Loose skin / toning

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MouseFood
MouseFood Posts: 169 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So. I've noticed that losing all this weight in my 30's has left saggier/floppier skin than when I lost in my 20's. Of course it is in part from aging, and also from the up and down fluctuation all my life. But I'm feeling the 'Yuck' more this time when I see the stretch marks, sagging, flopping, etc. Is it truly possible to tighten up skin by muscle toning? (I know the stretch marks are permanent. :( )

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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    No, there are no exercises that help you tighten up skin. Skin tightening is up to genetics, time, how big you were, and how long you were big. It can take a couple of years for your skin to shrink up to its eventual "this is it" state. Building strength and muscle is always a good goal but it's not going to tighten truly loose unless you have very little loose skin or gain an extraordinary amount of muscle.
  • MouseFood
    MouseFood Posts: 169 Member
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    Okay, that makes sense. Thank you. Some of what I have is probably loose skin and other is merely flabby from being fat still. I do think more of it will go away when I loose the last 20-30, as I have not reached my goal yet. So here's hoping.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    MouseFood wrote: »
    Okay, that makes sense. Thank you. Some of what I have is probably loose skin and other is merely flabby from being fat still. I do think more of it will go away when I loose the last 20-30, as I have not reached my goal yet. So here's hoping.

    Yes, if you have 20-30 pounds left to lose, you will see a lot of that shrink up as you continue to lose it. It is easy to get a bit discouraged or worried while in the process because sometimes we look a bit saggier before we get better. Just keep chugging along :)
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    Laser treatments or a tuck are probably the only solutions. Skin loses elasticity, unfortunately.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    Laser treatments or a tuck are probably the only solutions. Skin loses elasticity, unfortunately.

    It is way premature to state that when the OP has stated that she intends to lose 20-30 more pounds.
  • snowmaniac
    snowmaniac Posts: 600 Member
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    Lift weights through a progressive lifting program (real weights, not tiny dumbells), eat right, drink lots of water, and be patient. It will take time for your skin to regain lost elasticity. Strength training can help by increasing your muscle mass to fill some of that space as well. Time however will be the biggest factor.

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