getting thinner and fitter... and saggier :-(

itsbasschick

in many ways i'm doing great. i'm losing weight slowly and steadily, and i'm also much fitter than i was just a couple months ago. i feel better, i'm stronger, my blood sugar is down, my blood pressure is a little lower.

the thing is, i've looked younger than i am for years, and i liked that. in may, i could pass for an easy 10 years younger than my 56 years, but that's over. since i started losing weight, my neck is wrinkly and saggy, my face is a little saggy - i've got jowls starting - my breasts are saggier, which surprised me as they're very close to the same size, and my arms are saggy, as is my tummy and upper thighs. i can wear clothes over the legs and tummy, sleeves over the arms - and as i build more muscle, i hope my arms will be less saggy.

i hadn't fully realized till earlier today. i went into a target fitting room, one i've been in many times with the same good lighting and mirrors. i was startled and pleased to see how much leaner my body is than the last time i was in there, and then i saw how everything was drooping, and i felt so disappointed. i was hoping it wouldn't be that bad - i drink plenty of water daily, don't do any caffeine or anything diuretic, so i'm pretty well hydrated.

the neck and the face are a big bummer. i am beginning to look like a little old lady - i'm probably seeing it as worse than it is, but the sagging is very real, and i'm very sad about it. on the other hand, i don't want to be heavy, not feel well and take meds for blood sugar and blood pressure. so it's a trade-off i have to make.

anyone else going through anything like this?

meshashesha2012

are you strength training?

itsbasschick

you betcha! i used to be a gym rat, and i'm having a happy time resistance training again

GetFitzy

Unfortunately i've seen this happen a lot. i know a few people who started getting some botox for their jowls - i know its not ideal but you don't have to be put under for that, and it makes a huge difference for the people i've known who tried it. they don't go crazy, they don't look stiff or anything.

im still on my weight loss journey, but if i lose as much weight as i'm hoping i will consider plastic surgery if there's something that majorly brings me down.

Beanogirl

This is happening to me too. My neck has gone and my face is jowly. I look older now I have lost some weight. I started off intending to lose 4 stone but I think I will stop way before then. I cannot afford surgery and I have to think that my face in on show all the time. My thighs aren't. They always say you're figure or your face. I didn't realise how true that is.

Creiddylad

To be honest, this is my biggest worry.

I am similar age to you and I look younger than my years at the moment - partly due to the fact that I'm 'plump' which definitely does iron out the wrinkles somewhat.


Ideally need to lose another 30lb but I am terrified of sagginess - particularly my boobs, belly, upper arms .. which is where I carry most of my weight. When the fat goes ... will I be left with lots of saggy baggy skin? I'm hoping that by doing it slow and steady, exercising and doing an hour's yoga almost every day, I can offset it to some extent .. but to what extent, only time will tell.

A friend of mine, of similar age lost weight and she also aged 20 years!! I hadn't seen her for a while and when we met up I was shocked. She looked terrible. Slim ... but terrible. It was like someone had let the air out of her .. like a deflated balloon. However her weight loss was quick and drastic - not a good way to lose it I know - and she's since put it all back on, and looks miles better. Yep, she looks better overweight!

I'm hoping it's not going to be like that for me.

I know this sounds ridiculous - but I'm assuming you have a good skincare regime - body as well as face, neck etc. A good moisturiser can work wonders. Bio oil is also really good for the skin on legs, arms I smother myself in it when I get out of the bath, shower.

aedreana

Menopause demolished my body. I hit menopause in 2006. By 2010, my weight, which did not change, redistributed. All the fat was deleted from my hips and butt and pasted onto my waist and midriff. My *kitten* was now flat and hung in multi-folds at the bottom, just like wrinkled fabric. I had to lose over 20 lbs. to remove the fat pad that had developed on my midriff/waist. I have corrugated wrinkles on my upper arms, puckery wrinkles on waist, midriff and droopy belly.My skin all over has become very thin and lacks elasticity. My sharp jawline was ruined in my very early 50s even before menopause. and facial wrinkling started at age 21.I live in severe extreme poverty, without $$$$$ for plastic surgery. The ONLY reason I don't try to fill out the butt wrinkles by gaining 100 pounds or more, is that I am afraid my breasts would become too heavy and that the weight would pull them down and they'd point downward, and that would be even worse than a wrinkled s$$. Plastic surgery is my only hope to rectify the damage wrought by menopause. Plastic surgery can work miracles.

RodaRose

in many ways i'm doing great. i'm losing weight slowly and steadily, and i'm also much fitter than i was just a couple months ago. i feel better, i'm stronger, my blood sugar is down, my blood pressure is a little lower.

the thing is, i've looked younger than i am for years, and i liked that. in may, i could pass for an easy 10 years younger than my 56 years, but that's over. since i started losing weight, my neck is wrinkly and saggy, my face is a little saggy - i've got jowls starting - my breasts are saggier, which surprised me as they're very close to the same size, and my arms are saggy, as is my tummy and upper thighs. i can wear clothes over the legs and tummy, sleeves over the arms - and as i build more muscle, i hope my arms will be less saggy.

i hadn't fully realized till earlier today. i went into a target fitting room, one i've been in many times with the same good lighting and mirrors. i was startled and pleased to see how much leaner my body is than the last time i was in there, and then i saw how everything was drooping, and i felt so disappointed. i was hoping it wouldn't be that bad - i drink plenty of water daily, don't do any caffeine or anything diuretic, so i'm pretty well hydrated.

the neck and the face are a big bummer. i am beginning to look like a little old lady - i'm probably seeing it as worse than it is, but the sagging is very real, and i'm very sad about it. on the other hand, i don't want to be heavy, not feel well and take meds for blood sugar and blood pressure. so it's a trade-off i have to make.

anyone else going through anything like this?

You had great success losing weight.

People who are fit look younger because they carry themselves well and they can wear nice clothes.
Perhaps if you have not done so recently get a new haircut / flattering hairstyle.

kjurassic

I could have written your post! I am so disappointed in the way my body has not "bounced back." The extra weight definitely "plumped/filled out" the wrinkles. My body naked is much uglier than it was with the additional 65 pounds of fat. My goal is still 27 pounds away, but I'm re-thinking this. I'm also at a 2-month plateau.
Problem is - right now I'm still considered obese - the goal I want to obtain will be overweight.
Extremely discouraged at this point.

57chantalthi

Now lost 27 pounds and still have 7 to go and I am your age. I do have saggy skin that I am not pleased with but I try to look on the bright side, I feel younger, am fitter, have muscles where fat was. I do prefer my body with clothing on but on the other hand certainly hated the body I had before clothed and naked. When I tell my husband about it he smiles and tells me that I look 100% better now even with the sagging skin. I do dress in a way to minimise the effect, changed my hair style and make up, dress in a trendy way according to my age and in general look 40 not 57. Sometime it is a question of attitude and people see what you want them to see. Be proud of your weight loss, walk tall and be youthfull.

Beanogirl

I have been out and bought a body brush and some Bio Oil in my lunch hour after contributing to this thread. lol

Creiddylad

You have to be patient with it Beanogirl - it doesn't work miracles over night - but using an exfoliater mitt (or yes body brush) and then rubbing in the the oil consistently, all over (a little goes a very long way and it lasts for ages) and the improvement in skin tone really starts to show after a few weeks - at least it has for me. I realise we all have different skin types, degrees of elasticity etc. etc., so the results may not be as good for everyone. I used to have crinkling and sagginess on the inside of my elbows - where they crease - yep even though I'm still fat! Since starting with the oil every day - that's all gone. I noticed in my yoga class the other day when doing a particular arm movement - the inside of my elbows are lovely and smooth and 'young looking. Just keep at it.

Unknown

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Anniebotnen

Now lost 27 pounds and still have 7 to go and I am your age. I do have saggy skin that I am not pleased with but I try to look on the bright side, I feel younger, am fitter, have muscles where fat was. I do prefer my body with clothing on but on the other hand certainly hated the body I had before clothed and naked. When I tell my husband about it he smiles and tells me that I look 100% better now even with the sagging skin. I do dress in a way to minimise the effect, changed my hair style and make up, dress in a trendy way according to my age and in general look 40 not 57. Sometime it is a question of attitude and people see what you want them to see. Be proud of your weight loss, walk tall and be youthfull.

This! Overweight individuals frequently do look younger than their in the face because the extra fat plumps up the wrinkles. Lose the extra weight and now your face may actually look your age! With exercise and a good, nutritious diet, some of the sagginess may very well get better, but if not, who cares? It's probably not anywhere near as bad as you think, you've done a great thing for your overall health, and being a healthy weight is going to make you look more more youthful overall. Be proud of your achievement!

Nissi51

Are you strength training? How fast are you losing and are your caloric intake and choices appropriate?

Four factors that may impact sagging skin with weight loss:

1. Our age
2. The rate at which we lose weight
3. Resistance training
4. The amount of weight we lose

Some lose skin is unavoidable if the elasticity is gone or we have lost an large amount of fat. However to minimize lose skin try not to Lose more than 1-2 lbs per week, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and your most effective tool: RESISTANCE TRAINING

Resistance training builds muscle under the skin, which is important when losing weight. You want the muscle to take space under your skin where all those fat cells are shrinking!! The lean tissue will help prevent the sagging skin look. Lean tissue also creat natural feminine curves. Also remember, muscle is lean and metabolically active and it is the best thing for increased health, self-confidence, and fat loss. Ensure you are lifting!!!!!!!!

Cathalain

It's happening to me, too. I've put on 10 years in 6 months, looks-wise.

Quite honestly, though, I'm not going to do anything about it unless it interferes with my quality of life (cosmetic won't be an issue). I know that not everyone agrees with me on this (and that's okay), but... to me, I consider the excess skin/whatever a battle scar. It's a constant reminder that I went through the hardest fight of my life - to lose this weight - and I've WON.

Still, I feel you. It stinks that I don't get carded at bars anymore. :laugh:

loser4realz

You are healthier now, the lines and sags are just battle scars that tell a life story, just be you and smile more.

Love this!

SingRunTing

You already know that you'd rather be healthy, fit, and thin. What you're noticing seems to be true though. My mom always jokes that she has "natural filler" for her wrinkles, because when she loses weight, her wrinkles become more prominent (she's a worse yo-yo dieter than I am).

Keep on keeping on. You're a bad *kitten*. We are our own worse critics anyway. I bet most people don't even notice your "flaws".

marie1299

You are healthier now, the lines and sags are just battle scars that tell a life story, just be you and smile more.

Love this!

Me too! Perfectly said!

jlahorn

Personally, I would much prefer to look young and lovely than have "battle scars that tell a life story". Type that in a swirly font over a kitten picture and share it on Facebook, imo

Unfortunately, I am also one of those people who now looks 10 years older after losing weight. It was crushingly disappointing at first, but after about a year and a half, I've started to think of the saggier, wrinklier me in the mirror as normal and forget about it most of the time.

I adjusted.

QuietBloom

Are you strength training? How fast are you losing and are your caloric intake and choices appropriate?

Four factors that may impact sagging skin with weight loss:

1. Our age
2. The rate at which we lose weight
3. Resistance training
4. The amount of weight we lose

Some lose skin is unavoidable if the elasticity is gone or we have lost an large amount of fat. However to minimize lose skin try not to Lose more than 1-2 lbs per week, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and your most effective tool: RESISTANCE TRAINING

Resistance training builds muscle under the skin, which is important when losing weight. You want the muscle to take space under your skin where all those fat cells are shrinking!! The lean tissue will help prevent the sagging skin look. Lean tissue also creat natural feminine curves. Also remember, muscle is lean and metabolically active and it is the best thing for increased health, self-confidence, and fat loss. Ensure you are lifting!!!!!!!!

This!! Also make sure you are getting plenty of protein - 1 g/lb of lean body mass. When you get to your goal weight you might want to try doing some bulk and cut cycles in order to gain muscle.

mklovo

My mother in law has the same problem. Her trainer increase her strength training. That should help a little with the tummy and arms. I don't know about the face, though.

Unknown

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Cathalain

Personally, I would much prefer to look young and lovely than have "battle scars that tell a life story". Type that in a swirly font over a kitten picture and share it on Facebook, imo

Then your motivation is simply different than mine. <shrug> I've been through a great deal of adversity in my life, and I'm rather proud of my "life story". It has nothing to do with swirly fonts and kittens, but giving those who might try to put me down a big middle finger.

I place no stock in physical appearance, anyway. It doesn't tell who a person is on the inside, which is "supposed" to be what counts. No matter how young and beautiful someone might look, it doesn't prevent them from being a huge d'bag, if that's their personality.

Just saying.

SuperJo1972

I remember hearing the saying years ago that you don't get wrinkles on a balloon. ???? To use the same analogy, at some point if you keep blowing a balloon up it eventually goes pop.

Yes, it is disappointing when our bodies don't bounce back as we hoped, but our medical risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes etc is drastically reduced. we need to focus on living a long and healthy life, than living fat and dying young.

If your youthful face was your favourite aspect of your image, find another body part you like. For me, my lower belly is getting loose skin which I am uncomfortable with. but I am focusing on getting fit and strong. I am working on getting an *kitten* that is round and firm, so I squat. ;-)

Weight training may help by giving some muscle structure to your neck and shoulder area. Hydrate and moisturise and get your skin as good as it can be.

You have done great with your weightloss. You should be proud. :-)

caitconquersweight

I'm 26 and have been overweight my entire life. My skin has very little elasticity...I'm COVERED in stretch marks, from my neck to my ankles. I've started to notice unattractive skin dimpling and sagginess since I've lost weight. And I figure it'll only get worse the more weight I lose, even though I do strength training along with cardio. My body has had to deal with so much weight for so long, and I just don't think my skin is going to know what to do. But I'm still happy...even though I don't like it I'll take saggy skin over fat any day.

opalsqueak007

Hi OP. I can relate to you. In February I was clinically obese at 194lb. I am now about 154lb. I have aged ten years with that weight loss - especially my face, legs and arms. I am 51 and not in menapause yet. I look at a pic of my face (in my profile photos) taken a year ago and can't believe that was me. I look like an old woman now. I was aiming to lose another 20lb. I am rethinking that.

itsbasschick

well, i put the weight back on. i couldn't cope with the chicks at checkout stands talking to me the way they used to talk to my 80 year old mother, calling me sweetie with cooing voices, always offering me senior discounts that i'm not actually old enough to get - so condescending in a nice way. i really hated that more than i can say. then some life problems got in the way, i lost control of my food and i have less muscle tone and stuff like bursitis and other issues than when i first started at MFP.

but i'm back at it again. been working out again for a week, having a lot of trouble this time around with binge eating, but i'm working on it. hope some of you have been enjoying success or are ready to join me and try again.

Lizzypb88

My mom lost 100 pounds a few years ago, she was 54.. And I'll admit, she does look, eh, "more her age" older now.. But she's MUCH healthier, she had a lot of heart problems, and since she had weight loss surgery she lost all the weight super fast, plus she had been overweight for a few decades... Age/genetics/how fast you lose all factor in.. Does my mom look older and a tad more "saggy skin"? Yes, but she looks AMAZING! She looks much better than what she did, and it was the weight that kept her wrinkles from showing, in my opinion.. I'm only 28 so clearly I don't have any good advice, just what I've seen, but the slower you lose the better your skin will bounce back, and it can take up to 2 years for your skin to bounce back after you stop losing! You are your hardest critic, don't be so hard on yourself, I'm sure you look great, and good job and good luck on the rest of your journey!

Lizzypb88

Also would you rather look like a plump 40 year old, or a hot sexy 54 year old?! ;-)

itsbasschick

ebaroldy wrote: »

Also would you rather look like a plump 40 year old, or a hot sexy 54 year old?! ;-)

the problem is i didn't look like a hot sexy 58 year old - everywhere i went, women treated me like a little old lady. they talked to me like i was a child - and that all stopped when i put some weight back on. yes, healthy is good - i want it, i really do. but the way people saw and treated me felt so awful and it was so unexpected, too.

luckily for me, my husband is just the most supportive person. he married me at my heaviest weight and treats me the same however i look.