CoolSculpting to Lose Weight

Unless you’ve been granted perfect genes or a superhero-like metabolism (I’m thinking the Flash or Wolverine) chances are that you’ve had a little bit of extra fat and weight from time to time.

by Bharat Kothakota , MD MPH

CoolSculpting to Lose Weight

Unless you've been granted perfect genes or a superhero-like metabolism (I'm thinking the Flash or Wolverine) chances are that you've had a little bit of extra fat and weight from time to time. Whether an injury has kept you Netflix binging, a tragic life event has left you melancholy, or you've simply gotten a little lazy since starting your new job, junk food and sloth will add a little bit of extra poundage while a couple small waves of fat will surf over a your muscle definition. As you were flipping through the channels maybe you saw something during a commercial about CoolSculpting and how celebrities use it to gain the cinematic body that we all seek. Contact the physicians at Self Care LA for any questions you may have regarding CoolSculpting, but if you want to know about using CoolSculpting to lose weight, you've come to the right place.

The CoolSculpting Procedure

In case you're only familiar with the word and don't quite know what CoolSculpting is, let us educate you in the simplest way possible. Also known as Cryolipolysis, CoolSculpting is a non-invasive treatment that uses cold temperatures to permanently destroy some of the fat cells in your body.

One of Self Care LA's highly trained CoolSculpting technicians will have you get comfortable, as the procedure will take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and a half. A CoolSculpting gel pad and applicator-something that might remind you of a tool that Dr. McCoy used, resembling a vacuum-is then attached to the targeted area for about an hour. The combined efforts of the applicator's vacuum to draw in fatty tissue and use of cool temperatures to begin freezing the fat cells inside is how the procedure is essentially performed. These cooling temperatures, however, never get low enough to a point that would cause any sort of harm to a patient's skin, nerves, blood vessels, or muscle tissue.

Here are some other quick facts about CoolSculpting:

• The procedure in non-invasive, which means that patients will not go under a knife or be under the influence of any sort of anesthesia or muscle-relaxing drug.
• The procedure is also considered low-risk, a safer alternative to the most famous fat-reducing option-liposuction.
• The procedure's duration is usually within the hour range, depeneding on what body areas you want done.
• Fatty Areas usually requested are the stomach, oblique's (love handles), lower back, arms, and thighs.
• Patients are encouraged to bring a book or some form of entertainment to keep occupied during their treatment.

Fat Loss vs Weight Loss

Heralded and praised by celebrities, trainers, and physicians alike, CoolSculpting is a fantastic way to burn the fat that has been plaguing your body for some time now. That being said, the one thing that may confuse a vast majority of those interested in the procedure pertains to the keywords "fat" and "weight" with the trailing word "loss". To set the record straight, CoolSculpting is exclusively a fat-loss procedure, and not one that is going to help a patient lose any sort of weight.

"But how can this be?" you ask.

It may seem confusing on the outside, but it is incredibly simple if you stop to think about it. Weight pertains to how much mass a person accumulates and the heaviness of that person (force on a person due to gravity), whereas fat is the natural oily substance or nutrient that is deposited in the human body, along with carbohydrates and proteins. Those three macronutrients help to make up our skin and muscles, shaping our body and diet, making up weight. However, CoolSculpting only rids the fat cells that are stored in areas of the skin where there is a substantial build-up. So, if anything, CoolSculpting assists in the prologue on your quest to weight-loss.

Who is CoolSculpting for, ideally?

If you're normally an active or somewhat healthy person, CoolSculpting should be right up your alley, as most doctors will explain that CoolSculpting is for the person who is only a few solid months away from achieving their fitness, lifestyle, and body goals. That's not to say that if you're out of shape that CoolSculpting won't benefit you; the results usually take a few weeks after a treatment to show even for those who are physically fit and active. CoolSculpting will get you on the right track, and even push you to try other activities to lower your fat and lose some weight.

Exercise

Unless you're a fitness fanatic or a body-builder, I don't think anyone really enjoys exercise. But if your quest is to better improve your life cosmetically, promoting a healthy lifestyle, exercising is what most of us default to. Depending on your body type, you may want to start off slow with basic exercise and cardio activities, gradually getting acclimated to more and more intense workouts, interval training, and super-sets. Here are some body-weight exercises to help you get your feet wet, or more appropriately, off the couch:

Push-Ups: the hallmark exercise of the United States, push-ups strengthen a person's chest and back muscles, working on balance and core tightness.

Pull-Ups & Chin-Ups: finding a bar around the house may be a task, and a twenty dollar investment at your local store may not be a bad idea, but these back workouts also build the muscles in your arms and can give a person good symmetry, if done correctly, focusing on form.

Sit-Ups & Crunches: Sit-ups and crunches will begin your semi-sadistic decent into the abdominal workout territory where pain becomes a pleasure. You probably remember these workouts from gym class, but it's all about getting into rhythm.

Planks: Plants promote a tight core and balance, giving your body a healthy frame and the ability to sweat without making the slightest movement.

Body Squats: A body squat seems like no big deal until you're at your fiftieth rep in a row. This will help your body get accustomed to the eventual, nationally despised, "leg-day".

Clean Living

The hardest aspect about losing weight and losing fat is turning your life around from the Cheetos and Mountain Dew-infested days of last week. We all get that snacks, whether they're food or drink, are incredibly delicious. Oreos, Dr. Pepper, Klondike Bars, Budweiser, and Granny's homemade pies are all staples within American culture, but if you continue to eat these in excess-or even regularly-your body will not be able to break them down and it could lead to much more intense health problems. Proteins, veggies, fruits, and good carbs and fat need to be eaten to turn your body into a temple that you treat with respect, but if you have to have a snack from time to time, eat this, not that:

Eat: Protein bars low in sugar

Don't Eat: Chocolate, caramel, or sugar candy bars

Drink: Michelob Light, Miller Light

Don't Drink: Bud Heavy, IPA's

Eat: nonfat yogurt or protein ice cream with fruits

Don't Eat: High-fat Ice cream chucks of candy

Eat: Pretzel thins or fruit crisps

Don't Eat: Cheetos, Potato Chips, Freetos

Drink: Low sugar smoothies or carbonated flavored water

Don't Drink: Sodas, Diet Sodas

CoolSculpting at Self Care LA

Our doctors and technicians at Self Care LA are experienced CoolSculpting experts and nutritionists, and have helped many patients achieve the body that they've always dream of. Whether you want to just lose fat, or want to guide yourself on the path to weight-loss, book a consultation or appointment today to see if CoolSculpting is right for you and bear witness to what the procedure can do to your body once it eliminates your love handles, thunder thighs, and beer belly, once and for all.