Lost 50lbs so far - What to do about sagging skin?

meagalayne

So here's the deal... I've lost 50lbs, from a size 14 to a size 6 and I feel amazing about my progress! I look and feel great and I am really proud of my accomplishments.

Anyway, I'm starting to realize that in the New Year (once I'm a queen of nutrition and fitness and finally at my GW) I am going to have to tackle a new beast - unwanted, flabby skin that is a constant reminder of my heavier self. While I was doing planks and push-ups today I looked down and was horrified at the sagging skin drooping from my mid-section... It's so bittersweet because I am really happy about my progress but still quite unhappy with how gross my body looks when I'm not fully clothed (or standing perfectly upright with my shoulders back lol). I've heard that toning and weight training will eventually help, and one would think that losing slowly as I have and with young skin I wouldn't really have a problem with this, so I am not too sure what to do.

Any suggestions from people who have dealt with this before? What exercises specifically would help with my mid-section? It's not a matter of core-strength (as far as I know) but really just one of tightening the skin around my abs.... I really want to feel great about how I look and most of the time I do, but I can't help feeling a bit cheated on all my hard work when I am this unhappy with how my body looks after all this time - Although I KNOW I'm not fat, I still *look* fat because I still have the skin of a fat person... Very disappointing!

Thanks for your advice.

gates1064

how fast are you dropping the weight?

beautyqueen1979

I have no advice, but I am worried about this myself so am hoping to hear what others have to say congrats on the fantastic weight loss!

gnrshelton

I won't lie sometimes the saggy skin stays. You are young which helps but saggy skin is just skin that was stretched beyond its boundary. Sometimes toning exercises help but usually while your losing it. Don't let it over shadow your accomplishment. You did great and you should be proud.

Jenks

I'm wondering the same thing. I'm not sure if surgery is going to be the only answer...so I'll sit here to see if anyone has a better suggestion.

Sarahbear83

I've heard that slathering up with good lotion, making sure your skin stays moisturized, and wearing compression garments helps. Some people have no saggy skin, some have tons. You'll just have to exhaust all your options and decide if it's worth the hassle. I'm already planning on having a tummy tuck within the next two years, after I've reached my goal.

LettyM62

I don't know the answer, but I think that since you are still very young, with the passage of time, your skin will tighten on it's own. In the meantime keep doing what you have been doing to slim down and stay healthy. Congratulations on your accomplishment!

And yeah, I think the advise from Sarahbear83 of keeping your skin moisturized will also help.

khk2010

I have the same fears. Hoping that even at my age it will tighten up. I am doing all of the following in the hopes that it will help.

This is what my research has turned up:
Drink water!
Lose weight slow-no more than 3 lbs a week!
Moisturize morning and before bed. Use either: Collagen cream, Stretch mark pregnancy cream, Pure Shea butter. Pure cocoa butter.
Weight train and build muscle.
Exfoliate skin daily. Scrub skin. Loofah and body scrub.
Tighten stomach muscles all day.

lgblack

You have done everything right so far. And time and your youth will likely work in your favour...with patience. But I guess that at the same time, we may be left with reminders of our former selves. Such reminders should serve as how far we have come, not that it was in vain. We made choices that were not healthy and must live with some of the remenants. Much like smokers. I know that their lungs get better with time, but the damage to their skin may not totally reverse. Hence, why we should ensure through education and encouragement that our friends and children never go down the path we travelled.

meagalayne

As I said, I have lost gradually approx 1-2lbs a week, although usually closer to 1lb. It really has been a very gradual loss over a 1 year period.

I keep moisturized every day!! I used to be a smoker but I quit that and drinking and have been adamant over the last year about staying as healthy as possible and treating my body right. I stopped wearing make-up entirely and I moisturize with a zinc oxide based, SPF moisturizer + jojoba oil. I've got stretch marks like MAD, even though I never gained or dropped weight quickly. I was chubby my entire life before this journey...

I have lost weight mainly by eating right and jogging and will be running a 10k race (my first!) at the end of Oct. I am trying not to let it overshadow my successes, but when people tell me how great I look I find it hard to agree with them. It's frustrating because I know I look *better* (ie: not overweight) but under my clothes tells quite another story. It's often embarrassing to be seen in a bathing suit and I really don't ever feel like "showing off".... I wish I could enjoy my accomplishments fully, but that is not yet possible.

Thanks for the kind words you guys. Best of luck to you all!

tjbeer

A massive congratulations on your weight loss, that is a fantastic. :drinker:

I had the same issue you are experiencing, with the sagging skin after I lost 70lbs. I did everything, from creams to even having personal trainer to tone it up, but nothing worked, which made me feel my weight loss efforts had gone in vain, as I still felt "fat"!! So in March this year I under went the surgeons knife!!! I had an abdominoplasty and I am absolutely delighted with the results. Don't get me wrong the recovery has been a long road, with swelling and healing etc... but it is now 6 months on and I am so glad I did it and feel that I have finally sheaded my "fat" suit.

Many will disagree with the option I took, but I tried everything I could and took the only option that was left.

Good luck

HealthyChanges2010

A massive congratulations on your weight loss, that is a fantastic. :drinker:

I had the same issue you are experiencing, with the sagging skin after I lost 70lbs. I did everything, from creams to even having personal trainer to tone it up, but nothing worked, which made me feel my weight loss efforts had gone in vain, as I still felt "fat"!! So in March this year I under went the surgeons knife!!! I had an abdominoplasty and I am absolutely delighted with the results. Don't get me wrong the recovery has been a long road, with swelling and healing etc... but it is now 6 months on and I am so glad I did it and feel that I have finally sheaded my "fat" suit.

Many will disagree with the option I took, but I tried everything I could and took the only option that was left.

Good luck

You did awesome! I understand the feelings that go along with losing it, working hard and then being a bit amazed at the excess skin and trying to understand what to do about it.....:frown:

Skin is simply that...it's not all going to magically go anywhere unfortunately, there's simply nowhere for it to go . I lost over 200 lbs, (no surgery, simply old fashioned healthy eating and workingout) and nearly to goal now! Toning has been the name of the game from the beginning for me. I've done the slow loss, weights, cardio, you name it I did the healthy route as much as I knew how, learning the importance of it from others along the way.

But we can't expect to abuse our bodies with food and not have some repercussions. I don't mean that harshly at all, well ok, maybe toward me.

My plan is I wait about a year or so staying at goal weight and then begin the surgeries. I plan to get my boobs lifted back where they used to before I gained all this weight & get the excess skin removed/tightened. Definitely will need to lose the skin on my arms, no way is THAT staying, surgery to remove abdominal excess skin, and we'll see what else needs tweaking.

My plan is simple, be proud of all my hard work losing this weight and keeping it off. Am I doing for this vanity? Nope, being diabetic, health is a huge issue with excess skin that will be the #1 reason but looking and feeling better about my body comes in a close 2nd.

I want to feel proud of my body in all ways, I worked damned HARD to get where I am (we ALL have!), waking up everyday at 4am for kick *kitten* classes at the gym (ya know the type, where you pretty much crawl outta the gym after?:laugh: :glasses: hey but I loved them all but it WAS early ). I ate healthy meals etc. etc., what we all strive to do to succeed this stupid overweight business we somehow got ourselves into.

Ok, so as Tx shared, not everyone is gonna agree but we each make our choices in our lives to feel good. I never in my life had thought of plastic surgery, like changing my nose, bigger boobs, smaller boobs etc. This is completely different to me, I agree with what Tx shared, I don't want all this work in the past 3 years to make me still feel fat. Not those 'gee I feel fat today' days but physically feeling fat....... and looking at the ugly skin after all my hard work. Please understand this is MY thinking about ME, when I see others, I see their beauty, as we all know, we are often our harshest critic!:grumble:

My 2 cents on the matter + plus awhole lot more.

I applaud all of you for all the hard work you've put into this, it's amazing what we can do when we really begin to take care of ourselves isn't it? All this time, we had it within us we just needed to hear that lil 'click' to get started!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

EDITED: for major typo's omg!:blushing: :bigsmile:

HealthyChanges2010

MFP's Artschoolgirl blogged about her tummy tuck and shared before, during and after photos.. definitely worth checking out if you're even remotely thinking on surgery just to give an idea of healing process, time, money etc. etc.

Most insurance doesn't cover it unless it's medically needed.

She's come so very far on her journey, she's a shadow of her former self:flowerforyou: Personality wise as well :drinker:

http://tightertummy.blogspot.com/?zx=44c09d4975326a86

meagalayne

Surgery is definitely not in the cards for me... I am a natural kind of girl, and I can't imagine choosing to go under the knife for elective surgery. No judgement passed on those who do, but definitely not my kind of thing. I don't even take over the counter medication when I'm ill! haha Additionally, I certainly could never justify the expense. I do not make near enough money annually to afford that kind of luxury.

Thanks for the input guys. I'm glad that the cosmetic route has worked for the both of you. Best of luck on your journeys