Saggy skin

Hi All :) I'm new here, this is my first post. Does anyone have any tips on avoiding saggy skin? I was 280lbs on the 3rd November 2018 I'm now 238lbs. With another 42lbs to go to reach my ideal weight. I guess most of my weight loss is because I split up with my girlfriend of 7 years and as well as being totally broken I've had no appetite whatsoever altho I'm now eating again but mostly protein and veg. Ive been in the gym most nights and do 45 minutes cardio then 30 minutes resistance. I'm concerned that with a total loss of 84lbs I'll end up with saggy skin.

Thanks for your advice
Chris

Replies

  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    I started at 264lbs back in April 2017. I'm currently 169lbs. Fat is leaving everywhere except my stomach it seems. But I started going to the gym after losing about 30lbs and incorporated a lot of weightlifting. I feel like that is helping with any potential saggy skin.
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    Sagginess also depends on your genetics and your age. The best advice I can give you is to lose weight steadily and slowly. Like a pound at a time. Also incorporate a lot of collegan forming foods into your diet - bones boiled to make soup, eat the skin and the animal fat in chicken thighs. Check out https://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/ for more ideas on how to eat healthy and lose weight and support yourself physically during this trying time in your life.
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    Am I reading this right? You say you've gone from 280 on Nov 3rd to 238 now? 42 pounds in 3 weeks? If so, go see a doctor as that rate of loss is not healthy.

    crikey! I didn't spot that timeframe in the OP!

    What I was going to say remains unchanged though... a sure way to get saggy skin is very fast weightloss. You are less likely to suffer if you take your time and lose the weight slowly and steadily. This will give your skin a better chance of adapting to your new size. At the rate of loss you describe you are a bit in danger of ending out like a deflated balloon.

  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    Genetics and age probably pay a bigger part in the amount of loose skin you end up with than how quickly you lose the weight.
    Gaining the weight is what caused the skin to stretch, so by the time you start losing weight, whatever "damage" there is going to be is already done, and you won't know until you get there how much saggy skin you may or may not have.
    Slow weight loss is definitely preferable and safer but probably won't change the amount of loose skin you ultimately end up with. It may look a little better during weight loss with a slow loss just because you are giving the skin more time to adjust and may skip some of what looks the worst but your end result (after 2 years of maintenance) would likely be the same.
    It also seems to me that how fast you gained the weight could have an impact. I'm thinking of stretch marks after the fast weight gain of pregnancy.
    Either way, don't let the fear of loose skin stop you from losing weight and being healthier. You may not even get the loose skin, so just do your best and worry about that if or when it happens. If you do get loose skin it's still healthier than all the extra weight was.
  • sirch454
    sirch454 Posts: 4 Member
    That is a worry I'd not considered. The calorie counter thing on this site says I should be eating 2090 per day. My problem is I just cant eat that amount. Its not that I'm thinking to myself I'd best not eat - I want to lose weight. I just cant physically eat.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,094 Member
    sirch454 wrote: »
    That is a worry I'd not considered. The calorie counter thing on this site says I should be eating 2090 per day. My problem is I just cant eat that amount. Its not that I'm thinking to myself I'd best not eat - I want to lose weight. I just cant physically eat.

    Add some low-volume calorie-dense foods to get more calories, if your macronutrient/micronutrient needs are already covered. It can be "healthy" foods, if you prefer: Nuts, nut butters, fattier meats/fish, full-fat dairy instead of reduced, avocados, richer salad dressings, more olive oil or other good oils in cooking, etc. This is not a bad thing: You need fats in your intake for best health, too. Underfueling is a bad idea.

    Even treat foods (lower nutrient density, higher calorie density) are OK, once you have basic nutrition in place, to get to your healthiest calorie level.