If you’ve got lumps and bumps of fat here and there, you’re certainly not alone. Many otherwise slender people have fat deposits that won’t go away no matter how much they diet or exercise. Some people resort to surgery in an effort to reduce certain places on their bodies. If that sounds too scary to you, there are a number of non-surgical body sculpting alternatives you may wish to consider.
Why people get fat
More than half the people in America are currently overweight. Look around the next time you’re out shopping, dining, or riding a bus, and you’ll see that this is indeed true. Americans tend to get fat for several major reasons, according to WebMD.
Smells and sounds can trigger false hunger and lead to overeating. Imagine it’s Sunday morning, and you wake to the smell and sound of bacon sizzling. Makes you want to hurry to the kitchen and dig in, doesn’t it? A lot of people do what experts call “distracted eating,” too. When you sit in front of the television and open a bag of cheesy puffs, then the bag is empty five minutes later, don’t blame it on the dog. You were probably eating distractedly, and that’s a great way to pack on excess pounds.
Availability of food in the U.S.A. is beyond the comprehension of most world citizens. Everywhere we turn, there’s another snack stand or fast food joint. Supermarket shelves are filled with an extravagance of groceries. Nutritionally devoid foods tend to be cheap, and Americans tend to eat a lot of them. Distorted portions are out of control in this country, too. Today, people expect to be served a portion far larger than they actually need. Packages sold at big-box outlets have a way of making Americans eat more, as well.
Dieting and exercise
Eating less and moving around more are good ways to lose pounds and inches, but they can only go so far. It’s not unusual to have one or more stubborn areas that won’t reduce no matter what you try.
The general principle in weight loss is to take in fewer calories than you burn in a day. Typically, a healthy weight reduction diet offers between 1,000 and 2,000 calories a day. Men need more calories in a day than do women, so males can usually lose weight at the high end of this calorie range.
While “spot reduction” is a myth, there are exercises one can do to strengthen muscles and nip in the waistline. An overall toning program is recommended for persons who desire a nicely sculpted shape. When this doesn’t work, some people are willing to try just about anything to improve their appearance.
Things some people try to remove fat and cellulite
When dieting and regular workouts don’t result in the ideal body shape, many people turn to drastic measures. One popular, albeit ineffective, cellulite treatment involves the topical application of creams that contain an asthma medication known as aminophylline. It cannot remove fat, but it may reduce the appearance of cellulite for a short period of time. It does this by narrowing the blood vessels beneath the skin. Many people are allergic to aminophylline, so the treatment is not recommended.
Liposuction is an invasive procedure by which a physician inserts a tube like device into deep fat deposits. The device is moved about with vigor and breaks up accumulated fat which is then sucked out and discarded. Liposuction is not a permanent weight loss solution, and it is not intended for enormously overweight persons, says Mayo Clinic. The procedure can be quite painful and require a long recovery period afterward.
Non-invasive fat reduction therapies
People who have tried and failed to spot reduce but still want to get rid of their problem areas have a number of non-invasive options to consider. Some involve sound and/or radio waves, and some reduce fat deposits via laser light waves. Cryolipolysis utilizes super-cold temperatures to literally freeze fat away.
None of these techniques, including the fat-freezing procedure, can make a skinny person out of someone who’s grossly overweight. They can, however, offer much hope to people who only need to address a few problem areas.
If you want to lose pounds and inches, you should probably speak with your doctor first to make sure you are healthy enough to engage in vigorous workouts. A dietician can help you prepare a custom meal plan that will help you reach your weight loss goals.
Jennifer Williams is a Mom of a certain age who has recently been looking into undergoing some cosmetic surgery. Having done a lot of research on new technologies and what to look out for, she’s sharing her findings with other women who are interesting in ‘going under the knife’.
