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!
5
Replies
-
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.
7 -
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
5 -
1
-
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.
3 -
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
-
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
-
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
-
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.
1 -
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
-
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
-
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
LOL 
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 388.8K Introduce Yourself
- 42.9K Getting Started
- 258.9K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.1K Food and Nutrition
- 47.2K Recipes
- 232K Fitness and Exercise
- 340 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.4K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.3K Motivation and Support
- 7.5K Challenges
- 1.2K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 21 News and Announcements
- 700 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 1.9K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions