Will anything help tighten up a 58 year old body???

bikecheryl

I'm a third of my way to my goal weight, 44 lbs lost so far.

5'4" female

SW 288 lbs
CW 244 lbs
GW 160 lbs

I'm already seeing a difference in my body composition - I have a waist again !!

My question - is there anything I can or should be doing that will help tighten a body short on elasticity and long on stretch marks ??????

I have osteoarthritis in both knees, scheduled for knee replacement next spring

My exercise currently consists of biking and kayaking ..... but winter is always just around the corner on the Canadian prairies.

AliceDark

Any kind of resistance training you're able to do will help you retain the muscle you do have, so you'll look more solid as the fat comes off. I would check with your doctor or surgeon (or even a knowledgeable physical therapist) to determine what kind of weight-bearing exercise you can safely do with your knees, but there should be quite a lot you can still do.

sgt1372

Are you mainly worried about the likelihood of loose or excess skin remaining after you reach your weight loss goal?

If so, I really don't think you have much control over that, except to exercise as best you can and perhaps do more to keep your skin moisturized.

Beyond that probably only surgery will be able to rid you of the skin you don't like or want after you're done.

Good luck!

SonyaCele

Congrats on your weight loss. you cant do anything about loose skin or stretch marks, but just keep dieting and staying active with any sport or activity you enjoy will make a world of difference.

DopeItUp

Probably not. Sorry.

bikecheryl

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I sort of figured that would be the answer.

I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything I could.

I do have resistance bands and plan to incorporate them into my weekly routine once the weather turns.

AnnPT77

But: If you truly lose fat to the point where there's just loose skin - thin wrinkles - that will continue to shrink in maintenance, in my experience.

Actual loose skin is like wrinkles in fabric: Thin folds. Think about how the skin looks if you pinch up a bit on a non-fatty area, like back of hand or kneecap.

Thicker folds - like 1/2" plus - probably still have some subcutaneous fat conspiring with gravity to keep them stretched. You may see improvement as you proceed from CW to GW - some of that residual fat will deplete.

Continuing to work hard on strength building in maintenance could further reduce that, albeit slowly, over time, via recomposition. (I'm not - so not! - encouraging extreme weight loss to thin out those persistent areas: Not healthy.)

I'm 61, in my 2nd year of maintenance, and loose skin (the thin wrinkles) has continued to improve, for me, during that time. There is a genetic component, I believe, and age matters for sure, but it's not hopeless, IMO, especially if you're active and continue to build strength.

Congrats on your excellent success with weight loss to date!

ridiculous59

Maybe try some aquasize classes this winter? I did them 3-4 times a week for two winters and found they really helped. The beauty of them is that you can make them as easy or as difficult as you like.