is this loose skin? can I do something about it without surgery ? :'((
SiiaMarl
Posts: 19 Member
Good Day everyone
Im 28 years old female , my height is 163-164cm, current weight: 65.1-65.5 KG.
like many I have been yo-yo dieting but in late 2018 I had to take medication for depression which spiked my weight till it reached the heaviest weight I ever been (98 kg).
-I started a healthy weight loss journey on Oct 2019, weight: 96kg
- on January 2020 weight was: 90 kg .
- on September 2021 weight is: 65 KG.
the problem is that I thought if I would reach 60 I would look healthy and thin however, there are places that still hold a lot of fat (arm, belly and thighs).
My arms looks AWFFUL/ horrible I thought when I lose the weight they will shrink but no they barely changed (to be exact they shrunk 2 cm only). I specify a particular workout for my arms + using weights (2kg -4kg dumbbells) but there is no affect on them.
I don't know what should I do, is this what is called loose skin? will I need a surgery?
my current goal is 50kg but when I talked about it with some of my peers they suggested that maybe I need to reach in the (40s kg) but im afraid that everything will shrink but my arms
Im 28 years old female , my height is 163-164cm, current weight: 65.1-65.5 KG.
like many I have been yo-yo dieting but in late 2018 I had to take medication for depression which spiked my weight till it reached the heaviest weight I ever been (98 kg).
-I started a healthy weight loss journey on Oct 2019, weight: 96kg
- on January 2020 weight was: 90 kg .
- on September 2021 weight is: 65 KG.
the problem is that I thought if I would reach 60 I would look healthy and thin however, there are places that still hold a lot of fat (arm, belly and thighs).
My arms looks AWFFUL/ horrible I thought when I lose the weight they will shrink but no they barely changed (to be exact they shrunk 2 cm only). I specify a particular workout for my arms + using weights (2kg -4kg dumbbells) but there is no affect on them.
I don't know what should I do, is this what is called loose skin? will I need a surgery?
my current goal is 50kg but when I talked about it with some of my peers they suggested that maybe I need to reach in the (40s kg) but im afraid that everything will shrink but my arms
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Replies
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What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.8 -
PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.6
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What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts1 -
What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).6 -
Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts [/quote]
My understanding is that "shape" is genetic, as it is highly dependant on where exactly your muscles are attached, which varies based on genetcs. You can get bigger or smaller, but the only way to change shape is through surgery. Honestly, my advice is love your body, regardless of its shape. It may not be perfect, but it's yours.3 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).
recomp? do I need special equipments?0 -
sollyn23l2 wrote: »Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
My understanding is that "shape" is genetic, as it is highly dependant on where exactly your muscles are attached, which varies based on genetcs. You can get bigger or smaller, but the only way to change shape is through surgery. Honestly, my advice is love your body, regardless of its shape. It may not be perfect, but it's yours.[/quote]
oh I think you misunderstood me when I say shape, I did not mean switching from pear shape to hour glass and such. what I meant is when I was heavier fat accumulated on different part of my body has a shape for example the area above my navel has a lot of fat if u see me from the side you would see a round shape . that's what I meant by only shrunk in size but the shape is there like its not even considered flat0 -
You're not going to like this but you don't get to determine your shape or where that necessary fat is. Some people have a thin layer all over and an hourglass shape. Othwrs store it mostly around the middle. I weigh 130 lbs (now) and am 5'5". My fat distribution and general shape is exactly what it was at nearly 200. Thinner from shoulders up and hips down, flat butt, straight from ribs to hips (ie no pronounced waist) and with relative large breasts, stomach, and saddle bags. I do have a small frame but this was also my shape at 14 and 112 lbs. It ain't changing. More loss would just result in a smaller version of the same thing.
^ not the best example ever (will do a pic tonight if necessary). Because life jacket and swim trunks but you can clearly see I have twiggy arms and legs and weight in the middle. My 'solution' is to look more balanced by building muscle in my arms and legs. That's as good as it's getting without multiple plastic surgeries and screw that, I'm busy.
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recomp? do I need special equipments?
You need to convince the body that the muscle you are using needs to be grown in response to the workouts.
So while eating at maintenance the food you eat goes to that and basic metabolic needs, the extra fat is used to make up for daily energy needs it can be used for.
Exactly like being in a minor deficit.
How do you tell the body the muscle you got isn't enough and it needs to increase what you got?
Weight lifting - specifically for hypertrophy compared to for strength.
Think body building compared to power lifting. (don't worry about images of body builders, you can't get there unless doing very specific things that includes drugs)
So while some specific tricep motion worked that muscle in your arm - that's a relatively small muscle.
Better to work the chest and shoulders with push movements that also work the tri's, and the bigger muscles.
Same as working back with pull movements that happen to work the biceps too.
You need a progressive overload lifting program.
Much can be done with body weight up to a point (legs usually start needing more before upper body).
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
ETA:
Many have found the weight lifting to be great at eventually helping the skin to tighten up.7 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).
recomp? do I need special equipments?
Not necessarily. Sorry, I thought it had been discussed upthread, or I wouldn't have just thrown it out with no explanation.
It's eating at maintenance, or in small deficits for a few weeks followed by small surpluses, known as cut and bulk cycles, while you engage in a progressive resistance training (usually weight lifting) program. If you don't have access to weights (either at home or at a gym), you can try a bodyweight program (where your own body provides the weight for resistance).0 -
Have you tried slowly upping the weight you are using for your upper body? Maybe transition to 5-7kg? You may have to do fewer reps per set until you get used to the new weight. Also make sure you're getting the right nutrients for healthy skin, such as vitamin C and omega-3 (like in fish oil or... fish). That said, just like with weight loss, it'll be slow progress.0
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Good Day everyone
Im 28 years old female , my height is 163-164cm, current weight: 65.1-65.5 KG.
like many I have been yo-yo dieting but in late 2018 I had to take medication for depression which spiked my weight till it reached the heaviest weight I ever been (98 kg).
-I started a healthy weight loss journey on Oct 2019, weight: 96kg
- on January 2020 weight was: 90 kg .
- on September 2021 weight is: 65 KG.
the problem is that I thought if I would reach 60 I would look healthy and thin however, there are places that still hold a lot of fat (arm, belly and thighs).
My arms looks AWFFUL/ horrible I thought when I lose the weight they will shrink but no they barely changed (to be exact they shrunk 2 cm only). I specify a particular workout for my arms + using weights (2kg -4kg dumbbells) but there is no affect on them.
I don't know what should I do, is this what is called loose skin? will I need a surgery?
my current goal is 50kg but when I talked about it with some of my peers they suggested that maybe I need to reach in the (40s kg) but im afraid that everything will shrink but my arms
For those of us who use the Imperial system:
Height: 5'4"
CW 65 kg: 143 pounds
50 kg: 110 pounds
40 kg: 88 pounds
And BMI 19–24: 110 - 140 pounds2 -
I don’t know if it will make any difference but I like to use the nylon sleeves meant for covering tattoos. It holds up the chicken wings, and my theory is that might help with the excess skin in the long run. At the very least it keeps me from feeling it flap around when I move.
Not to take away any of the excellent comments you have gotten here. I just wanted to agree that it can be annoying. And share my current solution.2 -
I appreciate every comment and help I can get
but there is something I still cannot understand, where I went wrong while losing the weight, I mean that I have not neglect my arms workout [ im aware that I cannot target a specific part] but I thought I would get better results since I did various workout for various places and did not stick with one like running for example.MargaretYakoda wrote: »I don’t know if it will make any difference but I like to use the nylon sleeves meant for covering tattoos. It holds up the chicken wings, and my theory is that might help with the excess skin in the long run. At the very least it keeps me from feeling it flap around when I move.
Not to take away any of the excellent comments you have gotten here. I just wanted to agree that it can be annoying. And share my current solution.
it is annoying and frustrating, I have seen similar thing which is like an arm slimmer fabric but im not sure if it will work.lynn_glenmont wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).
recomp? do I need special equipments?
Not necessarily. Sorry, I thought it had been discussed upthread, or I wouldn't have just thrown it out with no explanation.
It's eating at maintenance, or in small deficits for a few weeks followed by small surpluses, known as cut and bulk cycles, while you engage in a progressive resistance training (usually weight lifting) program. If you don't have access to weights (either at home or at a gym), you can try a bodyweight program (where your own body provides the weight for resistance).
I see, not I did not try this since I still need to lose some weight so Im still in a calorie deficit1 -
wunderkindking wrote: »You're not going to like this but you don't get to determine your shape or where that necessary fat is. Some people have a thin layer all over and an hourglass shape. Othwrs store it mostly around the middle. I weigh 130 lbs (now) and am 5'5". My fat distribution and general shape is exactly what it was at nearly 200. Thinner from shoulders up and hips down, flat butt, straight from ribs to hips (ie no pronounced waist) and with relative large breasts, stomach, and saddle bags. I do have a small frame but this was also my shape at 14 and 112 lbs. It ain't changing. More loss would just result in a smaller version of the same thing.
^ not the best example ever (will do a pic tonight if necessary). Because life jacket and swim trunks but you can clearly see I have twiggy arms and legs and weight in the middle. My 'solution' is to look more balanced by building muscle in my arms and legs. That's as good as it's getting without multiple plastic surgeries and screw that, I'm busy.
thank you for sharing this although the vest is in the way XD . yeah my problem is that despite my effort I cannot build muscle0 -
The important bit is progressive overload. If you've been using the same weights for a year and a half, there was no progressive overload. You need to use increasingly heavier weights or resistance to keep on stimulating your muscles.1
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).
recomp? do I need special equipments?
Not necessarily. Sorry, I thought it had been discussed upthread, or I wouldn't have just thrown it out with no explanation.
It's eating at maintenance, or in small deficits for a few weeks followed by small surpluses, known as cut and bulk cycles, while you engage in a progressive resistance training (usually weight lifting) program. If you don't have access to weights (either at home or at a gym), you can try a bodyweight program (where your own body provides the weight for resistance).
@lynn_glenmont
That's actually over-complicating recomp.
Mini bulk / cut cycles of calorie surplus and deficiti is entriely optional and most people simply maintain weight (or eat very close to weight maintenance) all of the time.
Recomp is a training goal and not an eating plan.
As the OP still wants to lose some weight then a small to very small calorie deficit would be appropriate for her.
It's simply a posh name for what has been known for generations as "getting in shape". Train effectively and your body changes.2 -
It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK1
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39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.5 -
39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.
Ah OK, so I guess if OP wants to be firming up her arms then ensuring her deficit isn't too big and making sure she is training correctly is key, thanks.1 -
39flavours wrote: »39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.
Ah OK, so I guess if OP wants to be firming up her arms then ensuring her deficit isn't too big and making sure she is training correctly is key, thanks.
Yep!
It's training that drives muscle growth, diet is a supporting role.1 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).
recomp? do I need special equipments?
Not necessarily. Sorry, I thought it had been discussed upthread, or I wouldn't have just thrown it out with no explanation.
It's eating at maintenance, or in small deficits for a few weeks followed by small surpluses, known as cut and bulk cycles, while you engage in a progressive resistance training (usually weight lifting) program. If you don't have access to weights (either at home or at a gym), you can try a bodyweight program (where your own body provides the weight for resistance).
@lynn_glenmont
That's actually over-complicating recomp.
Mini bulk / cut cycles of calorie surplus and deficiti is entriely optional and most people simply maintain weight (or eat very close to weight maintenance) all of the time.
Recomp is a training goal and not an eating plan.
As the OP still wants to lose some weight then a small to very small calorie deficit would be appropriate for her.
It's simply a posh name for what has been known for generations as "getting in shape". Train effectively and your body changes.
thank you for clarifying the concept39flavours wrote: »39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.
Ah OK, so I guess if OP wants to be firming up her arms then ensuring her deficit isn't too big and making sure she is training correctly is key, thanks.
I don't make too big calorie deficit its between 250 -500 that all I deduct, thank you for your comment
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39flavours wrote: »39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.
Ah OK, so I guess if OP wants to be firming up her arms then ensuring her deficit isn't too big and making sure she is training correctly is key, thanks.
For the issue the OP has shown - you won't be able to gain enough muscle in the arm to take care of the issue.
This recomp isn't an idea of gain muscle and lose fat in the arms to take care of the lose skin and fat still there. It's likely just normal thick skin layer that isn't going to be helped by this process right now, but keep it up and it may be helped in a year or more.
Those are relatively small muscles that aren't going to take much energy and would take a long time to grow enough.
This is full body involvement needed.
This ability to gain some muscle in a deficit (not the same amount as in a surplus obviously), is also heightened by having more fat available so body not as threatened, if starting workouts with starting diet.
And as a newbie you can run through tapping out your existing muscle usage for form improvement and CNS involvement pretty quick - and really start overloading by weight.
People that wait to start strength training until they reach goal weight are totally missing out on potential not available at goal weight.0 -
I've gone from 98kg to 75kg. I'm in my early 50s. I lost the weight at a sensible, slow rate, as you have done.
Overall I have lost 2 1/2 inches (6cm) from each arm. But my arms look the same as yours when in that pose. In pretty much any other position they look OK.
The advice to recomp that you have been given is sound and is what I am currently doing to get to the shape I want. If you want to bulk up your triceps to fill out the arm a bit you are going to need heavier weights. Maybe not now, but at some point. Alternatively work on body weight exercises. Being able to do a push up was a goal of mine and that involved plenty of tricep work. You can also do things like dips off the back of a sofa.2 -
39flavours wrote: »39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to
a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.
Ah OK, so I guess if OP wants to be firming up her arms then ensuring her deficit isn't too big and making sure she is training correctly is key, thanks.
For the issue the OP has shown - you won't be able to gain enough muscle in the arm to take care of the issue.
This recomp isn't an idea of gain muscle and lose fat in the arms to take care of the lose skin and fat still there. It's likely just normal thick skin layer that isn't going to be helped by this process right now, but keep it up and it may be helped in a year or more.
Those are relatively small muscles that aren't going to take much energy and would take a long time to grow enough.
This is full body involvement needed.
This ability to gain some muscle in a deficit (not the same amount as in a surplus obviously), is also heightened by having more fat available so body not as threatened, if starting workouts with starting diet.
And as a newbie you can run through tapping out your existing muscle usage for form improvement and CNS involvement pretty quick - and really start overloading by weight.
People that wait to start strength training until they reach goal weight are totally missing out on potential not available at goal weight.
I agree with all of this.
But I think @Lietchi's point is not being fully understood and absorbed.
OP, much of the droop in your photo is muscle. How much? Can't tell.
It's almost universal for women to do what you're doing, hang that arm out there, look at the effect of gravity on arm tissue, think it's all fat/loose skin. It's not. In any case I've seen in real life (many, women of all sizes/weights/fitness), it's not all fat/loose skin. Some is muscle. How much? Can't tell, from a photo like that.
If you're going to hold your arm out like that, hate anything that hangs down, forever . . . you're going to be hating your appearance forever, probably. (I fear that you may be doing the same with other aspects of your appearance, too, from looking at your post and your weight goals, frankly. Please don't!)
Below is an example: This is my arm, within the last few minutes, held like your arm is held in your photo. Oh, the horrors! Look at all that fat and loose skin hanging down! Despite losing 26+ kg (58 pounds for other 'murcans reading), I still have all that ugly loose skin and fat! And while I'm female like you, I'm really, really old (65), so probably my elderly loose skin won't shrink, and everyone says I can't possibly add any muscles at this advanced age! Whatever shall I do?
Click the spoiler, and I'll tell you what I should do.I should flex, hard. Not just a half-hearted flex, but nice and tight. Poof, minimal hang. Up top, the roundish biceps just above elbow below shoulder muscles; below that, a couple of horizontal-ish lines worth of triceps muscles, in sort of a triangle-ish shape widening toward my elbow.
That last maybe 1/2 inch of tissue, below the lowest horizontal-ish shadow, that *may* be fat or loose skin. Or, it may just be the normal amount of skin that I need to be able to contain the rest of the arm tissue, like the biceps and triceps muscles, once they're all relaxed and gravity's making them take up more space. Even when slim, reasonably fit, some OK-ish muscles going on, a relaxed arm will hang.
I'm not saying you have zero fat or loose skin on your upper arm. I'm not saying that *I* have zero fat or loose skin on my upper arm. I'm not saying that either you or I have a whole big bunch of muscle.
I'm saying that you have much less upper arm fat or loose skin than you think you do, and that if you keep agonizing about that hang-y stuff on a relaxed arm, you'll never be satisfied or happy, because you're not understanding what it is, and you're hating relaxed muscles, at least in part. Don't do that.16 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
what do u mean by low weight, 50 or 40? if 50 I can answer you that im still overweight and have fats (I know a body should have fat) but I have excess fat in belly and thigh and as you can see my arms. Despite my effort I only shrunk my size but the shape of fat in each part of my body is still the same only smaller. unfortunately Gym is not an option for me know that's why I do home workouts
You need to do recomp, then. Just losing more weight is not going to help when you're already a healthy weight (you are not overweight).
recomp? do I need special equipments?
Not necessarily. Sorry, I thought it had been discussed upthread, or I wouldn't have just thrown it out with no explanation.
It's eating at maintenance, or in small deficits for a few weeks followed by small surpluses, known as cut and bulk cycles, while you engage in a progressive resistance training (usually weight lifting) program. If you don't have access to weights (either at home or at a gym), you can try a bodyweight program (where your own body provides the weight for resistance).
@lynn_glenmont
That's actually over-complicating recomp.
Mini bulk / cut cycles of calorie surplus and deficiti is entriely optional and most people simply maintain weight (or eat very close to weight maintenance) all of the time.
Recomp is a training goal and not an eating plan.
As the OP still wants to lose some weight then a small to very small calorie deficit would be appropriate for her.
It's simply a posh name for what has been known for generations as "getting in shape". Train effectively and your body changes.
Apparently you read right past where I said eating at maintenance -- I just added the bulk/cut cycle as an option, because so many people do like to complicate it, and I didn't want to have to deal with someone "correcting" me if I left if out. MFP = where you can't win ever.3 -
Ok OP - gotta post your guns!
And remember if driving with car window open and arm hanging out - gotta tense it, good extra workout anyway.1 -
What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
Here is another post of success dealing with the extra skin.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10763291/my-turn-to-overshare-my-adventure/p4
Notice the comment from @springlering62 regarding it was gone in about a year, and what was being done.
3 -
39flavours wrote: »39flavours wrote: »It's my understanding that building muscle while eating at a deficit is difficult if not impossible. I think you're doing the right thing by continuing to lift weights while losing fat as you will hopefully maintain the muscle that you currently have. Once you hit your target weight you can increase your calories and work on building muscle which should tighten up the skin, it'll be OK
If someone has been training for many years then yes, it gets harder to gain muscle without making supporting conditions for growth closer to optimal. Which is why highly trained body builders and strength athlete may have to consider bulk/cut cycles. But that need doesn't translate to the general population. It's like comparing what an international athlete has to do to shave a second off their 5k time compared to
a beginer starting out on C25K who will be taking minutes off their time - they don't have to eat and train the same way to progress.
The vast majority of the populations are not anywhere close to their genetic potential and the stimulus required for growth is relatively low. A large deficit is clearly a big disadvantage but someone not lean and not highly trained should be able to gain some muscle if they keep their deficit low and crucially train well.
The predominant reason people fail to gain muscle is because their training is poor or inconsistent- not that they aren't eating enough.
Ah OK, so I guess if OP wants to be firming up her arms then ensuring her deficit isn't too big and making sure she is training correctly is key, thanks.
For the issue the OP has shown - you won't be able to gain enough muscle in the arm to take care of the issue.
This recomp isn't an idea of gain muscle and lose fat in the arms to take care of the lose skin and fat still there. It's likely just normal thick skin layer that isn't going to be helped by this process right now, but keep it up and it may be helped in a year or more.
Those are relatively small muscles that aren't going to take much energy and would take a long time to grow enough.
This is full body involvement needed.
This ability to gain some muscle in a deficit (not the same amount as in a surplus obviously), is also heightened by having more fat available so body not as threatened, if starting workouts with starting diet.
And as a newbie you can run through tapping out your existing muscle usage for form improvement and CNS involvement pretty quick - and really start overloading by weight.
People that wait to start strength training until they reach goal weight are totally missing out on potential not available at goal weight.
I agree with all of this.
But I think @Lietchi's point is not being fully understood and absorbed.
OP, much of the droop in your photo is muscle. How much? Can't tell.
It's almost universal for women to do what you're doing, hang that arm out there, look at the effect of gravity on arm tissue, think it's all fat/loose skin. It's not. In any case I've seen in real life (many, women of all sizes/weights/fitness), it's not all fat/loose skin. Some is muscle. How much? Can't tell, from a photo like that.
If you're going to hold your arm out like that, hate anything that hangs down, forever . . . you're going to be hating your appearance forever, probably. (I fear that you may be doing the same with other aspects of your appearance, too, from looking at your post and your weight goals, frankly. Please don't!)
Below is an example: This is my arm, within the last few minutes, held like your arm is held in your photo. Oh, the horrors! Look at all that fat and loose skin hanging down! Despite losing 26+ kg (58 pounds for other 'murcans reading), I still have all that ugly loose skin and fat! And while I'm female like you, I'm really, really old (65), so probably my elderly loose skin won't shrink, and everyone says I can't possibly add any muscles at this advanced age! Whatever shall I do?
Click the spoiler, and I'll tell you what I should do.I should flex, hard. Not just a half-hearted flex, but nice and tight. Poof, minimal hang. Up top, the roundish biceps just above elbow below shoulder muscles; below that, a couple of horizontal-ish lines worth of triceps muscles, in sort of a triangle-ish shape widening toward my elbow.
That last maybe 1/2 inch of tissue, below the lowest horizontal-ish shadow, that *may* be fat or loose skin. Or, it may just be the normal amount of skin that I need to be able to contain the rest of the arm tissue, like the biceps and triceps muscles, once they're all relaxed and gravity's making them take up more space. Even when slim, reasonably fit, some OK-ish muscles going on, a relaxed arm will hang.
I'm not saying you have zero fat or loose skin on your upper arm. I'm not saying that *I* have zero fat or loose skin on my upper arm. I'm not saying that either you or I have a whole big bunch of muscle.
I'm saying that you have much less upper arm fat or loose skin than you think you do, and that if you keep agonizing about that hang-y stuff on a relaxed arm, you'll never be satisfied or happy, because you're not understanding what it is, and you're hating relaxed muscles, at least in part. Don't do that.
WoOoOoW !! that's really amazing thank you for sharing this I really appreciate it.
regarding the weight I did not set a dangerous goal im still in the healthy range plus nowadays its really hard for me to lose 1 kg 2-3 months to lose it 2 -
What you see there isn't just skin and fat, part of it is your triceps, which will hang when it isn't being flexed.
If you flex your triceps, you can feel the difference between the muscle and the fat/skin when you pinch it.
As for most skin, you're young, it can still tighten up with time, no despair 🙂 loose skin can still firm up to a year or more after weight loss.PS: why aim for such a low weight? You need to do strength training, NOT lose weight till your underweight to firm up and improve your body composition.
even if I flex the dangly part is there, yes you are right I have heard that skin can be tighten up in certain years but what frustrate me is that my work for a year and a half did not affect( or build a little of muscle) my arms and im getting older. so it is loose skin!!
Here is another post of success dealing with the extra skin.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10763291/my-turn-to-overshare-my-adventure/p4
Notice the comment from @springlering62 regarding it was gone in about a year, and what was being done.
thank you I will definitely check out
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