Lipolysis or similar surgeries

[engineerinuk]

I have a BMI of 29.5 and on the borderline of being 'obese'. I have tried exercising with less focus on diet. Food is my weak point but I am able to burn a lot in gym as compared to what I eat now. Most of my fat is concentrated around my tummy (38 waist but larger belly) and may be some at hips.

I want to go for a lipolysis or something similar for my belly fat but I am afraid of the side effects too. There is a risk to loose more than what I might gain. Any advises for or against lipolysis and which type of lypolysis is best as of today?

[Jenny Radcliffe]

Hi engineerinuk

Are you talking about laser lipolysis and/or liposuction. If you are, these are cosmetic procedures designed to remove small amounts of fat tissue from basically lean people. They are not treatment for overweight/obesity and my understanding of the literature is that the benefits are short-term. And, as you say, all these procedures carry risks.

Carrying a lot of weight around your abdomen is known as central obesity (though you are just under the BMI for obesity) and is associated with increased risk of metabolic problems like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Rather than looking for a quick fix, ultimately you will need to tackle the issue of your diet. You say that you exercise a lot but haven't focussed on making changes to your diet. The best thing you can do for your health (and to manage the belly) is to follow a balanced diet with lots of protein and fruit and vegetables and only small amounts of high fat, high sugar foods. Thinking about portion sizes (using a smaller plate) and eating slowly also help people manage weight because it helps you feel satisfied with less food.

I know that this is the same advice as you've no doubt heard before, but that's because it's the best advice we have!

Good luck with it.