Weight of loose skin and determining goal weight
JulieSHelms
Posts: 821 Member
I've read several threads on MFP on this topic, but none had any answers...so maybe there isn't an easy one. But I'll throw it out there again.
Is there any way to estimate how much the loose skin and associated connective tissue after weight loss weighs (without actually cutting it off and weighing it--I read all the Silence of the Lambs jokes!)? I'm having trouble determining my final goal weight.
I've lost 120 lbs over 2 years. I weigh 180 lbs and I had chosen a goal of 175. BMI calculator puts my max for my height 5'8" and large frame at 164, but I liked 175 when I was there 30 years ago. So this is the number I'm not sure where to aim for.
Parts of me look thin (much thinner than when I was 20). My ribs are showing above what's left of my breasts, rib cage is prominent below, and my collarbones are more pronounced than ever before, even when I weighed more like 160 in high school.
Then I have handfuls of loose flesh at belly, thighs and butt. I would obviously like to get rid of as much of that as possible but I can't tell what's fat and what's forever with me.
A handful of people have told me to stop losing now, but all I can think of is the excess below the navel and that 180 is still too high a number. I don't know if my thinner upper body that is so different than when I was 20 is simply a function of carrying fat differently than when I was younger, or if I need to stop losing. I don't know how to calculate the impact of the skin and tissue to help determine when I should stop.
I've also been doing strength training for the last 6 months pretty aggressively, so I am in better shape that way than ever before. And I know that will affect weight goals too.
Someone had suggested talking to a dr. about it. My family doctor would be worthless for this--is there a special kind of doctor that deals with body composition this way to help me determine how much to lose?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Is there any way to estimate how much the loose skin and associated connective tissue after weight loss weighs (without actually cutting it off and weighing it--I read all the Silence of the Lambs jokes!)? I'm having trouble determining my final goal weight.
I've lost 120 lbs over 2 years. I weigh 180 lbs and I had chosen a goal of 175. BMI calculator puts my max for my height 5'8" and large frame at 164, but I liked 175 when I was there 30 years ago. So this is the number I'm not sure where to aim for.
Parts of me look thin (much thinner than when I was 20). My ribs are showing above what's left of my breasts, rib cage is prominent below, and my collarbones are more pronounced than ever before, even when I weighed more like 160 in high school.
Then I have handfuls of loose flesh at belly, thighs and butt. I would obviously like to get rid of as much of that as possible but I can't tell what's fat and what's forever with me.
A handful of people have told me to stop losing now, but all I can think of is the excess below the navel and that 180 is still too high a number. I don't know if my thinner upper body that is so different than when I was 20 is simply a function of carrying fat differently than when I was younger, or if I need to stop losing. I don't know how to calculate the impact of the skin and tissue to help determine when I should stop.
I've also been doing strength training for the last 6 months pretty aggressively, so I am in better shape that way than ever before. And I know that will affect weight goals too.
Someone had suggested talking to a dr. about it. My family doctor would be worthless for this--is there a special kind of doctor that deals with body composition this way to help me determine how much to lose?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
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Hard to say. I have loose skin, though I don't think mine amounts to very much weight (seriously less than 5 lbs). I have regained a little weight and it's a bit thicker than it was 9 lbs ago, but at my lightest it's very thin (like a balloon without air thin). If there is any thickness to yours, then there is most likely a bit of fat still in it and could weigh a bit more (depending on how thick, it could even be a good 10+ lbs).
If you have a pear shape, your upper body will likely get thin a bit faster than your lower half.
~I am currently sitting at about 128.2 lbs down from my heaviest. At my lightest I was 138 lbs down from my heaviest. ~Not my lightest, but around 133 or so lbs lost. For reference I'm 5'4.5" and this is about 125-128 lbs.
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Oh it just dawned on me...
Body Fat test.... get a dexa scan or hydrostatic weighing done. That will tell you if you still have fat to lose. If memory serves correct, 30-35% is overweight (for women) and 35% + is obese (for women). This isn't the same as BMI, but a test done to determine how much of your weight is actually fat and how much is lean body mass.1 -
you know on myself i hate loose skin but you guys all look so fantastic even with loose skin i wouldnt think twice about it. Its like a sexy battle scar of your extreme will power and drive.
Remind me of that fact next time i whine about it @Look_Its_Kriss
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shadow2soul wrote: »Hard to say. I have loose skin, though I don't think mine amounts to very much weight (seriously less than 5 lbs). I have regained a little weight and it's a bit thicker than it was 9 lbs ago, but at my lightest it's very thin (like a balloon without air thin). If there is any thickness to yours, then there is most likely a bit of fat still in it and could weigh a bit more (depending on how thick, it could even be a good 10+ lbs).
Thanks for sharing the pictures. My stomach looks similar but my loose stuff is definitely thicker, so I suspect more fat. I just don't want to get any thinner up top. My boobs are already a major casualty here! And no, I've never been pear shaped. I'm broad shouldered, and as a dressmaker once told me at 21, I had the perfect victorian figure! Ahh, those were the days... Lol.
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shadow2soul wrote: »Oh it just dawned on me...
Body Fat test.... get a dexa scan or hydrostatic weighing done. That will tell you if you still have fat to lose. If memory serves correct, 30-35% is overweight (for women) and 35% + is obese (for women). This isn't the same as BMI, but a test done to determine how much of your weight is actually fat and how much is lean body mass.
Uggh, just googled this and can't find any place that does this within 3 hours of me. I'll ask my regular dr. and see if he knows of a more local place.0 -
I remember this topic coming up several months ago and my response remains the same. Why not make an appointment with a plastic surgeon as someone else mentioned above? No need to get surgery but I'm pretty certain they could tell you how many pounds of tissue they would be removing in certain areas. Congrats on the loss!4
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shadow2soul wrote: »Hard to say. I have loose skin, though I don't think mine amounts to very much weight (seriously less than 5 lbs). I have regained a little weight and it's a bit thicker than it was 9 lbs ago, but at my lightest it's very thin (like a balloon without air thin). If there is any thickness to yours, then there is most likely a bit of fat still in it and could weigh a bit more (depending on how thick, it could even be a good 10+ lbs).
If you have a pear shape, your upper body will likely get thin a bit faster than your lower half.
~I am currently sitting at about 128.2 lbs down from my heaviest. At my lightest I was 138 lbs down from my heaviest. ~Not my lightest, but around 133 or so lbs lost. For reference I'm 5'4.5" and this is about 125-128 lbs.
If you don't mind me asking, how much weight have you lost since you started?0 -
shadow2soul wrote: »Hard to say. I have loose skin, though I don't think mine amounts to very much weight (seriously less than 5 lbs). I have regained a little weight and it's a bit thicker than it was 9 lbs ago, but at my lightest it's very thin (like a balloon without air thin). If there is any thickness to yours, then there is most likely a bit of fat still in it and could weigh a bit more (depending on how thick, it could even be a good 10+ lbs).
If you have a pear shape, your upper body will likely get thin a bit faster than your lower half.
~I am currently sitting at about 128.2 lbs down from my heaviest. At my lightest I was 138 lbs down from my heaviest. ~Not my lightest, but around 133 or so lbs lost. For reference I'm 5'4.5" and this is about 125-128 lbs.
I know a person who had her excess skin removed and 5 pounds is what she said the difference was for her in the end too.
Edit for clarification: She only had abdominal skin removed and she had reached a point where it pretty much was just skin rather than skin with much subcutaneous fat.0 -
I asked a while back about plastic surgery and one lady kindly told me her husband had lost 100 pounds before his skin surgery and that the doc removed 10 pounds of skin. Of course we are all different but I think with your loss you can safely assume 10 pounds. I second the body fat test if you can find it. I might do the same when I hit my goal. I've lost 72 and have 26 to go.1
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I have had the plastic surgery and they removed 12 pounds of skin. I started at 312 and when I had the surgery I was 140 and I am 5'1". I had my arms, legs, back, boobs and stomach repaired. It took 2 surgeries. Hopefully this information is useful for you.3
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shadow2soul wrote: »Hard to say. I have loose skin, though I don't think mine amounts to very much weight (seriously less than 5 lbs). I have regained a little weight and it's a bit thicker than it was 9 lbs ago, but at my lightest it's very thin (like a balloon without air thin). If there is any thickness to yours, then there is most likely a bit of fat still in it and could weigh a bit more (depending on how thick, it could even be a good 10+ lbs).
If you have a pear shape, your upper body will likely get thin a bit faster than your lower half.
~I am currently sitting at about 128.2 lbs down from my heaviest. At my lightest I was 138 lbs down from my heaviest. ~Not my lightest, but around 133 or so lbs lost. For reference I'm 5'4.5" and this is about 125-128 lbs.
If you don't mind me asking, how much weight have you lost since you started?
Highest weight: 260 lbs
CW trend: 133.6 lbs (126.4 lbs lost)
Low trend Weight last spring: 122 lbs (138 lbs lost)
The pictures above are in between my lowest and were I currently sit.
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I have had the plastic surgery and they removed 12 pounds of skin. I started at 312 and when I had the surgery I was 140 and I am 5'1". I had my arms, legs, back, boobs and stomach repaired. It took 2 surgeries. Hopefully this information is useful for you.
Thank you so much for sharing! Although I am not OP I was wondering myself and hearing from a woman helps alot.1 -
JulieSHelms wrote: »I've read several threads on MFP on this topic, but none had any answers...so maybe there isn't an easy one. But I'll throw it out there again.
Is there any way to estimate how much the loose skin and associated connective tissue after weight loss weighs (without actually cutting it off and weighing it--I read all the Silence of the Lambs jokes!)? I'm having trouble determining my final goal weight.
I've lost 120 lbs over 2 years. I weigh 180 lbs and I had chosen a goal of 175. BMI calculator puts my max for my height 5'8" and large frame at 164, but I liked 175 when I was there 30 years ago. So this is the number I'm not sure where to aim for.
Parts of me look thin (much thinner than when I was 20). My ribs are showing above what's left of my breasts, rib cage is prominent below, and my collarbones are more pronounced than ever before, even when I weighed more like 160 in high school.
Then I have handfuls of loose flesh at belly, thighs and butt. I would obviously like to get rid of as much of that as possible but I can't tell what's fat and what's forever with me.
A handful of people have told me to stop losing now, but all I can think of is the excess below the navel and that 180 is still too high a number. I don't know if my thinner upper body that is so different than when I was 20 is simply a function of carrying fat differently than when I was younger, or if I need to stop losing. I don't know how to calculate the impact of the skin and tissue to help determine when I should stop.
I've also been doing strength training for the last 6 months pretty aggressively, so I am in better shape that way than ever before. And I know that will affect weight goals too.
Someone had suggested talking to a dr. about it. My family doctor would be worthless for this--is there a special kind of doctor that deals with body composition this way to help me determine how much to lose?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
How long have you been at 180? Other posters have said it takes about two years at goal weight for the skin to do all the tightening up it's going to do. So if you just got to 180, be patient
(I know your actual goal is 5 pounds lighter but you're 30 years older so I'm counting you as close enough
) 2 -
I'm not sure what your current activity level is like, but have you considered some resistance training? Adding additional lean mass/definition on your top (and all over, really) might make you happier with your proportions if you continue to lose weight (it will look less thin on top if there is more muscle beneath the skin).3
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I have a different question. Why do you have to have a set goal weight? If you are not going to have the extra skin removed, then your weight is going to be what it is. I am just curious. I have lost a lot of weight, but unfortunately I have severe lymphedema in my legs so I have no idea what my weight would be without the extra weight of my legs. I do understand. I know that I am getting close to the point of not actively trying to get smaller, because in many places my bones stick out. I am no where close to skinny but for me, I am getting close to being happy with my size.1
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shadow2soul wrote: »shadow2soul wrote: »Hard to say. I have loose skin, though I don't think mine amounts to very much weight (seriously less than 5 lbs). I have regained a little weight and it's a bit thicker than it was 9 lbs ago, but at my lightest it's very thin (like a balloon without air thin). If there is any thickness to yours, then there is most likely a bit of fat still in it and could weigh a bit more (depending on how thick, it could even be a good 10+ lbs).
If you have a pear shape, your upper body will likely get thin a bit faster than your lower half.
~I am currently sitting at about 128.2 lbs down from my heaviest. At my lightest I was 138 lbs down from my heaviest. ~Not my lightest, but around 133 or so lbs lost. For reference I'm 5'4.5" and this is about 125-128 lbs.
If you don't mind me asking, how much weight have you lost since you started?
Highest weight: 260 lbs
CW trend: 133.6 lbs (126.4 lbs lost)
Low trend Weight last spring: 122 lbs (138 lbs lost)
The pictures above are in between my lowest and were I currently sit.
I was just wondering, but seriously you look amazing0 -
I have a different question. Why do you have to have a set goal weight? If you are not going to have the extra skin removed, then your weight is going to be what it is. I am just curious.
I guess I would like a number to "aim for". That seems easier than not having a specific end point. Like running a race without a finish line. But since its been 30 years since I've been at my current weight, I'm not sure where that point is. I'm carrying my weight much differently than I did in my 20s, so comparing to my former self is difficult. I also don't think I see myself clearly at the moment--losing 120 lbs, my brain still sees me as quite fat. So a number seems like an objective goal, instead of "when I'm satisfied" because I'm not sure I am an appropriate judge of that at the moment.
I know a number is arbitrary to some degree, but I find it useful as a guideline. But I posted my original question, because I'm afraid I will overshoot where I should be in an attempt to lose weight that aint going anywhere because it is skin, not fat.
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kshama2001 wrote: »
How long have you been at 180? Other posters have said it takes about two years at goal weight for the skin to do all the tightening up it's going to do. So if you just got to 180, be patient
(I know your actual goal is 5 pounds lighter but you're 30 years older so I'm counting you as close enough)
Like 4 days now. I know there could still be some tightening up, but it's pretty obvious I have some new friends stuck to me for the rest of my life!
it's not so much that I am fretting over the extra skin--I'm actually pleased it's not worse. I just want to know how to calculate the weight so that my goal is realistic.jessiefrancine wrote: »I'm not sure what your current activity level is like, but have you considered some resistance training? Adding additional lean mass/definition on your top (and all over, really) might make you happier with your proportions if you continue to lose weight (it will look less thin on top if there is more muscle beneath the skin).
I began resistance training about 7 months ago, half way along in my weight loss adventure. I am in much better shape than ever before in my life. AND my skin is less awful now than it was before I started, even though I lost another 65 lbs since then. So you are right--the exercising has been a huge help. (Although I discovered something rather earth-shattering---my pecs do not line up with my boobs. The pecs are like 4" higher---that wan't supposed to happen that way--haha!)
As an aside--I happen to have an appointment yesterday with my dermatologist for an unrelated issue. But I thought, hey, she knows skin, so I'll ask. (Recommendations for tightening and how to calculate how much excess I have in lbs). Before she answered I said--I don't want surgery. Her brilliant advice was "just follow the BMI chart" and "go have surgery." She must have told me to have surgery three times, then handed me a business card for a plastic surgeon she recommended. Yeah, not helpful.1 -
Julie, I think I'm closer to your age than some (I'm about 10 years older than you, now 61, lost at 59/60), which makes me think my n=1 could have some relevance. A couple of points, though not a direct answer to your question.
- Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much ) bigger rolls.
- Even at my age, my loose skin has continued shrinking slowly over my first year of maintenance (I don't know how long it will continue, yet, of course). My weight loss was less (60-some pounds, about a third of body weight), but it seems like that would affect the amount of loose skin more than its shrinkage rate. The roll-like bits don't shrink more unless I lose more. It's the thin wrinkles that shrink.
- As you've found you do, I got quite thin-looking in my upper body, while still looking quite squishy from below rib cage to perhaps mid-thigh (with some localized exceptions). I decided to keep losing after reaching quite a thin upper body appearance. This made my friends fuss at me, and I understand why. Parts of me looked kinda bony. However, those parts didn't lose more as I continued to lose weight. I lost more from the fatter-seeming parts. I kind of overshot goal, and ended up at one point at 116 on 5'5", so i've gained back a bit since. I'm fairly muscular for a li'l ol' lady, so my best guess is that at 116-120 I was somewhere in the lower 20% range for body fat percent (upper body looked mid-teens, lower body looked mid-high twenties).
The one thing I can't speak to is whether breasts, being naturally fatty tissue, would continue shrinking. I'm post-bilateral-mastectomy, and don't have any to start with
HTH. Asking your dermatologist the "how many pounds of loose skin" question seems like a good strategy. She should also be able to give you an expert opinion about what's just loose skin, and what's still filled out with fat (rather than my inexpert understanding, above).3 - Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much
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Thanks for this topic, I enjoyed reading it as I am facing similar circumstances. I'm 5'6 my heaviest weight was 224 and as of today I am 165. I goal weight is 150, thought about 140 but I have to reach the 150 first, lol. Weight loss has slowed down but I'm not so active. I have a bad back and bad knees, infant in two months I will have a total knee replacement. Ugh..People tell me wow your so thin you shouldn't lost anymore but I still have a lot of fat. My loose skin is still filled and plump so not really loose. I also lost mostly in face and upper body. I'm trying to meet a goal of walking 10,000 steps per day. Maybe after my surgery I should consider some type of exercise program at the gym? Anyway just wanted to comment that this is helpful with all the thoughts and ideas.0
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Julie, I think I'm closer to your age than some (I'm about 10 years older than you, now 61, lost at 59/60), which makes me think my n=1 could have some relevance. A couple of points, though not a direct answer to your question.
- Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much ) bigger rolls.
- Even at my age, my loose skin has continued shrinking slowly over my first year of maintenance (I don't know how long it will continue, yet, of course). My weight loss was less (60-some pounds, about a third of body weight), but it seems like that would affect the amount of loose skin more than its shrinkage rate. The roll-like bits don't shrink more unless I lose more. It's the thin wrinkles that shrink.
- As you've found you do, I got quite thin-looking in my upper body, while still looking quite squishy from below rib cage to perhaps mid-thigh (with some localized exceptions). I decided to keep losing after reaching quite a thin upper body appearance. This made my friends fuss at me, and I understand why. Parts of me looked kinda bony. However, those parts didn't lose more as I continued to lose weight. I lost more from the fatter-seeming parts. I kind of overshot goal, and ended up at one point at 116 on 5'5", so i've gained back a bit since. I'm fairly muscular for a li'l ol' lady, so my best guess is that at 116-120 I was somewhere in the lower 20% range for body fat percent (upper body looked mid-teens, lower body looked mid-high twenties).
The one thing I can't speak to is whether breasts, being naturally fatty tissue, would continue shrinking. I'm post-bilateral-mastectomy, and don't have any to start with
@AnnPT77 --thank you for your response. It is extremely helpful.
So what I can glean from this is I definitely am not at my goal yet--maybe 20 lbs yet. The skin thickness you describe is what I have around my neck and arms, definitely not my stomach, thighs and butt. My loose skin there has chunk to it, but it's weirdly moveable--when I lay on my back I've got rib cage, caved-in stomach, then back up to hip bones--all the fat is gone! Till I look over the edge at where it has slid down my sides and resting on bed--that's the weirdly moveable part!
I am also encouraged that my upper body thinness is probably done and will just wait for my lower body to have it's turn shedding the remaining fat.
Thanks for sharing!
1 - Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much
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Julie, I think I'm closer to your age than some (I'm about 10 years older than you, now 61, lost at 59/60), which makes me think my n=1 could have some relevance. A couple of points, though not a direct answer to your question.
- Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much ) bigger rolls.
- Even at my age, my loose skin has continued shrinking slowly over my first year of maintenance (I don't know how long it will continue, yet, of course). My weight loss was less (60-some pounds, about a third of body weight), but it seems like that would affect the amount of loose skin more than its shrinkage rate. The roll-like bits don't shrink more unless I lose more. It's the thin wrinkles that shrink.
- As you've found you do, I got quite thin-looking in my upper body, while still looking quite squishy from below rib cage to perhaps mid-thigh (with some localized exceptions). I decided to keep losing after reaching quite a thin upper body appearance. This made my friends fuss at me, and I understand why. Parts of me looked kinda bony. However, those parts didn't lose more as I continued to lose weight. I lost more from the fatter-seeming parts. I kind of overshot goal, and ended up at one point at 116 on 5'5", so i've gained back a bit since. I'm fairly muscular for a li'l ol' lady, so my best guess is that at 116-120 I was somewhere in the lower 20% range for body fat percent (upper body looked mid-teens, lower body looked mid-high twenties).
The one thing I can't speak to is whether breasts, being naturally fatty tissue, would continue shrinking. I'm post-bilateral-mastectomy, and don't have any to start with
HTH. Asking your dermatologist the "how many pounds of loose skin" question seems like a good strategy. She should also be able to give you an expert opinion about what's just loose skin, and what's still filled out with fat (rather than my inexpert understanding, above).
Thank you for that post. I was thinking this morning that my bones are protruding on my neck and shoulders, even my hip bone pokes me when I lie down. As far as the loose skin, people ask me about having it removed, but as you mentioned I see very little loose skin yet. I have a lot of something on my arms, but its not just skin. Although I am still technically obese, I really cant see myself losing more than 30-40 more lbs. I am currently trying to see if anything can be done about the severe lymphedema in my legs. If it were not for my legs I think I would be pretty happy with the size I am now. Ironically, I was thinking this morning that when I was this weight 20 hears ago I actually thought I was the perfect size. Everything has shifted, dropped and moved now. Completely different bod composition.0 - Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much
-
Julie, I think I'm closer to your age than some (I'm about 10 years older than you, now 61, lost at 59/60), which makes me think my n=1 could have some relevance. A couple of points, though not a direct answer to your question.
- Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much ) bigger rolls.
- Even at my age, my loose skin has continued shrinking slowly over my first year of maintenance (I don't know how long it will continue, yet, of course). My weight loss was less (60-some pounds, about a third of body weight), but it seems like that would affect the amount of loose skin more than its shrinkage rate. The roll-like bits don't shrink more unless I lose more. It's the thin wrinkles that shrink.
- As you've found you do, I got quite thin-looking in my upper body, while still looking quite squishy from below rib cage to perhaps mid-thigh (with some localized exceptions). I decided to keep losing after reaching quite a thin upper body appearance. This made my friends fuss at me, and I understand why. Parts of me looked kinda bony. However, those parts didn't lose more as I continued to lose weight. I lost more from the fatter-seeming parts. I kind of overshot goal, and ended up at one point at 116 on 5'5", so i've gained back a bit since. I'm fairly muscular for a li'l ol' lady, so my best guess is that at 116-120 I was somewhere in the lower 20% range for body fat percent (upper body looked mid-teens, lower body looked mid-high twenties).
The one thing I can't speak to is whether breasts, being naturally fatty tissue, would continue shrinking. I'm post-bilateral-mastectomy, and don't have any to start with
HTH. Asking your dermatologist the "how many pounds of loose skin" question seems like a good strategy. She should also be able to give you an expert opinion about what's just loose skin, and what's still filled out with fat (rather than my inexpert understanding, above).
Thank you for that post. I was thinking this morning that my bones are protruding on my neck and shoulders, even my hip bone pokes me when I lie down. As far as the loose skin, people ask me about having it removed, but as you mentioned I see very little loose skin yet. I have a lot of something on my arms, but its not just skin. Although I am still technically obese, I really cant see myself losing more than 30-40 more lbs. I am currently trying to see if anything can be done about the severe lymphedema in my legs. If it were not for my legs I think I would be pretty happy with the size I am now. Ironically, I was thinking this morning that when I was this weight 20 hears ago I actually thought I was the perfect size. Everything has shifted, dropped and moved now. Completely different bod composition.
Body composition is modifiable, at any age.
At about your age (I looked at your profile ), I started rowing (!) after a mostly-sedentary adulthood. I stayed fat (obese BMI), but dropped probably 2-3 pants sizes over a period of several years (8? 10?) without losing weight. When I finally got my eating on a sensible track in the last couple of years, I was surprised to see how much muscle I actually had (now 61).
My personal observation is that nearly any vigorous regular exercise tends to help people lean out, all over. Strength building exercises do it much faster, but anything that increases progressively (in duration, speed, power, or other dimensions of 'work') will do it gradually.
I recognize that your lymphedema may limit what you can do (some of my friends have arm lymphedema consequent to breast cancer treatment; I had the BC but avoided the lymphedema). Some of them find that movement itself tends to reduce the lymphedema severity, but this is very individual, and always needs to be in context of medical consultation, not advice from random idiots like me on the internet.
I hear you on the 20 years thing! I was this weight in my teens/twenties, and my midsection is definitely squishier! (I had breasts then, but not now, so the weight isn't exactly equivalent, though - hard to know how to adjust for that conceptually.)
Best wishes for continued positive progress, @OhMsDiva
(Sorry for the slight thread hijack, Julie!)0 - Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much
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Julie, I think I'm closer to your age than some (I'm about 10 years older than you, now 61, lost at 59/60), which makes me think my n=1 could have some relevance. A couple of points, though not a direct answer to your question.
- Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much ) bigger rolls.
- Even at my age, my loose skin has continued shrinking slowly over my first year of maintenance (I don't know how long it will continue, yet, of course). My weight loss was less (60-some pounds, about a third of body weight), but it seems like that would affect the amount of loose skin more than its shrinkage rate. The roll-like bits don't shrink more unless I lose more. It's the thin wrinkles that shrink.
- As you've found you do, I got quite thin-looking in my upper body, while still looking quite squishy from below rib cage to perhaps mid-thigh (with some localized exceptions). I decided to keep losing after reaching quite a thin upper body appearance. This made my friends fuss at me, and I understand why. Parts of me looked kinda bony. However, those parts didn't lose more as I continued to lose weight. I lost more from the fatter-seeming parts. I kind of overshot goal, and ended up at one point at 116 on 5'5", so i've gained back a bit since. I'm fairly muscular for a li'l ol' lady, so my best guess is that at 116-120 I was somewhere in the lower 20% range for body fat percent (upper body looked mid-teens, lower body looked mid-high twenties).
The one thing I can't speak to is whether breasts, being naturally fatty tissue, would continue shrinking. I'm post-bilateral-mastectomy, and don't have any to start with
HTH. Asking your dermatologist the "how many pounds of loose skin" question seems like a good strategy. She should also be able to give you an expert opinion about what's just loose skin, and what's still filled out with fat (rather than my inexpert understanding, above).
Thank you for that post. I was thinking this morning that my bones are protruding on my neck and shoulders, even my hip bone pokes me when I lie down. As far as the loose skin, people ask me about having it removed, but as you mentioned I see very little loose skin yet. I have a lot of something on my arms, but its not just skin. Although I am still technically obese, I really cant see myself losing more than 30-40 more lbs. I am currently trying to see if anything can be done about the severe lymphedema in my legs. If it were not for my legs I think I would be pretty happy with the size I am now. Ironically, I was thinking this morning that when I was this weight 20 hears ago I actually thought I was the perfect size. Everything has shifted, dropped and moved now. Completely different bod composition.
Body composition is modifiable, at any age.
At about your age (I looked at your profile ), I started rowing (!) after a mostly-sedentary adulthood. I stayed fat (obese BMI), but dropped probably 2-3 pants sizes over a period of several years (8? 10?) without losing weight. When I finally got my eating on a sensible track in the last couple of years, I was surprised to see how much muscle I actually had (now 61).
My personal observation is that nearly any vigorous regular exercise tends to help people lean out, all over. Strength building exercises do it much faster, but anything that increases progressively (in duration, speed, power, or other dimensions of 'work') will do it gradually.
I recognize that your lymphedema may limit what you can do (some of my friends have arm lymphedema consequent to breast cancer treatment; I had the BC but avoided the lymphedema). Some of them find that movement itself tends to reduce the lymphedema severity, but this is very individual, and always needs to be in context of medical consultation, not advice from random idiots like me on the internet.
I hear you on the 20 years thing! I was this weight in my teens/twenties, and my midsection is definitely squishier! (I had breasts then, but not now, so the weight isn't exactly equivalent, though - hard to know how to adjust for that conceptually.)
Best wishes for continued positive progress, @OhMsDiva
(Sorry for the slight thread hijack, Julie!)
Thanks0 - Loose skin is very thin, like the skin you can pinch on the a back of your hand, maybe as thick as a lightweight corduroy or velveteen fabric's folds, but not appreciably thicker. The stuff that's a whole 1/2 inch or more of pinchable stuff is more likely filled out with residual fat. The fat cells seem not always to politely deplete from outermost to innermost layers, so one can have some less-dense fat that's still under the skin making those slightly (or much
LOL 
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