Excess skin concerns

realpersonal

I'm quite worried about excess skin at the moment.. I want to lose four stone, I have knee problems so I'm limited doing certain excercise, I'm in my early 20's. What I want to know is this avoidable? Or is it just the inevitable? I don't want sagging skin all over my body! any success stories of losing a lot of weight without excess skin (pictures would be greatly appreciated) this would help a lot!!! X

Auntiangie

Hey, so that is a big worry for me as well, when I spoke to my trainer about it, he said that the people who have the excess skin is because they lose their weight too fast. If you work hard and slowly lose the weight, he said it should not be a problem. Hopefully that helps!

Tacklewasher

Genetics seem to drive it more than anything else, including the speed of weight loss.

I've got some after 125 pounds gone. Yeah, I'd rather my stomach was tighter, but nothing really I can do except see if it gets better.

I guess the question is would you rather risk the chance of having loose skin or stay 50-60 lbs overweight?

PixelPuff

Click for a before & after.

Converting, I started at just over 200lbs (just over 14.25 stone). I'm currently around 103lbs (7.35 stone).

(AS A NOTE I FORGOT TO ADD: I'm 5'2". I was slowly nearing morbidly obese. Yes, my current weight is in the healthy range for my height.)

I'd take this body, health, and mind complete with the excess skin any day. I'm a babe, I earned it, nobody can make me feel bad 'cause I have some extra skin on my otherwise toned tummy. I didn't even work out starting, when losing the weight. I was a bit skinny-fat for a bit towards the end, but I adjusted since I'm healthier now and can handle working out. Blegh, cardio. Weight lifting, whoo!

I feel amazing, and it has healed up a lot with time, too. Time really flew, it's been nearing a year since that last picture was taken! Not even blonde anymore.

You can do it. It is worth it.

... The skin also depends on you and where your fat sits, too. My arms weren't bad, neither were my lower legs, butt, etc. Most of my weight was front-stomach and thighs. Guess where the extra skin is?

Lillymoo01

You have age on your side which is a huge advantage but if worst comes to worst and you end up with some excess skin that is far better in health and appearance than excess fat.

sschauer513

If you lose slow should be ok I'm at 120+lbs down and nothing too noticeable took 1.5 years to get there so nothing too fast. Bu if you get some wear it as a badge of honor for mission accomplished.

Jenniferakajacel311

Increase your water intake.

PixelPuff

jacel311 wrote: »

Increase your water intake.

You should really do that as a general rule.

In general, I don't believe that does a whole lot with actual excess skin...

elisa123gal

four stone is 56 pounds..right?.. you are in your 20's... you should be just fine. Don't worry..just eat right and exercise. i also suggest using CeRave cream on your skin..or some type of great moisturizer twice a day ..especially when you get out of the shower. i'm older... and my goal is 40 pounds.. i'm 10 away..no loose skin for me. i use a loofa in the bath and use my creams religiously.

Danp

I used to be really concerned about 'getting' excess skin from weight loss. Then I had a bit of a light bulb moment when it dawned on my that I wouldn't be 'getting' excess skin, I already had it. Only at the moment that excess skin if filled with unhealthy fat.

So it became a choice have excess skin on an unhealthy, overweight body and feel terrible OR have less, but still some, excess skin on a healthy, energetic body and feel amazing. I'm choosing the later.

Of course I'm doing what I can to try to minimise this but I also figured that 95% of the time people see me I'll be clothed and no one's gonna even know about any excess skin I have. Clothes can hide excess skin a whole lot easier than they can hide fat. And for the other 5% of the time I decided I'd own it as an outward sign of how far I've come and how much I've achieved.

Kst76

realpersonal wrote: »

I'm quite worried about excess skin at the moment.. I want to lose four stone, I have knee problems so I'm limited doing certain excercise, I'm in my early 20's. What I want to know is this avoidable? Or is it just the inevitable? I don't want sagging skin all over my body! any success stories of losing a lot of weight without excess skin (pictures would be greatly appreciated) this would help a lot!!! X

I think you might be able to have it surgically removed?

ninerbuff

Auntiangie wrote: »

Hey, so that is a big worry for me as well, when I spoke to my trainer about it, he said that the people who have the excess skin is because they lose their weight too fast. If you work hard and slowly lose the weight, he said it should not be a problem. Hopefully that helps!

Incorrect. Speed of loss isn't the issue. There are many factors other than how fast one loses weight: age, genetics, how overweight one is, how long they've been overweight and where most of the weight is being distributed.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

PixelPuff

karintalley wrote: »

realpersonal wrote: »

I'm quite worried about excess skin at the moment.. I want to lose four stone, I have knee problems so I'm limited doing certain excercise, I'm in my early 20's. What I want to know is this avoidable? Or is it just the inevitable? I don't want sagging skin all over my body! any success stories of losing a lot of weight without excess skin (pictures would be greatly appreciated) this would help a lot!!! X

I think you might be able to have it surgically removed?

... Only a wide-set 'tummy tuck' alone, without repositioning my belly button, to remove the excess skin is $13,000. None covered under medical insurance, as this is fully elective for most who would do it. Unless you literally have so much it is causing health issues (can't move or clean yourself properly), and are able to convince the insurance company to actually cover it, you are on the hook for the entirety.

What's sad is that for many, that doesn't cover the whole issue. Arms, thighs, sometimes lower legs or lower back, potentially chest...

... Money. >____>;

(Can you tell I looked into this and went to talk to docs?)

Francl27

Auntiangie wrote: »

Hey, so that is a big worry for me as well, when I spoke to my trainer about it, he said that the people who have the excess skin is because they lose their weight too fast. If you work hard and slowly lose the weight, he said it should not be a problem. Hopefully that helps!

Sorry but this is totally wrong. Depends on genetics, how old you are, how long you were overweight for, how overweight you were... Skin can take years to bounce back and will not magically bounce back faster if you lose the weight slower...

OP, you're still under 30 so your skin has a better chance of bouncing back.

In the end, loose skin still looks better than 60 lbs of fat.