5' 4", 121.4 lbs, 70 lbs lost....yet i still look like this! advice and/or opinions, anyone...?

numinousnymph

So quick background -- I'm 24, and I've been overweight and obese since i was around 6 - 7 years old. I used food as comfort and coping mechanism as I watched my mom got sick and eventually die of breast cancer when I was 6. I was at my heaviest at 15 years old and 192 lbs when i decided to do something and went on Jenny Craig with my dad. Over about 1.5 - 2 years I lost close to 60 lbs. However, between ages 17/18 - 23 I gained about 35 of those lbs back. Right when I turned 23 I decided to get back on track, made some major changes my diet, started using this site to help me better track calories & macros, and 1.5 years later I'm 121.4 lbs, nearly the lightest I've ever been as an adult. I say nearly because in November/December 2014 I got down to 118.6 lbs, but after the holidays and letting myself relax a bit I've gained a bit of that back..

However, the point of this post is that i still have this, well, belly. And I can't for the life of me figure out if it's loose skin or I'm just doomed to hold on to my abdominal fat no matter how thin I get. When I was at 118 I still had it. I was 118 lbs and could actually still grab *handfuls* of flesh/fat from my abdomen! It's hard to tell what this belly hang is because the skin obviously wrinkles and folds like loose/excess skin would, but I feel it's too thick to be mostly skin. I mean I can grab it in both hands.

I just want opinions, because this is seriously hurting my self-confidence and really frustrating and confusing me. Clothes don't fit me right because of it, it bulges and wrinkles and folds and absolutely disgusts me. Do I have to get to an underweight BMI for this to go away? Am I going to need surgery? Is it just genetics and should I just resign myself to being cursed with not just a big but a *hanging* stomach no matter what I weigh?

One more thing -- while I do do a lot of cardio, I have been doing strength training since November 2013. I know strength/weights is crucial to keeping a good body composition. I do weights and body weight exercises, and I know that I have gained strength and have more defined muscle based on increasing the amount of weight I can lift and the length of time or reps I can do for body weight stuff. I can also definitely see muscle in my arms, back and quads . I have a very limited schedule and I do prioritize cardio on days where I only have, say, 45 minutes at the gym. However, in a typical week I'd say I do about 45 - 60 minutes of strength/body weight work, NOT including rest breaks. Do I need to do more?

Anyways, here are pictures of my stomach so you can see what I mean. They're not exactly pleasant to look at, so sorry about that...:/






when I lean back you can even see my hips jut out some and can easily feel them, yet this belly is still there!




Here is where it gets really bad... from the front...




...and when i bend over (sorry for the crappy quality -- just taking selfies in a weirdly lit bathroom) it looks just terrible! makes me want to cry...







i see many other "success story" pictures and I feel like hardly any of them have this thing attached to them still. I also have what i actually can very much tell is loose skin on my inner thighs, so I know loose skin is something i do have. but this stomach is just driving me crazy and really blowing my self-esteem. please be realistic with me -- what do *you* think this is? is this even fixable with surgery? should i keep trying to lose more weight?

arditarose

Bit of loose skin. It's not so bad! Are you in maintenance now? I don't think you should lose any more weight...You say you prioritize cardio, perhaps you should prioritize lifting. What is your program?

Also, you're young. That skin might tighten up still.

rlwest60

I had a friend who used a cream that helps tighten the skin and you can even use hemeroid cream. I dont recall the name but google skin tightening cream. Also start doing bulk or definition exercises that will make your abs more defined and that may help. You look great keep up the good work

jenncornelsen

If after two years its still there your options may only be tummy tuck. Now u dont have tons of excess so u can probably get away with a mini tummy tuck which is far less invasive. If u ever plan to have kids dont consider it at this point though. I have the same issue but x10 worse

arditarose

jenncornelsen wrote: »

If after two years its still there your options may only be tummy tuck. Now u dont have tons of excess so u can probably get away with a mini tummy tuck which is far less invasive. If u ever plan to have kids dont consider it at this point though. I have the same issue but x10 worse

Oh my god. When I first read this I thought you meant she should not consider having kids anymore...Okay. Maybe I need sleep.

jenncornelsen

arditarose wrote: »

jenncornelsen wrote: »

If after two years its still there your options may only be tummy tuck. Now u dont have tons of excess so u can probably get away with a mini tummy tuck which is far less invasive. If u ever plan to have kids dont consider it at this point though. I have the same issue but x10 worse

Oh my god. When I first read this I thought you meant she should not consider having kids anymore...Okay. Maybe I need sleep.

Lol no have kids first! Sorry maybe I should have worded it differently!

rileyes

I agree with arditarose. You are young. Work more "hours" on strength training per week. Developing your muscle can help a lot. Think of your muscle as lifting everything up and into place.

arditarose

jenncornelsen wrote: »

arditarose wrote: »

jenncornelsen wrote: »

If after two years its still there your options may only be tummy tuck. Now u dont have tons of excess so u can probably get away with a mini tummy tuck which is far less invasive. If u ever plan to have kids dont consider it at this point though. I have the same issue but x10 worse

Oh my god. When I first read this I thought you meant she should not consider having kids anymore...Okay. Maybe I need sleep.

Lol no have kids first! Sorry maybe I should have worded it differently!

Haha. It's okay. I'm like...in baby lalaland right now and it got me all worked up.

Otterluv

arditarose wrote: »

Bit of loose skin. It's not so bad! Are you in maintenance now? I don't think you should lose any more weight...You say you prioritize cardio, perhaps you should prioritize lifting. What is your program?

Also, you're young. That skin might tighten up still.

These were my thoughts as well. There are many different strength programs, and they vary in effectiveness. Some bill themselves as strength, but are really more cardio than anything else. More time performing an inadequate program will not be useful.

It would be great to hear what you have been doing in order to help refine your program.

ammo7

We have similar stats, so I'm answering from my own personal experience, and just kind of speculating. Sorry that I don't have any definite answers to give you, but I hope you find them.

I'm 24 years old and 5'4'' too, but my highest weight was slightly more than yours (about 197 lb). I'm currently at 135lb, so I'm a bit bigger than you (I think I'm bigger all over, especially in my upper arms and upper thighs). I don't currently have a noticeable amount of loose skin, but maybe that will change once I get down to your weight. Did you have much loose skin when you were around 135lb? The biggest difference in our stories seems to be that you lost your weight really quickly, whereas it took me a loooong time (I lost about 50 lb over 2 years, just maintained for 2 more years, and then have lost another 12 lb since January this year).

I guess my answer is: Perhaps it's a combination of loose skin, and simply having a body shape that makes it easier for you to lose your weight from other areas of your body first. If it's loose skin, I think it may take some time to firm up - since you lost your weight really quickly, maybe it just takes a little time for your body to catch up. Also it can't hurt to focus more on strength training, since you're already at a low weight. Through strength training, maybe you will be able to alter your body composition to make your stomach look tighter by losing the remaining fat on your stomach while maintaining the muscle you already have.

You have done an awesome job losing your weight. I hope that you are proud of how you have transformed yourself & your health, even if you aren't 100% satisfied with your physical appearance at the moment (PS: you look great, and I'm especially jealous of your upper thighs from the first photo)

badgerbadger1

Lift heavy.

maasha81

Another vote to start a lifting program. There are many out there to pick from but you can start with stronglifts 5x5

I wouldn't lose any more weight but just focus on body recomp through lifting heavy.

Good luck .

Katiebear_81

It might get better, it might not. The plus side is that you are still quite young and your body might surprise you. I am of the opinion that you should not try to diet away your belly, especially if that would make you underweight.

If it would make you feel better under clothes, you could get a pair of spanx to wear while you wait to see if it shrinks some more. And if you're worried about people seeing you naked... It's been my experience that men don't remark much about this kind of stuff, especially if they're invested as you as a person. I know that it doesn't help the self esteem any, but you could try to accept that bit of your former self.

If you decide to get surgery, I would also caution you to wait until after you have kids (if you are going to have any). You'll want the looser skin while you're gestating and growing. then get it all removed if you have the desire and the means.

It's really not as bad as you think it is. I wouldn't even have a single judgemental thought towards you if I saw you on the street/in the gym change room/in a bikini.

bulk_n_cut

first of all congrats on the weight loss, tremendous achievement. second, dont be sorry about how you think you look lol. nothing to lose confidence over. third...like others said, keep lifting and increase the weights gradually with good form. with your age, results will start showing soon.

best of luck bro

SBRRepeat

tryingtogetbigger2015 wrote: »

best of luck bro

Not sure why, but the fact that you called her bro just made me laugh so hard. Thanks for that.


OP- I promise it isn't as noticeable to everyone else as it is to you. I think you look fabulous.
I think lifting more would definitely help define the underlying musculature and the loose skin won't be noticeable.
I weigh a lot more than you and have loose skin on my belly and, at this point, it's only noticeable when I'm in plank or doing pushups (or when I poke it because I'm feeling self-deprecating).

canary_girl

SBRRepeat wrote: »

tryingtogetbigger2015 wrote: »

best of luck bro

Not sure why, but the fact that you called her bro just made me laugh so hard. Thanks for that.


OP- I promise it isn't as noticeable to everyone else as it is to you. I think you look fabulous.
I think lifting more would definitely help define the underlying musculature and the loose skin won't be noticeable.
I weigh a lot more than you and have loose skin on my belly and, at this point, it's only noticeable when I'm in plank or doing pushups (or when I poke it because I'm feeling self-deprecating).

This, a 1000 times this. I've had 2 babies and am your height and 20 lbs more than you. You look great.

LovelyIvy466

OP, you look amazing. I know that no one else can truly make you see your body differently, but honestly, I think this one is mostly in your head. You have a wee bit of loose skin, it is nowhere near as horrifying as you seem to think.

I'd try the weightlifting advice given upthread (mostly because I think all women should lift weights. It's empowering and so good for you!), but don't do it because your body makes you feel bad, do it because you want to kick *kitten*.

numinousnymph

thanks for everyone's replies so far

as for my weight/strength routine, i'm not following a specific program. i do mostly machines -- hip adduction, hip abduction, leg press, butterfly, lat pulldown, seated row, and the chest press are the ones i do most often. i also do Romanian deadlifts (at least that's what i was told they were) with dumbbells instead of a bar, and i do tricep work by holding a weight behind my head with both hands and lowering it up and down. i do regular planks, side hip dip planks, pushup planks, abdominal twists, and finally this bench at the gym that you can raise up at an incline, hook your feet over the edge, lie down on your back on it and do sit-ups (it's like this machine here: http://www.true-natural-bodybuilding.com/equipment/steep-decline/bomb-proof-steep-decline-bench-04.jpg). for all of these exercises i do anywhere from 12 - 15 reps for 4 - 5 sets, depending on how i'm feeling by the 4th set i'll do one more. weight differs depending on what the machine is, obviously, but as of right now, i'm at about 25 lb weight with my triceps (though i'm about to go up a few lbs), ~150 with the hip abductor and ~115 with the hip adductor, ~200 lbs with the leg press, ~50 - 60 lbs with the deadlifts (i use 25 lb dumbbells in each hand but i'm also about to go up a few lbs). lat pulldown ~100 lbs, seated row ~80 lbs, butterfly ~75 lbs, chest press ~60 lbs. planks i do 2 - 4x for a minute each when they're just regular planks. the hip dip and pushup planks i do 15 reps for 2 or 4 sets also. i also do pushups, squats, and lunges sometimes but not too often (maybe every few weeks in place of the machines).

sorry if that was waaayy overly specific, but i just thought i'd include as much as possible to take any guesswork out.

LovelyIvy466 wrote: »

OP, you look amazing. I know that no one else can truly make you see your body differently, but honestly, I think this one is mostly in your head. You have a wee bit of loose skin, it is nowhere near as horrifying as you seem to think.

I'd try the weightlifting advice given upthread (mostly because I think all women should lift weights. It's empowering and so good for you!), but don't do it because your body makes you feel bad, do it because you want to kick *kitten*.

thanks so much and i really agree with your last sentence, it's good to be reminded of that!

SBRRepeat

OP- You're moving a decent amount of weight on those machines, time to graduate
I think you could stand to simplify your routine and do a few compound lifts with free weights instead. You'll probably get results faster and build more functional strength that way. I notice the biggest change in core strength when I started doing heavy lifting.
Look into a program like New Rules of Lifting or Stronglifts 5x5 (What I use. They have a great phone app, so I don't have to keep track of when to add weight!).

leighann9981

Consult with a plastic surgeon. Consultations are usually free. It looks like loose skin & if that's the case no amount of diet or exercise will fix it. You'll need a mini tummy tuck. However...if u plan to have children don't do a tummy tuck yet. You'll just need it again after the kids. You look great to me though! We are always more critical of ourselves than others, but if it truly bothers you have it fixed. It's about feeling good for you not everyone else.

LKArgh

It looks like loose skin. it is not at all as bad as you seem to think it is. But it does not look like something that can be fixed with further weight loss.

rianoel

You look great, and in my experience men like that bit of tummy. What looks blubbery to you looks nice, soft and cushy to them. No joke, I've heard numerous guys complain about women who are too "boney" in the midsection. Anyone who says or implies you're unattractive---well hell, you just met an @-hole, and they let you know up front! It is a win for you, only a minute or two of your life wasted!

Also, if you have a baby, your tummy is going to stretch a hell of a lot. Most women who have had one would kill for that belly. . Those of us with the means and desire post kids get something called a mommy makeover. Breast lift/reduction and a tummy tuck.

In the meantime I second all pps---work on your core strength and give it time. Use better posture when you bend and the stomach will seem less.

And rock that bikini on the beach!

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

leighann9981 wrote: »

Consult with a plastic surgeon. Consultations are usually free. It looks like loose skin & if that's the case no amount of diet or exercise will fix it. You'll need a mini tummy tuck. However...if u plan to have children don't do a tummy tuck yet. You'll just need it again after the kids. You look great to me though! We are always more critical of ourselves than others, but if it truly bothers you have it fixed. It's about feeling good for you not everyone else.

I agree. That looks like empty skin to me. I don't think there's much else to do but wait for the skin to snap back on its own which will probably be minimal. I think you're gorgeous, and you did an amazing job! No need to worry about being perfect. We all have our scars.

I'm sorry about your mom. {{{{ hugs }}}} Your weight loss and healthy lifestyle is one of the best things you could do for yourself

lisalsd1

Get on a strength training program, something like 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting. You can search the forums for more on beginner programs. Compound movements with increasingly heavier weight will help. I'm about your height/size, but 35 years old. I have a bit of loose skin on my stomach (I've lost weight, and I've had 2 kids). It can get better, but there is a point where loose skin is loose skin and no amount of diet/cardio/lifting will help. I guarantee you that virtually every woman over the age of 30 (no matter what she looks like in clothes) has loose skin on her stomach; I have seen a lot of naked moms in the locker room.