Wanting to lose more weight but don't want loose skin...

peachvine29

I have lost 65 lbs. so far, from 200 lbs. to 135 lbs., over the course of a year and a half. I am 26 and 5'7.5''.

I still have extra fat in my belly and lower back that I am trying to lose, maybe down to 125 or so (my frame is very small), however I feel I have stretchy skin that I don't want to worsen. The extra skin is on my breasts (I can pull the skin out kind of a lot and it gets a bit wrinkly when squeezed) and my belly button is down turned, also my inner thighs have some stretchy-ness too.

Would it make anything worse if I lost a little more? Could I always gain a little fat back to fill it out again or would I damage skin further at all by doing that? I have been weight lifting the entire time of my weight loss, my PT says I am stronger than a lot of women especially for my frame and the amount of weight I lost. I don't think muscle is going to fill out my breasts lol. I have been maintaining this weight since around July and not sure if I've seen any improvement in skin elasticity.

ElizabethKalmbach

Get to where you want to be and hold there for a year or more. Maintenance calories and a steady weight without much change in either direction will help your skin catch up to what your body is doing. It needs time to adapt. It may not be *perfect* but it definitely does get better over time with a heavy genetic/age related component that will be hard to predict. Concentrate on the things you can control (strength, calorie balance, fat%) and give your brain and body time to adjust to the rest. (YMMV, but that's been my approach, post baby.)

nighthawk584

genetics and age plays a big part in this. You are young enough and weight training, so it may snap back WITH TIME and PATIENCE. I lost over 80 so far, am 54 years old, and things are a little squishy in areas but am noticing the more I lose and weight train, they are tightening up. Speaking of the frowned belly button, that may never be normal again! That being said, I'd rather that be the case than severely obese again.

cheryldumais

It took about 2 years for my skin to tighten up. I had a tummy tuck but did not do anything with thighs or buttocks. Those aren't perfect but they are better.

Shortgirlrunning

Getting down to 125 is pretty much the very bottom of the healthy BMI range for your height. If you are worried about lose skin I’d try recomp before I’d try to lose 10 more lbs. There are lots of threads on here about it.

Pipsqueak1965

You are very young, so if you give it a bit of time your skin should recover at least a bit.

peachvine29

Thanks all. I am only down about 18 pounds from a year ago. I sure hope it will tighten up. But I am fairly content with how I look so far. Can't be perfect!

snowflake954

Shortgirlrunning wrote: »

Getting down to 125 is pretty much the very bottom of the healthy BMI range for your height. If you are worried about lose skin I’d try recomp before I’d try to lose 10 more lbs. There are lots of threads on here about it.

This is what I thought too. Sounds like recomp could be exactly what you need. Check out the long thread on it. Congratulations on a fantastic loss!

peachvine29

snowflake954 wrote: »

Shortgirlrunning wrote: »

Getting down to 125 is pretty much the very bottom of the healthy BMI range for your height. If you are worried about lose skin I’d try recomp before I’d try to lose 10 more lbs. There are lots of threads on here about it.

This is what I thought too. Sounds like recomp could be exactly what you need. Check out the long thread on it. Congratulations on a fantastic loss!

Thank you

I have basically been recomping (maintaining a weight within about 3 or so pounds and weight lifting consistently) since July, so about four months. I should probably take more pictures to see if I am noticing any differences, because I'm not sure if I have. I know recomp is a long process.




I have a very small frame (wrist is less than 6 inches, for my height you have to be under 6.25 inches to be small framed) and I could definitely stand to lose more fat in the midsection, but don't want my breasts to shrink any more than they have and get saggy. I kind of want to see what I would look like and how the skin would look at a lower body fat but pretty much everyone is telling me to recomp. I guess I will keep on trucking.

Keladelphia

Congrats on your weight loss success! I'll agree with what a few others already posted and say that recomp or bulk/cuts will likely provide more of what you're looking for as opposed to dropping another ten pounds. When I weighed 135 I was very skinny but still not happy with the amount of bodyfat I had and bulk/cuts are what worked for me to eliminate the additional bodyfat I wasn't pleased with at 135lbs.

With that being said and to answer the original OP, I can't imagine that dropping another 10 pounds would give you drastically more loose skin if you wanted to try that approach (totally personal opinion). I regularly gain and lose ten pounds for competition with no additional change in skin elasticity so I would be quite surprised if 10 pounds would cause additional irreparable skin damage. As you said you could always gain back a bit of fat (or muscle) if you weren't happy with how you look ten pounds lighter.

Since it's been less than a year at your new weight don't lose hope on your skin tightening on its own. In my first year of maintenance after losing over 100 pounds I had quite a bit of loose skin, by the end of year two almost all my loose skin was virtually gone so don't underestimate the impact of time on loose skin improvement.

GaryRuns

Have you, or even better, someone experienced at it, estimated your body fat percentage? Even visually you can get a pretty good estimate. That's generally more useful than BMI. As you noted, BMI isn't that great, especially for those of us outside the average.

Here's a picture chart to help:


And it should be noted that if you have body-image issues you will want to have someone impartial do the visual estimate for you.

peachvine29

GaryRuns wrote: »

Have you, or even better, someone experienced at it, estimated your body fat percentage? Even visually you can get a pretty good estimate. That's generally more useful than BMI. As you noted, BMI isn't that great, especially for those of us outside the average.

Here's a picture chart to help:


And it should be noted that if you have body-image issues you will want to have someone impartial do the visual estimate for you.

A few months ago I was told online that I looked to be about 27% (on bodybuilding.com forums). An online calculator said about 25.6%, a handheld device my PT had me try said 24%. I'd say I'm about in the 27-29% range based on those pictures, hard to tell since my belly button makes my stomach look fatter than it is. I would like to look like the 21-23% picture I think.

peachvine29

Keladelphia wrote: »

Congrats on your weight loss success! I'll agree with what a few others already posted and say that recomp or bulk/cuts will likely provide more of what you're looking for as opposed to dropping another ten pounds. When I weighed 135 I was very skinny but still not happy with the amount of bodyfat I had and bulk/cuts are what worked for me to eliminate the additional bodyfat I wasn't pleased with at 135lbs.

With that being said and to answer the original OP, I can't imagine that dropping another 10 pounds would give you drastically more loose skin if you wanted to try that approach (totally personal opinion). I regularly gain and lose ten pounds for competition with no additional change in skin elasticity so I would be quite surprised if 10 pounds would cause additional irreparable skin damage. As you said you could always gain back a bit of fat (or muscle) if you weren't happy with how you look ten pounds lighter.

Since it's been less than a year at your new weight don't lose hope on your skin tightening on its own. In my first year of maintenance after losing over 100 pounds I had quite a bit of loose skin, by the end of year two almost all my loose skin was virtually gone so don't underestimate the impact of time on loose skin improvement.

Thank you!!

By the cutting/bulking, I guess you mean to lose fat (lose pounds), then gain muscle (gain pounds) to ultimately end up at about the same weight? I do look very thin in clothes but without I feel I look pudgy.

And that's true, ten pounds shouldn't make a big difference in my skin I wouldn't think. I thought about that too, how bodybuilders consistently are losing and gaining and have no skin damage. And I could gain it back, I guess it wouldn't affect it since it's already stretched out anyway.

And that's very inspiring! Losing 100 pounds is amazing and you look awesomely fit! I'm really happy for you! I should totally give it more time, you're right.

rheddmobile

Losing more fat, whether by recomp or weight loss, is not going to do your boobs any favors, if saggy boobs are your main concern. Boobs don’t have muscles so recomp won’t help fill them out - they are mainly fat, and when the fat goes, they tend to go too. However, I can tell you that after two years at maintenance (I lost 125 lbs) mine are tighter and higher than when I first lost weight. I take progress photos in the nude, and it’s very noticeable in photos that they hang higher than before. My face also looks better after two years, but my thighs and belly are pretty much going to stay wrinkled. It’s different for everyone. I’m 51 so you may have much better luck.

I would agree that 125 is pretty low for your height and recomp instead of trying to get down to that weight may be a better option for you. However, another 10 lbs probably won’t affect the way your loose skin looks that much, so it’s up to however you want to look.

Keladelphia

peachvine29 wrote: »

Keladelphia wrote: »

Congrats on your weight loss success! I'll agree with what a few others already posted and say that recomp or bulk/cuts will likely provide more of what you're looking for as opposed to dropping another ten pounds. When I weighed 135 I was very skinny but still not happy with the amount of bodyfat I had and bulk/cuts are what worked for me to eliminate the additional bodyfat I wasn't pleased with at 135lbs.

With that being said and to answer the original OP, I can't imagine that dropping another 10 pounds would give you drastically more loose skin if you wanted to try that approach (totally personal opinion). I regularly gain and lose ten pounds for competition with no additional change in skin elasticity so I would be quite surprised if 10 pounds would cause additional irreparable skin damage. As you said you could always gain back a bit of fat (or muscle) if you weren't happy with how you look ten pounds lighter.

Since it's been less than a year at your new weight don't lose hope on your skin tightening on its own. In my first year of maintenance after losing over 100 pounds I had quite a bit of loose skin, by the end of year two almost all my loose skin was virtually gone so don't underestimate the impact of time on loose skin improvement.

Thank you!!

By the cutting/bulking, I guess you mean to lose fat (lose pounds), then gain muscle (gain pounds) to ultimately end up at about the same weight? I do look very thin in clothes but without I feel I look pudgy.

And that's true, ten pounds shouldn't make a big difference in my skin I wouldn't think. I thought about that too, how bodybuilders consistently are losing and gaining and have no skin damage. And I could gain it back, I guess it wouldn't affect it since it's already stretched out anyway.

And that's very inspiring! Losing 100 pounds is amazing and you look awesomely fit! I'm really happy for you! I should totally give it more time, you're right.

Thank you as well

By bulking and cutting I mean eating in a surplus while following a progressive lifting program to gain weight/mass and then eating at a deficit while maintaining an appropriate level of protein to cut fat while retaining as much lean muscle mass as possible. Then when you reach the same weight as you originally started you have more muscle mass and less body fat. It's not for everyone though, sometimes recomp is a better fit. Sometimes it takes several bulk/cut cycles to achieve what you're looking for but I found it to be the right fit for myself because the results are generally visible more quickly as compared to recomp (it can be mentally tough for many to gain intentionally though). My bf% now is significantly lower at 145lbs than it was at 135lbs (visibly abs and a size smaller at 145 vs soft and pudgy at 135).

peachvine29

rheddmobile wrote: »

Losing more fat, whether by recomp or weight loss, is not going to do your boobs any favors, if saggy boobs are your main concern. Boobs don’t have muscles so recomp won’t help fill them out - they are mainly fat, and when the fat goes, they tend to go too. However, I can tell you that after two years at maintenance (I lost 125 lbs) mine are tighter and higher than when I first lost weight. I take progress photos in the nude, and it’s very noticeable in photos that they hang higher than before. My face also looks better after two years, but my thighs and belly are pretty much going to stay wrinkled. It’s different for everyone. I’m 51 so you may have much better luck.

I would agree that 125 is pretty low for your height and recomp instead of trying to get down to that weight may be a better option for you. However, another 10 lbs probably won’t affect the way your loose skin looks that much, so it’s up to however you want to look.

Thanks for your input! Great to know that your boob skin shrunk back, too, lol. Honestly I want to just keep losing and then see how 125 looks on me and then decide from there.

cupcakesandproteinshakes

OP I’m an inch taller than you and currrntly at 133. I have a smallish frame. I’m a 46 ye old woman.

Until 2 months ago I was at 140 and had been recomping for 2 years at that weight. I definitely saw progress in terms of more visible muscles. Not huge progress though and it was slow at times.

I decided to drop a few pounds from 140 as I wanted to bulk, but i carry most of my fat in my legs and some in my belly and I felt like gains would go there first.

Anyway at 133 I am a bit thin in the face with more ab visibility though. And some nice quad and calf definition. I’m still a work in progress though.

I think in your situation recomping for a year or so would be a reasonable option. You can always change your mind and decide to do bulk and cut cycles in future like others have said. I personally didn’t want to do that till now cos I hate dieting and I’m not very good at it. Gaining is on the other hand very easy for me. But that’s a different story

cupcakesandproteinshakes

Also in terms of the boob issue - bench pressing can increase yr pec muscles and make them look perkier!!! I can’t show u pics obvs mine def look perkier. And I breast fed so they were saggy. Sorry if tmi!

peachvine29

cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »

OP I’m an inch taller than you and currrntly at 133. I have a smallish frame. I’m a 46 ye old woman.

Until 2 months ago I was at 140 and had been recomping for 2 years at that weight. I definitely saw progress in terms of more visible muscles. Not huge progress though and it was slow at times.

I decided to drop a few pounds from 140 as I wanted to bulk, but i carry most of my fat in my legs and some in my belly and I felt like gains would go there first.

Anyway at 133 I am a bit thin in the face with more ab visibility though. And some nice quad and calf definition. I’m still a work in progress though.

I think in your situation recomping for a year or so would be a reasonable option. You can always change your mind and decide to do bulk and cut cycles in future like others have said. I personally didn’t want to do that till now cos I hate dieting and I’m not very good at it. Gaining is on the other hand very easy for me. But that’s a different story

Thank you for sharing your experience! Very interesting. I think my game plan is to cut on 5-6 days a week at 250 below maintenance and then have 1-2 refeed/maintenance days a week for adherence and gym performance. I don't like dieting either, it was so much easier when I was very overweight but hard now that I'm so close! And inspiring about your boobs haha, NOT tmi in my opinion, I'm glad for you and I am younger so I think I have some hope lol!

cupcakesandproteinshakes

That sounds like a good and sustainable plan to me. Let us know how you get on.