After weight loss...

ace175
ace175 Posts: 518 Member
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I still have a ways to go before I reach my goal, but I was just thinking about how when people lose a lot of weight (I've seen on TV shows), they'll have a lot of loose skin. The area I'm afraid of this happening is my stomach, and I really don't want this to happen! Is there anything I can do exercise wise, as I'm trying to reach my goal, that will help reduce the amount of loose skin? I feel that just toning the area will help, but I'm not sure.

Replies

  • Fancy_Nancy2
    Fancy_Nancy2 Posts: 545 Member
    bump
  • elid
    elid Posts: 209 Member
    You're young. If you lose weight slowly (1/2 to 1lb a week) and do strength training exercises, you're very likely to not have to worry about loose skin. In fact, even for people who are older, this advice is very helpful; though they will be more prone to loose skin, strength training and slow weight loss will be a big help. Note that it's important to do strength training for the full body, not just a single area, since overtraining one area can possibly lead to injuries.

    For weight lifting beginners, here's a good place to start: http://exercise.about.com/cs/exbeginners/a/begstrength.htm
  • xarrium
    xarrium Posts: 432 Member
    From what I hear, slow and steady is the best plan to avoid loose skin. If you take it slow, your body has time to "adjust" itself to the weight loss.
  • schaapj2
    schaapj2 Posts: 320 Member
    Lots of water! Water is great for more than one reason.....helps to increase the elasticity of your skin! Drink up ;)
  • gapers
    gapers Posts: 4 Member
    Ace,
    A friend of mine who is a nutritionist says that people who lose weight extremely fast, such as with bariatric surgery or an extreme diet tend to have the loose skin. If you lose weight by dieting reasonably and exercising your skin will have time to adjust.
    Gapers
  • lisa4kids
    lisa4kids Posts: 54 Member
    I have a friend who lost 100lbs and had no loose skin at all. Another friend of mine lost 130 and does have it around her belly. I think it really depends on the individual person and how long they've been carrying the weight around also because my friend who had all the extra skin was obese for probably 10 years or more, whereas the other friend had only been heavy for a couple of years. You're young and you don't seem to have a large amount to lose, so I would think you would be fine if you lose it slowly and tone. I lost large amounts of weight after two of my babies and even after my skin stretching to accommodate pregnancies, I did not have any excess skin. (I'm hoping for the same now, but I am much older!!!)
    Hope that helps some? Good luck to you!
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