Post Liposuction Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid
You may already know that eating healthy foods helps prevent illness. But did you know that it can also speed up recovery and reduce the risk of infection? After liposuction surgery, your diet substantially affects how quickly you recover. Inflammatory foods lead to pain and swelling, which can be tough on your recovery.
But you may also want to ask, why do I need to change my diet after liposuction? Here’s why:
While the lipo surgery does a great job of re-shaping your physique, you still have to make dietary changes. In addition, if you want to continue enjoying your new body, you can’t return to eating the way you did before. If you want to maintain your new shape, you have to make sure your lifestyle aligns with these changes. That means focusing on following a new, healthy diet.
Here are some other reasons why you need to follow a proper liposuction diet:
- Proper & optimized healing
- Reduced inflammation
- Enhanced liposuction results
- Reduced discomfort
- Prevent complications or risks
- Provides long-term health benefits
Best Foods to Eat After Liposuction Surgery
During recovery after liposuction surgery, it’s crucial to fill up on wholesome foods and plenty of water. Your body needs nutritionally dense and well-rounded meals.
Here are some things to incorporate into your diet to help your body heal quickly and smoothly:
1. Lean Protein
Lean protein is an excellent choice for post-lipo patients because it helps repair muscle tissue and promotes healing. It also contains iron, which prevents anemia. Low in fat, lean protein is ideal for people who’ve had liposuction surgery. Examples of lean protein include:
- Tofu
- Fish like sardines and salmon
- Nuts
- Dark leafy greens
- Legumes
2. Vitamin D and Magnesium
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that boosts cathelicidin production in the body. This immune system peptide is essential for fighting off infections. Magnesium is just as important as it combats inflammation. These nutrients are in delicious foods like:
- Dark chocolate
- Soy milk
- Swiss cheese
- Bananas
- Potatoes with skin
- Avocados
- Black beans
- Spinach
- Peanuts and cashews
- Fortified cereals
3. Digestion-Friendly Foods
Certain foods aid in digestion and help your body heal. Try to eat bland foods as much as possible after liposuction surgery:
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal
- Pureed veggies and fruits
- Skinless chicken
4. Probiotics
Probiotics are good for everyone, but they’re particularly necessary after surgery. They maintain gut function. This is vital because liposuction involves making small incisions in the skin and then suctioning out fat through those openings. If you have an infection or inflammation in your abdominal area, you might experience pain and swelling that can make it painful to eat or drink anything at all—including water!
High-quality probiotics are present in foods like:
- Miso
- Kimchi
- Yogurt
- Pickles
- Kombucha
- Pickles
- Tempeh
5. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are low-calorie foods that you can consume without worrying about weight gain. They contain fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients that encourage healing after liposuction surgery.
We recommend adding plenty of dark leafy greens into your diet. Other great choices include broccoli, red onions, apples, and pineapples. These foods decrease swelling and keep inflammation down in the body.
Foods to Avoid After Lipo
Some foods, though satisfying, contribute to inflammation and make it harder for your body to heal. This is because your body needs nutrients, not junk. This is why it is crucial to avoid eating foods with saturated fats, sugars, and simple carbs.
Here are some things to avoid post-op to help your body heal quickly and smoothly:
1. Sugary Snacks & Drinks
Avoiding sugary, sweet snacks and drinks is very important after your surgery. This is because they often contribute to inflammation and potentially slow down your healing process. Instead of reaching for a food or drink that is full of unnecessary sugars, try incorporating natural sweeteners or fresh fruit into your diet after liposuction to both satisfy your sweet tooth and support proper healing.
2. High Amounts of Sodium
If your body is recovering from liposuction, you should avoid high-sodium foods like processed snacks, soups in a can, salty condiments, and other foods and drinks you know to contain high sodium levels, such as Chinese foods. Excessive sodium or salt leads to fluid retention. If this occurs, you can experience increased swelling after your surgery, and it will definitely hinder your recovery process.
3. Fried & Greasy Foods
While many people equate fried or greasy foods to comfort foods, they are not something you should indulge in after lipo. In fact, avoiding foods high in grease and fried is an important part of your lipo recovery. This is because greasy, fried foods are extremely hard for your body to digest after surgery. Instead, focus on selecting healthier cooking methods like air-frying, baking, grilling, or steaming.
4. Processed Meats
Avoiding processed meats is not only an excellent post-op tip but also something that every person should try to do. Processed meats like sausages and bacon tend to be higher in sodium and saturated fats. Rather than selecting something processed like lunch meat, select a healthier option like lean protein sources like grilled chicken, steak, and lean hamburger meat or red meat.
5. Spicy Foods
Avoiding spicy foods temporarily can help you avoid irritation or discomfort, especially if you’ve had liposuction in areas like the abdomen. Instead, focus on mild seasonings and options until you have fully recovered.
6. Alcohol & Caffeine
Being conscious of the drinks you consume after surgery is vital to your recovery. First, avoiding alcohol is important as it interferes with medications, dehydrates the body, and compromises the healing process. Next, caffeine is something you should strictly monitor post-op. While moderate caffeine consumption is acceptable, excessive consumption contributes to dehydration.
Instead, focus on drinking a lot of water to ensure you stay hydrated and support your recovery.
Other Important Post-Liposuction Tips
Increase Water Intake During Recovery
Drinking enough water is a must during liposuction recovery. Water helps to flush out your body’s toxins, which can accumulate during liposuction surgery. If you struggle to drink large quantities of water, here are some tips to increase your intake:
- Drink a glass of water before you eat or drink anything else. This prevents overeating since your body will have its fill of fluids for the time being.
- Drink a glass of water before bedtime to rehydrate after a long day.
- Add fruit into your water to give it a subtle flavor—this does the trick for those who don't enjoy plain water.
Can I Smoke After Liposuction?
Smoking isn’t a healthy lifestyle choice regardless of whether you’ve just completed liposuction or not. But we advise our patients to stop smoking for at least two weeks prior to and two weeks after surgery. Smokers are more prone to post-op complications like infections, blood clots, thick scars, fat necrosis, and increased pain. These side effects can make the recovery much more brutal!
Why You Should Choose Better Body MD for Liposuction Surgery
Choosing the right surgeon with extensive experience in liposuction is imperative. Dr. Tajkarimi at Better Body MD is the leading provider of lipo in Northern Virginia and Greater Washington D.C. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, he has performed thousands of procedures. You can rest assured that your procedure will go smoothly and bring stunning results.
Liposuction in Northern Virginia and Greater Washington DC
If you live in Northern Virginia and Greater Washington DC and are considering HD liposuction surgery, look no further than Better Body MD. Patients rave about Dr. Tajkarimi’s phenomenal patient care and unparalleled results. Call 703-687-3601 to schedule a consultation today. Get all your lipo questions answered and find out if the surgery is right for you.
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION
Schedule by phone at (703) 337-3353 or fill out the consultation form below
by submitting this form you agree to be contacted via phone/text/email.
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION
Schedule by phone at (703) 337-3353 or fill out the consultation form below
by submitting this form you agree to be contacted via phone/text/email.