Loose Skin

LeoQuin

Okay, so I went from 310 to 182 in 9 months, which is totally awesome - I need a few more to go before I am completely satisfied though. Now, I've done a ton of cardio, weight-lifting and eating healthy on my journey; but now, I see the loose skin under my arms as a problem. I know that I should not let it bother me and all, and for the most part it doesn't but there are times when I get frustrated. So, my question is, WHAT DO I DO?

-Nip Tucks are expensive and dangerous
-Laser tightening treatments are expensive and new (so not too sure about the risks yet)
-Weight lifting has not helped much
-Skin tightening creams don't do much for a few wrinkles so what will they do to inches of skin on my arms
-I've tried scrubbing the dead skin off to put the underlining skin to work
-Moisturizing isn't helping (much or at all)

So, again, WHAT DO I DO?

Should I just quit cardio for awhile and focus only on lifting? Like pumping all day and night - along with taking muscle growth pills or something.

Elizabeth_C34

Firstly, congrats on your loss!

Secondly, I believe the only thing you can do, beyond minor skin tightening creams and weight training, is have the surgery to remove the skin. You could try bulking up a little to fill in the skin with muscle.

teagin2002

Congrats It must feel amazing!
I lost 112lbs in 1.25 years and I have some lose skin, probably not as much as you, and I am done losing weight. I am working on increasing muscle mass and of course decreasing fat%. Since skin is mostly composed of fat it should shrink when they body fat% gets smaller.

Description Women Men
Essential fat 10–13% 2–5%
Athletes 14–20% 6–13%
Fitness 21–24% 14–18%
Average 25–31% 18–24%
Obese 32%+ 25%+

My goal is to get between the fitness and athlete % to see if it works and in the mean time get fit.

So to answer your question, I do a little of both weights and cardio. Cardio after lifting, so I can use my carbs for the lifting.

Good luck!

ninerbuff

Okay, so I went from 310 to 182 in 9 months, which is totally awesome - I need a few more to go before I am completely satisfied though. Now, I've done a ton of cardio, weight-lifting and eating healthy on my journey; but now, I see the loose skin under my arms as a problem. I know that I should not let it bother me and all, and for the most part it doesn't but there are times when I get frustrated. So, my question is, WHAT DO I DO?

-Nip Tucks are expensive and dangerous
-Laser tightening treatments are expensive and new (so not too sure about the risks yet)
-Weight lifting has not helped much
-Skin tightening creams don't do much for a few wrinkles so what will they do to inches of skin on my arms
-I've tried scrubbing the dead skin off to put the underlining skin to work
-Moisturizing isn't helping (much or at all)

So, again, WHAT DO I DO?

Should I just quit cardio for awhile and focus only on lifting? Like pumping all day and night - along with taking muscle growth pills or something.

It's great that you lost the weight. Unfortunately loose skin can be a side effect of large amounts of weight loss. It MAY retract more within a year, but if it doesn't then you either have to accept it, have surgery to remove it, or get overweight again to fill up the space. I'm betting you're not going to go with the 3rd option, so it's 1 or 2. Either choice is something you should really be able to live with.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ItsLessOfMe

Great job!

I am begining to have the same problem. I say we have to come to the point where we start excepting our bodies. We can be our worst critic. It cannot always be about looks. We are healthier now and have added years to our lives. That has to count for something