Lose skin

lisamsanford1229
lisamsanford1229 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was 68 pounds heavier 7 months ago. I have lost 68 pounds naturally.
No medication, no special injections or fad diet.
I found out what my Basic Metabolic Rate was and kept my calorie intake lower than my energy expendure, stayed really active (which was easy because I have a job where I don't sit at a desk), and did cardio every evening. I thought when I lost the weight that the journey would be over, but I was left with a little loose skin which was soooo disappointing.
All that work and my body didn't go back to the way it was before.
So I start my second journey of reshaping my body, getting back my muscle memory, so I can tone up and redistribute.
I'm 42 years old, I'm never going look like I did when I was 18 years old and that's OK!
So here I am today halfway through my journey. I still have cellulite(might always), I still have loose skin, and stretch marks, but I'm determined to be the best me I can be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, AND I love myself no matter what stage I am at. I'm just going to keep going because when I do something I do it all the way.
You can do it for yourself too!
You work hard for everybody else that you love.
Do it for yourself as well.

Replies

  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 889 Member
    edited June 2024
    42 here as well. It’s a beautiful thing when you realize self love and the commitments to yourself are a priority. Thank you for sharing the self belief element that can often be disregarded around here for new comers. To me, that’s 99% of the journey.

    As far as loose skin, that’s why we refrain from losing weight as fast as possible, but it’s really a personal preference. Some people would rather lose the weight and deal with the skin later. Others will take 68 weeks to lose that weight, and that’s great too. Only you can decide what your priorities are. Don’t be afraid to take diet breaks at this point. At the end of the day, we want to take it off and leave it off.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,368 Member
    It is safe to say that you won't know your exact skin situation for at least one year if not too as fat stores continue to change even as you continue to lose and they also continue to redistribute for a good number of months/years after you hit maintenance.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,809 Member
    Good message about self-valuing!

    One comment about loose skin: Mine kept shrinking at least into year 2 of maintaining a healthy weight. It may've even continued longer, but the pace of shrinkage gradually slowed over the whole time, so it was less easy to perceive. The total result wasn't bad, to my own view - surprisingly good since I hit age 60 during loss.

    In my experience, pretty much all the fat from a given area needs to deplete before skin shrinkage can even get started. (Before that, the residual fat tends to conspire with gravity to keep skin stretched.) True loose skin, in my understanding, is thin wrinkles, like in a medium to heavy fabric. Folds of half an inch or more probably still have some subcutaneous fat.

    Then, once skin shrinkage can start, it's a process that takes time in itself. We all know that weight loss takes patience and time. Turns out, IME, that skin shrinkage is the same, after weight loss.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,802 Member
    edited June 2024
    What wonderful, empowering posts! I wish others would read this.

    I’ve been in maintenance nearly four years now. As long as you keep at what you’re doing now, skin will continue to shrink, and parts (including cellulite) may reshuffle and re-mild themselves.

    I’m tight everywhere now except a teensy bit over the kneecaps, and a ring of extra skin around my belly. I can live with that, considering where I came from.

    I think of the ring as almost a talisman now.

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