Hanging stomach - How do I prevent it from getting worse?

Glitterwinds

Hopefully I posted this in the right area... if not, I apologize. This is a mix of exercise and weight loss.

When I was a young teen and overweight, and I lost 70lbs rapidly. I was obsessed with dancing for hours and hours on end every day and I didn't eat much. It wasn't healthy, I messed up my knees and a big toe permanently, and I didn't know better. I wasn't even trying to lose the weight then! Anyways, from how quickly I lost the weight (few months), I developed an unsightly hanging lower stomach pouch-flap thing of fat/skin that wouldn't go even when I was at a healthy weight based on my BMI.

I know hanging stomachs aren't easy to get rid of without surgery, and that isn't an option for me because of cost and wanting to wait until after I have kids, So, I was wondering how could I prevent it from getting worse? You see, I'm now in my mid-20s, and I gained back that 70lbs plus some. I'm very overweight, but I'm determined to lose it. While my goal is to lose 1.5 to 2lbs a week based on MFP, I do not want to make my hanging stomach worse. My stomach hangs just as low or close to it when I first lost all the weight, but if it was to hang even more, I would be pretty upset. It is the part of me I hate the most, and I'm planning on 10 more pounds than the original amount that messed up my stomach - I'm pretty concerned.

So, I have a few questions if anyone can answer some of them, also any tips/advice, or personal experiences would be appreciated.

- Is there is a particular set of exercises that can help prevent making my stomach worse as I lose weight?
- If I start losing weight quickly, how much is too fast when it comes to keeping elasticity?
- Can I even prevent it from getting worse?
- Will it not even get worse/that bad since I'm not going to lose weight as recklessly this time and the damage is already done?

Thank you in advance!

jemhh

I'm going to copy and paste what I wrote in another thread, with a few changes:

jemhh wrote: »

Aside from getting in a time machine and going back to before you became overweight and then not gaining the weight, there is nothing you can do to prevent loose skin (hanging stomach.) At this point, the damage is done and if you're going to have it, there is nothing outside of surgery that will change that.

Finish losing weight and then wait for a few years (1+ definitely, quite possibly 2-3) to see how much your skin shrinks. How much it shrinks is dependent on how big you were, how long you were big, genetics, age, and how much yo-yoing you did weight-wise.

Creams, wraps, lifting weights, losing slowly, etc. do not help shrink up skin. Creams will keep your skin moisturized. Wraps will help dehydrate the area and may tighten it up temporarily but not permanently. Lifting weights will make you stronger and will help your physique and give you something to obsess over and think about. Losing weight slowly will help minimize how much your skin shrinkage rate outpaces your fat loss rate. But none of these things will prevent loose skin or increase its shrinkage.

Glitterwinds

Thank you, but that doesn't really answer my questions clearly. I have accepted that I can't get rid of it in my post, I just don't want it to get worse. If I'm losing around the same weight again, will it be the same or will it get even worse? As I explained, I lost 70lbs and gained it back, so if I lose 70lbs again, will it be even more hangy or will it stay the same since I already did the damage of losing 70lbs? I have also read awhile ago that how quickly you lose weight is connected to how much loose skin you have. I'm not sure what truth is behind that and how much is considered quick. I'd be willing to slow my whole process down if it means not making it worse or less worse. It has been haunting me since I been 13 and I don't see myself ever being able to afford surgery. I hope this makes sense, I am a bit tired.

Cherimoose

Glitterwinds wrote: »

- Is there is a particular set of exercises that can help prevent making my stomach worse as I lose weight?

Nope, exercises don't target the skin layer.

If I start losing weight quickly, how much is too fast when it comes to keeping elasticity?

It's a myth that fast weight loss causes loose skin. Weight gain causes loose skin.

I lost 70lbs and gained it back, so if I lose 70lbs again, will it be even more hangy or will it stay the same

It should be about the same.

I don't see myself ever being able to afford surgery

We tend to get whatever we plan for and go for.

jemhh

There is literally no way for anybody to tell you whether or not it will be the same or get worse. No way at all. There just isn't.

Again speed of loss does not play a factor in long term loose skin or lack thereof. Speed of loss only affects how much your fat loss outpaces skin shrinkage in the short term.

Look, I have loose skin (there's a picture in my profile somewhat showing it.) It sucks. It very hard on the self esteem. I won't deny that it's a serious struggle for me but all I can do is focus on how much more fit I am now than I was in the past.

Glitterwinds

Thank you, Cheri! I really hope it stays about the same. I can't imagine it doubling on me.

Jemhh, I know everyone's body is different. I wasn't looking for a magical perfect answer. That is an illogical request. I was asking more or less asking for opinions, advice, and others stories on the manner. Maybe others have info I don't have. I do personally think if you drop weight like a mad person it can lead to more loose skin in long run. What I did when I was younger was an extreme case there was no short term hang, it never visually shrunk any even at such a young age. I basically had an anorexic pattern without actually having anorexia. Anyways, if weight loss pace isn't commonly associated with the amount of loose skin, I'll stick with MFP 1.5-2lbs a week.

robininfl

It's not really how fast you lose weight, it's much more a skin type difference. Think of pregnant ladies, they lose their belly in a couple of hours, and the skin shrinks back for most of us. If you lose weight slowly, it shrinks along with you. If you drop it suddenly, it takes awhile to catch up.

If your skin doesn't have elasticity, it's quite likely going to be a little worse each time you stretch it, until you get the surgery, and yes I agree with you, much better to wait until after you have kids.

I am not sure if there is any way to improve your skin's elasticity, I would think yes, diet and taking care of the skin would help, but so much of it seems genetic.