If you’re wondering how to lose belly fat after a breast reduction, you’re not alone.
You thought after your breast reduction surgery, you’d finally have the body you’d always dreamed of, but now you’re left with one you just don’t recognise.
In this article, we will explore five easy steps you can take to help reduce belly fat after breast reduction surgery. This way, you can get to feeling like your best self sooner rather than later.
Patients at Pall Mall get two years of aftercare as standard. So no matter what happens, we are with you every step of the way.
Book your free consultation today to find out more!
Why your belly may be bigger after breast reduction surgery
We understand that you might be disheartened by your belly area after your breast reduction procedure.
You’ve pinned all your hopes and dreams on getting the body you’ve always wanted with this surgery, only to wake up and have brand new worries and concerns.
It’s normal for the midriff area to be slightly swollen and bloated after surgery. This is due to the body sending more white blood cells and proteins to the area to promote healing - so it’s actually quite important to be a little bloated!
However, if you find your belly still isn’t back to ‘normal’ months after your procedure, it might be because your proportions aren’t what they once were.
Therefore, when you look in the mirror things may seem bigger because your breasts are smaller.
So, if you’re looking to lose belly fat after your breast reduction surgery to make things seem more proportionate, keep reading!
How to lose belly fat after breast reduction: 5 easy steps
When incorporated into your day-to-day routine, these five simple tips should help you lose belly fat after your breast reduction procedure.
Exercise
Surely you knew this one was coming? It’s no secret that exercising a few times a week can help you reduce the fat around your belly.
Prior to breast reduction surgery, many women struggle with exercising due to the pain and discomfort large breasts cause while doing certain movements.
Therefore, you may find yourself new to exercise. If so, you should start slowly before working up to more intermediate moves.
It is important to note that you cannot spot reduce fat through exercise, however, it can help lose weight from various areas of the body, including your midriff area.
We recommend that you start with cardio, such as:
- Running
- Stair climbing machine
- Spin classes
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Row machine
- Cross trainer machine
Strength training can also be a great addition to your workout routine to help you gain muscle in areas you’re trying to tone up.
The recovery process from a breast reduction varies from patient to patient, but as a guide, exercise should be avoided for six weeks so that you can focus on healing.
But after that, the gym is your oyster!
Stay hydrated
One of the most common problems after a breast reduction procedure is a lack of hydration.
Therefore, it is essential to upkeep your intake of water specifically to help promote healthy healing. You should limit the amount of caffeine and sports drinks you have, as they can actually increase water retention.
According to the British Nutrition Foundation, you should drink 6-8 glasses per day - that’s equivalent to 1.2 litres!
Although, we recommend drinking slightly more than recommended to ensure you recover after surgery as well as possible and reduce your risk of complications.
Increasing your step count
Bearing in mind what has already been said about recovery and strenuous gym activity, walking is a great alternative.
Less impactful than cardio and strength training, but much more than just laying in bed, walking can help your body recover faster after surgery.
Whilst resting your body for a couple of weeks is recommended - make sure to get your Netflix watchlist ready - going for walks a couple of weeks after your procedure can:
- Reduce your risk of blood clots by getting blood pumping around the body
- Prevent sores occurring on your skin from being in one position for too long
- Ease gas pain and, in turn, reduce the risk of constipation
Even if it is just once or twice a week to begin with before you build up to every day, increasing your step count can have a huge impact on your health (and waistline).
Eat a balanced diet
It’s cliché but true! Maintaining a balanced diet after surgery can help you lose belly fat after breast reduction surgery.
You may think ‘balanced diet’ and hear:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Protein
However, a balanced diet doesn’t mean saying goodbye to carbs, chocolate, and crisps!
It means exactly what it says, balanced.
So, you can still get your chocolate fix, just alongside healthy options.
Reduce your stress levels
This one may seem strange, but trust us!
Stress triggers your adrenal glands to release cortisol, which can make you want to eat more. This can, naturally, increase the amount of belly fat you have, due to a higher intake of food.
This cycle is known as ‘stress belly’ and is more common than you may think.
Therefore, in order to lose belly fat, you may want to look at reducing your stress levels by introducing relaxing activities, such as:
- Reading
- Meditation
- Yoga
Still can’t get rid of your belly fat? Pall Mall is here to help
Now, obviously, these tips won’t change the look of your midriff area overnight. It will take some time for them to really take effect and for you to see a difference.
However, if you’ve exhausted all the tips and are still struggling, why not take a look at our belly-focussed cosmetic procedures to help you achieve your dream body?
For example, we offer vaser liposuction surgery as well as tummy tucks!
Just like with our breast reduction procedures, we offer free consultations for both of these surgeries, so either way, no money will be lost. If you’re not sure which one would be right for you, no problem!
Our consultants are experts at what they do, and will recommend the best options for you so that you can achieve your dream body.
Begin your body transformation with Pall Mall
We hope this has given you a few tips as to how to lose belly fat after a breast reduction.
However, like we said, unfortunately there’s no promises.
So, if you’ve tried everything possible to lose belly fat after your surgery and are still not happy with how your stomach area looks, our experts can help you.
With Pall Mall, you get two years of aftercare as standard - meaning we are with you at every stage of your recovery process.
Whether that be with helpful advice a few months after your initial procedure or scheduling a further surgery to get you your desired results, you can trust that with us you’ll get exceptional service every step of the way.
Our consultants make your health and wellbeing their top priority, because you deserve to feel like your best self every single day.
If you're ready to feel that way, get in touch with our friendly team today.
- Phone us on 03300 27 26 51.
- Visit one of our clinics across the North West.
- Book an appointment using our contact form and a member of our team will contact you.
