How Can I Get Rid of Belly Fat & Love Handles?
Belly fat and those stubborn “love handles” are primary concerns for many patients who visit our Fort Worth plastic surgery office. These areas respond slowly to traditional weight-loss efforts because this tissue stores energy efficiently and resists change.
The good news? Female Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily J. Kirby offers surgical and nonsurgical options to remove belly fat and eliminate love handles and explains how professional support and lifestyle changes can help you finally target belly fat and refine your midsection.
1. Lifestyle Upgrades
Why it matters: Without a healthy lifestyle, results from body contouring procedures may be underwhelming or short-lived. Here are ways you can adjust your lifestyle to help limit unwanted belly fat and maximize the results of any treatment you choose:
- Balanced meals: Prioritize lean proteins, colorful produce, and fiber-rich grains. These foods steady blood sugar and curb the spikes that drive fat storage.
- Resistance training: Muscle is metabolically active tissue; the more you have, the faster you burn calories at rest. Work in fully body resistance training exercises two to three times per week.
- Quality sleep & stress management: High cortisol encourages abdominal fat. Seven to nine hours of sleep, plus stress-reducing practices like yoga or brisk walks, help keep hormones in check.
Related: Can plastic surgery help me reach my goal weight?
2. Weight-Loss Injections
If mindful meal planning and gym time are no longer moving the needle, or if you would like more support on your weight loss journey, medically supervised weight loss injections in Fort Worth can jump-start progress and make healthier choices feel more attainable.
How they work
Each weekly shot slows digestion and steadies blood sugar to quiet cravings and “food noise,” while also signaling the brain that you are satisfied sooner.
Typical results
With consistent use and lifestyle support, most patients shed 15-20% (or more) of their starting weight over the next six to twelve months.
Treatment plan
After a thorough health review, patients begin with a low dose and gradually step it up to minimize side effects. You will check in regularly so we can fine-tune dosing, track milestones with our ShapeScale 3D body scanner, and coach you on protein intake and strength training to protect lean muscle.
When you reach your goal weight, we taper the medication, reinforce sustainable habits, and if needed, schedule body-contouring or skin-tightening treatments to refine your new shape.
Related: Struggling with excess skin after weight loss? Here are your options
“Dr. Kirby and her staff are amazing! Not only did she do an amazing job, they go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable and taken care of. Not once in this whole process did I feel judged or a bother. They are all very professional and quick to answer any questions or concerns you have. Highly recommend to anyone and would 100% go back myself.”
CoolSculpting
If you are close to your goal weight but still struggle to remove unwanted fullness, Fort Worth CoolSculpting can help. The FDA-cleared device targets belly fat and love handles (along with several other treatment areas) using precisely controlled cooling that freezes fat cells without harming surrounding tissue. Your body then clears the selected fat cells over the next three months. Treatments are comfortable, and you can return to normal activities the same day.
Most patients experience a 20% fat reduction per session, and CoolSculpting treatments can be repeated for additional fat reduction.
Liposuction
Liposuction offers the fastest, most predictable way to smooth your waistline, and is often used to permanently remove belly fat and smooth love handles that can persist after lifestyle changes and weight loss injections.
City Surgery Center
Our on-site, Quad A-accredited surgical suite
Instead of heading to a hospital or other public surgical facility for your procedure, you can enjoy the privacy and luxury of our on-site operating room, designed to facilitate safe, top-quality care in a spa-like setting. Quad A-accreditation is the gold standard and meets or exceeds hospital standards.
Dr. Kirby performs liposuction in her on-site, Quad A-accredited City Surgery Center with board-certified anesthesia providers and rapid recovery plastic surgery protocols for greater comfort and a quicker recovery.
The advanced tumescent liposuction technique allows Dr. Kirby to gently loosen and suction fat from the abdomen and flanks. This preferred technique limits bruising and bleeding and uses tiny incisions for virtually invisible scars.
Most patients return to desk work within a few days and resume exercise within four to six weeks. Because the extracted fat cells are gone for good, maintaining a stable weight with healthy habits preserves your trimmer waistline for years.
If you have lax skin in your midsection or if removing unwanted fat would leave loose skin, Dr. Kirby may combine liposuction with a tummy tuck to create the smoothest contour.
Related: Why is there a limit on how much fat can be removed with liposuction?
The Right Approach for You
No single approach fits everyone. Dr. Kirby considers:
- Amount of excess fat and its location
- Skin quality – Firm skin tightens naturally after fat is removed; lax skin may need surgical tightening
- Timeline – Non-surgical options offer gradual change with minimal downtime; surgery delivers faster, more dramatic results but requires recovery.
She may recommend starting with weight loss injections to jump-start weight loss, and then adding CoolSculpting or liposuction to complete your midsection makeover.
Let’s Target Your Belly Fat—Together
For a fully personalized experience and ideal results, Dr. Emily Kirby evaluates your goals, explains each option, and designs a streamlined plan that fits your body and lifestyle. Call or text our Fort Worth plastic surgery office at 817-292-4200 to take the next steps toward no more a trimmer waistline and the confidence that comes with it.
