovery
• Smoke - stopping smoking long before surgery is important because smoking increases the likelihood of complications during surgery and can delay the recovery process
• Drink too much caffeine – excess caffeine can cause stress on the body and impact wound healing

Liposuction post-op diet

Following surgery your mobility will likely be reduced during the recovery period and you should account for this by adjusting your calorie intake. It is important not to overindulge after liposuction in order to maintain your renewed body shape and sense of confidence.

You should continue with a similar approach to your diet as before surgery. You should pay particular attention to your protein intake, ensuring that you eat plenty of lean meats, fish and leafy green vegetables. There is the option to take a multivitamin supplement if you are worried that your diet might not contain enough of the important vitamins for recovery.

Reducing your sodium intake can help to reduce swelling and inflammation in the body, especially postoperatively. You can do this by choosing not to add salt to meals, opting for low salt/sodium alternatives where available, and flavouring your dishes with herbs and spices instead.

How long should I stick to my post-operative diet plan?

Although liposuction can achieve impressive results and leave patients feeling transformed in terms of appearance and self-confidence, the surgery cannot change eating habits, activity levels or appetite. It is therefore important for patients to make sustainable changes to their lifestyle that they can take forward long after the recovery process is complete.

If you would like to find out more about liposuction at The Harley Medical Group, you can visit our dedicated page here. You can also book a free, no-obligation consultation to explore which option would be best to achieve your desired results.