They say the key to losing weight is simple – move more and eat less. And to a large extent that’s true. But what about those pockets of stubborn fat deposits that just won’t budge, no matter how many stomach crunches you do or how careful you are about calorie counting?
If your goal for this year is to fight the fat, beat those bulges, and finally achieve a smoother, sleeker, more sculpted silhouette, we’re here to help you.
Tipping the Scales
Your weight will naturally fluctuate over time for a number of reasons. For example, we typically gain a little weight in the winter and put on around 1-2 pounds during the festive period (Ref 1).
We also tend to gain weight as we age as a result of our metabolism slowing down. Medication, pregnancy, the menopause and other hormone changes can also be contributing factors. And finally, stress can play a big role in weight gain too (Ref 2).
Raised levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, can lead to higher levels of insulin which can leave you craving sugary snacks and foods high in saturated fat. This cycle of ‘comfort eating’ can be hard to break, leading to an accumulation of fat that is hard to get rid of.
Tried and Tested Ways to Lose Weight
If you’re keen to lose a little weight and tone up, incorporating the following lifestyle changes into your everyday life can really help:
Get active
Make exercise part of your daily routine. According to NHS recommendations, you should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity per week (Ref 3).
Be sure to include rest days to give your body time to recover properly to avoid injury and mix it up with different exercises to keep it interesting.
Be mindful of what you eat
It’s all too easy to grab a meal deal of sandwiches, crisps and a fizzy drink from the supermarket if you’re pushed for time at lunch, or a microwave meal for dinner if you’re late coming home from work.
But these ultra processed convenience foods will not fuel your body with the balance of nutrients it needs. So instead, try to plan ahead and be more mindful of what you eat. Aim for a rainbow of fresh fruit and vegetables, batch cook healthy dishes and make sure you include plenty of protein and fibre.
Prioritise your sleep
Sleep deprivation has been proven to disrupt two hormones that regulate appetite – ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and leptin, the satiety hormone (Ref 4).
So aim for around eight hours of good quality sleep every night. Get into a good routine of winding down for an hour before heading to bed. That means switching off your phone and instead enjoying a relaxing bath, reading a book, or meditating, for example.
Invest in blackout blinds if necessary to ensure your room is dark, and make sure the temperature is around 16-18°C. Finally, get up at the same time every morning, no matter how tempting it may be to have lie in at the weekend!
Manage your stress levels
Modern life can be stressful but it’s important to take steps to limit that stress where possible. Whether it’s achieving a better work / life balance, or simply making more time to enjoy a little self-care on a regular basis, think about what works for you and commit to making it happen this year.
Struggling with Stubborn Fat Areas?
Whilst all the common sense advice listed above can have a positive and noticeable impact, sometimes certain areas of the body just won’t respond how you might hope.
Stubborn areas of body fat may persist, despite your best efforts – typically around the tummy, flanks, arms and area under the chin. If you’re struggling with these areas, don’t get disheartened, we have a safe and effective treatment called CoolSculpting® to help.
CoolSculpting® could be an answer
CoolSculpting® through a process called cryolipolysis, fat freezing, which is proven to reduce stubborn areas of fat between 20-27% with each treatment.
It works by drawing the targeted fat tissue into a cup-shaped vacuum and holding it in place between two cooling panels. Heat is then extracted from the area, cooling the underlying fatty tissue between -7°C and -11°C. This destroys the fat cells and over the course of the next 3-4 months, your body will naturally get rid of them.
The beginning of the treatment cycle will unusual but is no painful. After 5 mins the area will be completely numb allowing you to relax for the remainder of the cycle.
And after the treatment is complete, we’ll perform a firm 2-minute massage to help break down the treated fat cells and accelerate the elimination process which has been shown to improve results by up to 60%. This part of the process can be mildly uncomfortable but keep it short and will adjust the massage to your feedback.
There is no downtime, and you can carry on with your everyday activities, however you may experience a little cramping, tenderness or numbness for up to 2 weeks after your treatment.
How to maximise your results
You can usually expect to see a reduction in fat of up to 27%, which can make all the difference to how you look and feel (Ref 5). A smoother and more sculpted silhouette, better fitting clothes and boosted confidence are what we hear from happy CoolSculpting® patients time and time again.
But remember, whilst CoolSculpting® can give you fantastic results, permanently reducing fat cells in the treated areas, it is essential that you maintain a healthy lifestyle to maximise your results. That means keeping active, being mindful of what you eat, prioritising your sleep, and managing your stress levels – because you can still gain weight in any untreated areas.
You may also find that after treating your lower tummy, your upper tummy fat may look a little more obvious. In which case, we would be happy to discuss treating that area too.
And finally, you may have just a little fat left if we couldn’t fit it all into the CoolSculpting® applicator. In this case, Aqualyx® is a great option to further refine definition.
Dr Joanna, who provide the treatment, explains how it works; “Aqualyx® injections work by dissolving targeted fat cells under the skin. As with CoolSculpting®, your body's lymphatic system will naturally excrete these fat cells and they will not return, making them a fantastic treatment option for anyone looking to fight stubborn pockets of fat.”
Book a consultation
If you’d like to discover if this treatment right for you, book a CoolSculpting® consultation with me.
At consultation we can have an in-depth discussion about your problem area and any lifestyle changes and treatments you have already tried. We will then examine the area and assess your suitability as CoolSculpting® is not suitable for visceral fat, but I will be able to determine that for you.
Please remember CoolSculpting® is a body contouring treatment is not meant for weight loss or treating obesity - you should already be close to your ideal treatment before investigating this as a solution.
Author's experience
Mhairi is a qualified CoolSculpting® practitioner having complete advanced training at the CoolSculpting® academy in London. She has been helping patients in Edinburgh achieve more sculpted silhouette for over 3 years. In addition, Mhairi has benefitted from CoolSculpting® herself.
References:
- Loughborough University: Controlling the Christmas weight gain, 2021
- National Library of Medicine: Stress induced weight changes, Heshmati, Luzi, Greenway, Rebello, 2023
- NHS: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64
- Harvard Health Publishing: Snooze more, eat less? Sleep deprivation may hamper weight control, Salamon, 2022
- CoolSculpting: Results take shape