Healthy and balanced nutrition is vital to your overall well-being. Most diets aim for rapid weight loss and fail in the end. In many cases, this leads to weight gain rather than loss (called "yo-yo effect") and must be avoided.
Some lipedema patients are overweight. Although lipedema itself may not progress over time, being overweight can make your lipedema worse. There are conservative (non-surgical) and surgical ways for managing weight with lipedema.
Balanced nutrition, together with regular exercise, are the key elements of conservative weight management. Lipedema experts created a weight management concept for lipedema patients. Here are the most important points:
Avoid short-term diets. Instead, focus on balanced nutrition that you can follow in the long-term.
Basic calorie counting may not be effective if you have lipedema: You should balance your intake with the energy you need during the day. However, some nutrients are more beneficial than others.
Support and coaching, e.g., from a dietician, can help you to stabilize your weight.
Bariatric surgery is an option for weight management in patients with severe obesity. It is recommended in patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 40 kg/m². However it may also be considered for those with a BMI ranging from 35 to 40 kg/m². There are different types of bariatric surgeries, but all imply changes to your digestive system. One example is to reduce your stomach's size and thus the amount of food you can eat.
