Tummy Tuck... Liposuction . . . Think Again

Fat Cells Have Memory

Interestingly enough, fat cells never go away. Each of us inherits a predetermined number of fat cells. You have as many fat cells as you are going to ever have when you are born. The reason that your fat cells grow is as a result of the fat content in food which contains triglyceride that is stored in the fat cells in your body. Your fat cells just become larger. And, this continues until you die.

You might reach a point of desperation and even frustration, and feel that the only and quickest way to get rid of that unflattering bulge or fat is through some sort of surgery, for instance liposuction or a tummy tuck. Tummy tuck is not your answer, and it should not be. While I do understand your plight, your answer should not be an easy quick fix.

Fat Cells Revisited

You cannot kill fat cells. You can reduce their size by staying on a good diet and exercising regularly. Fat cells are here to stay. The fat may be reduced, but the cells remain, and when the dieter goes back to eating unhealthily, the adipose cells fill back up. This is what cause the quick fluctuation in weight. You have to cut out refine sugars and do more cardio if you want to lose weight. It cannot be done without aerobic and strength training exercises. Consult a your nutritionist or dietician.

The solution to shrinking your fat cells is to commit to healthy eating habits and making the gym your BEST friend. That is where you will see results. Shedding those unwanted pounds and flab will be slow in coming. However, once you have reached your goals, you will have a different respect for yourself. You will appreciate your results, because it will be something which you have earned. And once you have altered your metabolism to a raging inferno, while you may still have to be healthy with your regime, you may not have to be bound to the shackles of the constant calorie counting and bloated feelings. You will be free to eat almost whatever you want (with moderation of course) without the guilt or the fear that "OMG I have added another pound." Keep in mind, fat cells have memory. Fat cells may shrink but they don’t go away when you get smaller or healthier. They’re there for good. When you consume excess fat, the fat gets stored in these cells. They get larger. When you lose weight, you are simply shrinking your fat cells. That's why people who lose weight, or who have gone on fad diets or who have their fat removed through surgery, can gain it back if they are not careful. The fat cells don't go away.

Tummy Tuck? Think Again

While a tummy tuck may seem like a good idea, it is not the best solution. A tummy tuck will obviously remove the vast majority of the fat from your stomach, but the cells have memory. And as long as you have fat cells anywhere in your body, they can be divided and multiply. So don't think getting a tummy tuck is a permanent solution. It is not. Fat cells expand and contract depending on the amount of lipids being stored in the cell. This means that for those who get liposuction, or a tummy tuck, you are not getting rid of fat cells. They will be back. Even after you lose weight, you still have the same number of fat cells; they shrink but they don't disappear.

The lipids or fat stored are converted to the cellular energy source called adenosine triphosphate or (ATP) as needed. ATP is the energy source used for all muscular contractions. When you hear people say fat burning, it is really just the process of depleted lipids from the fat cell which are converted to ATP and is oxidized by the muscle cell and converted to heat. Your body can create fat cells but it cannot remove them. The more fat cells you have, the easier and more efficiently your body is at storing fat.

Your Friend for Life

Keep in mind, you are born with a predetermined number of fat cells. As a person stores fat, their fat cells increase in size. This is one of the reasons those who have lost weight or arbitrarily have their fat removed can gain the weight back as easily if they are not eating a healthy regimen and are not doing some kind of aerobic and strength training. The fat cells have shrunk with the weight loss but they have not gone away. Fat cells have memory. If you are thinking of any kind of surgery, DON’T. You are born with a specific number of fat cells and they grow and they shrink. As you build lean muscles, it will help you to fight fat cell growth.