The number of fat cells in your body remains relatively constant throughout your life, regardless of whether you diet or gain weight. While you can gain or lose fat, fat cells don't multiply significantly after puberty. However, they can grow in size, meaning they can store more fat. When you lose weight, fat cells shrink, but they don't disappear.
Researchers have discovered that adult humans continuously produce new fat cells, although the rate of this production is significantly slower compared to childhood and adolescence. This implies that your body can still generate new fat cells, but the process is not as robust as during your developmental years.
Therefore, you can't eliminate fat cells through dieting or exercise, but you can shrink their size and reduce overall fat mass. This is why it's essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid excessive weight gain to prevent further fat cell growth and maintain your body's healthy fat composition.
