Article: What no one tells you about losing lots weight

Cindyinpg

I think this is one of those cases where everyone truly IS different. Age, amount of weight lost, genetics, rate of loss, whether or not weight training was incorporated.... are all going to contribute to the end result. On the Biggest Loser, as the weeks pass, the contestants are more covered up, especially the females. It IS a bit depressing.

JesterMFP

i found this mildly depressing. No, everything about one's life doesn't magically change for the better after losing weight, just as moving to a new city, getting a new significant other, or landing a new job doesn't cure all of life's ills. But I'll take sagging skin over Type 2 diabetes any day of the week.

I am adamantly against what the Biggest Loser television show does to people's expectations for weight loss, but I completely agree with what the producer has to say here.

As for The Biggest Loser, executive producer Dave Broome, reached by e-mail, argues the show's primary emphasis is on health, not aesthetics: "When you have one foot in the grave (as many of our contestants do when coming on to the show), being concerned about what your skin might look like after you lose weight becomes a minor issue compared to dying or having a significantly shorter life span because of obesity-related issues," he writes.

I see your point, and of course health is the most important thing. But I think there's value in knowing what to expect from a psychological perspective. I don't think it's saying that a person shouldn't lose weight but just that there's value in realizing that things might be more complex than expected. And that there's nothing wrong with you if it takes time to adjust to your new body.

I agree with this. I think there's enormous value in talking about this stuff. I wouldn't change my weight loss for a second, but there's a lot that I wish I'd been more prepared for, especially the mental aspects.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

I found this interesting and told someone yesterday that I'm not expeciting to lose my "baby belly." I had four kids in the 8-9+ pound range. It's pretty much a permanent stretch and I can live with it. I am certainly not willing to work hard enough to get rid of it if getting to my goal weight doesn't do it.

MacInCali

When I see people state "to look good naked" as one of their reasons why they want to get fit, I often wonder if, when they reach their goals (whatever they are), if they really ~do~ like what they look like naked.

I thought I would like the way my body looked after reaching my goal weight/size ... and I ~do~ ... if I'm clothed. Clothed, I look how I feel ... healthy and fit ... ready to take on the world. Unclothed is an entirely different matter. Unclothed, I feel like I look like I haven't even started trying to transform my body yet. This is especially so if I'm sitting, or bending forward or doing a God forbidden plank exercise.

I've had two babies.
I've lost 58 pounds.
I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight and am at a ~smaller~ size than when I got married.

Clothed, I am a success. I can stand naked, with great posture, and the amount of loose skin on my tummy is not very noticable so I can still pretend that I am a success ... but in any other position, the loose skin is a constant reminder of how I failed my body.

Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely happy I've lost the weight ... I'm healthy, I'm fit, I can do things physically that I never thought I could ... but I now know that one of the things that I desperately wanted out of my dedication to becoming fit, will never become reality.

"To look good naked" is not always obtainable, no matter one's dedication, but I will never stop trying ...

DavPul

I don't think it is naive - I think people get bombarded with media images of people who lose a lot of weight that don't show this side - or use spandex and air brushing to hide it. They think that this is the norm. That if you lose a lot of weight (generally fast) you'll be fine and look great.

Even the biggest loser - from what I've seen - doesn't address this issue. So for a lot of people it is a big suprise.

I'm going to take this a step further. I think people don't really know what a naked human body REALLY looks like, regardless of if there was major weight loss or if they were always thin. We're bombarded with images of physical perfection and many times physical fantasy.

Besides for ourselves and our significant others, the only time we see a bunch of bare skin it's actors, models, or pornography. Not only do the people chosen for those professions have superior physical genetics, when we see them we get the best angles, the best lighting, the best lenses, Photoshopped magazine spreads, and many times body doubles for the nude scenes in a regular movie.

People that lose a lot of weight aren't alone in having body image issues. I'm in Los Angeles, and the hottest women you'll see here are still like "Ugh, I soooo hate my thighs/butt/toes/cheekbones/toes" I think a big part of the problem is that people are chasing images of physical perfection that do not exist in reality

Jkn922

I have stretchmarks already and it doesn't bother me.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Great article....thanks for sharing. There were a lot of great takeaways in there :flowerforyou:

zyxst

Maybe I'm naive...but I find it hard to believe that most of those pictures the person lost weight slowly and carefully with lots of exercise. How could they have bounced around doing areobics with massive hanging skin, or practically anything! Its great that the picture project that they have lost weight...but at least in my experience with exercise my stomach almost all but disappears...times I dieted without exercise HCG I was saggy. People do themselves a great disservice just going low cal instead of getting active and stronger through exercise.

I actually really did not like that site and the example its giving...we see on THIS site regularly people that have lost 100+ lbs and they don't have tons and tons of loose skin dangling. I'm sure it happens but I think its the exception.

It's probably because people are wearing clothing designed for exercise, meaning designed to hold stuff in/up/down while bouncing around. Even regular clothes provide some sort of support.

Seeing myself naked and all wrinkled from loose skin doesn't bother me. I don't have delusions of looking like my dream body, though, so I expect that's why I don't mind how I look naked.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

I feel like people must be sooooo naive to think that every human body is going to magically bounce back into a perfect fit figure after weighing 200, 300, 400 lb. I guess maybe I'm just really aware of how bodies truly look nude? I dunno. My body looks a little bit like hers does in places, after losing 95 lb, and I fully expected that. It's not shocking or even upsetting to me.

I don't think it is naive - I think people get bombarded with media images of people who lose a lot of weight that don't show this side - or use spandex and air brushing to hide it. They think that this is the norm. That if you lose a lot of weight (generally fast) you'll be fine and look great.

Even the biggest loser - from what I've seen - doesn't address this issue. So for a lot of people it is a big suprise.

I'm going to take this a step further. I think people don't really know what a naked human body REALLY looks like, regardless of if there was weight loss of if they were always thin. We're bombarded with images of physical perfection and many times physical fantasy.

Besides for ourselves and our significant others, the only time we see a bunch of bare skin it's actors, models, or pornography. Not only do the people chosen for those professions have superior physical genetics, when we see them we get the best angles, the best lighting, the best lenses, Photoshopped magazine spreads, and many times body doubles for the nude scenes in a regular movie.

People that lose a lot of weight aren't alone in having body image issues. I'm in Los Angeles, and the hottest women you'll see here are still like "Ugh, I soooo hate my thighs/butt/toes/cheekbones/toes" I think a big part of the problem is that people are chasing images of physical perfection that do not exist in reality

Yes, I completely agree with this. Very well put DavPul.

flumi_f

I'm not one of the naive ones... and all though I have not reached my goal yet, I already see that I will be needing corrective surgery on my stomach and bust.

I have been overweight my whole life and finally have found a great tool for me not only for weightloss but also for maintanance. I also did the work on my 'inside'. So I know, it will stay off.

I actually have an appointment tomorrow with my doctor to see what that means for me. I like to be informed...

Thanks for sharing! When I see some of the before / after fotos on this site, I was starting to think, I am the only one, that looks like that!

Otterluv

Wow.

I am going to go against the popular sentiment here and say that what I look like after the fact DOES matter to me. I've been ashamed of how I look for all of my adult life. I've cringed in the mirror when I saw myself naked. I've gone for years without letting even my husband truly see me naked. There is no way that after working hard on this for years that I'm going to go through that for the rest of my life. I will opt for surgery. There is no question in my mind about that. If after 2 years of maintaining, giving my skin a chance to catch up, I still have big folds, I'm going to pay to have someone else fix it. While most of my skin is bouncing back okay, I don't know how it'll look. I know that I will never be 100% happy with how I look, but there is a happy medium. Right now I'm doing what I can to try to minimize this issue (lifting, going slow, minimizing LBM losses), but some of it is out of my control.

Years ago, my sister in law had breast enhancement surgery. She caught a lot of flack for it. After breastfeeding her nipples inverted. It was impacting her marriage, due to her inhibitions caused by shame about her breasts. She has never regretted that surgery. Her lack of confidence wasn't just manifested in her reaction to her breasts, it was CAUSED by her breast's appearance..

While saying something like "I will never have the body of a 25 year old" is a great sentiment (you know I love you Beach), there are levels here. The pain in her after pictures is real. It's a part of it. To tell someone to just not focus on the aesthetics isn't realistic when you are dealing with that type of disfigurement.

My weight gain was caused in large part by a medical condition that was overlooked for a decade and a half. Yes, some of it was behavioral. But that doesn't make me more deserving of being happy with my appearance than someone who has faced whatever emotional demons they had. However, the key is to have faced those demons. Not just lost weight quickly.

This is another reason that going slow is really a good thing for most. It gives you a chance to work through your issues.

And yes, most of my goals are fitness related. But that I care what I look like after the fact is perfectly fine, too.

Funkenstein7

The way I see it, I can have body image issues and be healthy...

Or I can have body image issues, type 2 diabetes, not be able to ride roller coasters, and not be able to stay on my feet very long.

I'll gladly take the former.

Amen to this!
:drinker:

cupcakes_and_cardio

Interesting, but does this apply to everyone? Is there ways of preventing this? I'm sure if you lose weight at a slower rate and exercise regularly you can prevent this much sagging skin....probably can't prevent it completely, but less of it, anyway. Good article though.

GooooHeather

Thank you for sharing this!
In those pictures I see the person inside - the excitement, the anticipation, the conflict and emotion.
I see a beautiful person there, and I feel love.

Otterluv

I feel like people must be sooooo naive to think that every human body is going to magically bounce back into a perfect fit figure after weighing 200, 300, 400 lb. I guess maybe I'm just really aware of how bodies truly look nude? I dunno. My body looks a little bit like hers does in places, after losing 95 lb, and I fully expected that. It's not shocking or even upsetting to me.

I don't think it is naive - I think people get bombarded with media images of people who lose a lot of weight that don't show this side - or use spandex and air brushing to hide it. They think that this is the norm. That if you lose a lot of weight (generally fast) you'll be fine and look great.

Even the biggest loser - from what I've seen - doesn't address this issue. So for a lot of people it is a big suprise.

I'm going to take this a step further. I think people don't really know what a naked human body REALLY looks like, regardless of if there was weight loss of if they were always thin. We're bombarded with images of physical perfection and many times physical fantasy.

Besides for ourselves and our significant others, the only time we see a bunch of bare skin it's actors, models, or pornography. Not only do the people chosen for those professions have superior physical genetics, when we see them we get the best angles, the best lighting, the best lenses, Photoshopped magazine spreads, and many times body doubles for the nude scenes in a regular movie.

People that lose a lot of weight aren't alone in having body image issues. I'm in Los Angeles, and the hottest women you'll see here are still like "Ugh, I soooo hate my thighs/butt/toes/cheekbones/toes" I think a big part of the problem is that people are chasing images of physical perfection that do not exist in reality

Yep, I totally get that no one will be totally happy with how they look. It's just not possible. But, I think that you can't really compare that to someone who has the level of disfigurement that she does. It's just not a fair comparison.

rhondatime2chg

Saving for later

DamePiglet

I agree with Otter, too.

To be honest, I would have preferred my sons see nude women in National Geographic magazine rather than air-brushed porn.
REAL women come in all shapes and sizes.

The images I thought were most telling are the ones with her husband.
They look like he loves her as is & wishes that she would, too.

andeey

My weight gain was caused in large part by a medical condition that was overlooked for a decade and a half. Yes, some of it was behavioral. But that doesn't make me more deserving of being happy with my appearance than someone who has faced whatever emotional demons they had. However, the key is to have faced those demons. Not just lost weight quickly.

This is another reason that going slow is really a good thing for most. It gives you a chance to work through your issues.

And yes, most of my goals are fitness related. But that I care what I look like after the fact is perfectly fine, too.

777Gemma888

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/11/what-no-one-tells-you-about-dramatic-weight-loss.html

A very interesting article about the other side of big weight loss and how it is largely ignored by the media when reporting weight loss stories.

Warning if you click thorough to the photos - not viable on the article itself - the "Half" series is nudes and not suitable for work.

Kozerski's account is depressing, I agree. Weight is most certainly not a cure all for other possible underlying issues. I can't help but wonder how she lost all her weight. To be so devastated after achieving mega losses, the poor woman is obviously gutted. Her genetics and choice of weight loss protocol were not in her favour. Just sad.

She will likely receive offers from Cosmetic Surgeons offering to 'fix' her body issues ~ but will Kozerski be truly happy even then?

BeachIron

I feel like people must be sooooo naive to think that every human body is going to magically bounce back into a perfect fit figure after weighing 200, 300, 400 lb. I guess maybe I'm just really aware of how bodies truly look nude? I dunno. My body looks a little bit like hers does in places, after losing 95 lb, and I fully expected that. It's not shocking or even upsetting to me.

I don't think it is naive - I think people get bombarded with media images of people who lose a lot of weight that don't show this side - or use spandex and air brushing to hide it. They think that this is the norm. That if you lose a lot of weight (generally fast) you'll be fine and look great.

Even the biggest loser - from what I've seen - doesn't address this issue. So for a lot of people it is a big suprise.

I'm going to take this a step further. I think people don't really know what a naked human body REALLY looks like, regardless of if there was weight loss of if they were always thin. We're bombarded with images of physical perfection and many times physical fantasy.

Besides for ourselves and our significant others, the only time we see a bunch of bare skin it's actors, models, or pornography. Not only do the people chosen for those professions have superior physical genetics, when we see them we get the best angles, the best lighting, the best lenses, Photoshopped magazine spreads, and many times body doubles for the nude scenes in a regular movie.

People that lose a lot of weight aren't alone in having body image issues. I'm in Los Angeles, and the hottest women you'll see here are still like "Ugh, I soooo hate my thighs/butt/toes/cheekbones/toes" I think a big part of the problem is that people are chasing images of physical perfection that do not exist in reality

Yep, I totally get that no one will be totally happy with how they look. It's just not possible. But, I think that you can't really compare that to someone who has the level of disfigurement that she does. It's just not a fair comparison.

I think that's fair.

As for the the earlier mention of my comment, Otter, we read the article from 2 different perspectives, and I think if I were her I'd also opt for the surgery. I wasn't saying that looks don't matter. It's all about balance. My point was that a physical transformation won't fix emotional issues if the physical problem was a symptom of those emotional issues and not the root cause.