loose skin

hypersensitiveb
hypersensitiveb Posts: 342 Member
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
On thing I'm afraid of with needing to lose 30-40 lbs is that I'm afraid of my skin being saggy and loose. Is there any thing I can do to prevent this?

Replies

  • hypersensitiveb
    hypersensitiveb Posts: 342 Member
    Bump
  • rutkowsm
    rutkowsm Posts: 43 Member
    Unfortunately, it's just one of those things where you can't know exactly how it's gonna turn out, but you can do things to minimize the likelihood of loose skin. I think what most people will tell you is that the best thing to do is to lose weight slowly (which is a good idea for numerous reasons). Resistance training might help too, and it'll definitely help you to get a stronger body--and who doesn't love that?

    Hope this helps. Good luck!
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
    Depending on your age (and you are fairly young)...the skin catches up eventually. I should know :drinker:
  • ItsLessOfMe
    ItsLessOfMe Posts: 374 Member
    I think its genetic. I lost my weight slowly (over a year now) Do lots of strength training and drink water and my skin is loose. I also used tons of lotions etc. As a teen I also got stretch marks as my hips came it etc...so yea I say its genetic
  • danilandry
    danilandry Posts: 48 Member
    Focus on drinking lots of water! I'm not sure if its a myth, but one of my close friends told me that during both her pregnancies she drank lots and lots of water because it helps with skin elasticity and she looks great and bounced right back into shape with only one stretch mark scar. I've also been told by a fitness trainer that you should try to drink your body weight in oz each day as a way to flush your system. Keep a water bottle and expect to go to the bathroom a lot :D
  • TheFitnessTutor
    TheFitnessTutor Posts: 356 Member
    It's genetics, you can drink all the water you want. Either you're going to have excess loose skin or you're not. And there's nothing you can do about it really if your body doesn't catch up, barring surgery. You must understand that so many of our bodily ideals all stem from aesthetics...movies...opinion...public expectations...etc., and not science. Don't waste your time worrying about it, just be glad you got way healthier.
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    You could focus on light building in order to gain few volume, making the sking a little bit more tense.
    They ar a lot of BB out there who gained volume - thus there is not any loose skin- or very few
  • k1mcat
    k1mcat Posts: 68
    It's genetics, you can drink all the water you want. Either you're going to have excess loose skin or you're not. And there's nothing you can do about it really if your body doesn't catch up, barring surgery. You must understand that so many of our bodily ideals all stem from aesthetics...movies...opinion...public expectations...etc., and not science. Don't waste your time worrying about it, just be glad you got way healthier.
    [/quote

    Great advice! Love the attitude. :drinker:
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
    I have "excess skin"

    Not as much as others who have lost 180+ lbs

    How do I do it?

    H20, cardio, Omega 3, and plain and simple gentics ( I LOVE YOU MOM!!)

    Get what you can naturally then pay a really good doctor to do the rest. Hell, I plan to.
  • danilandry
    danilandry Posts: 48 Member
    Thanks for clearing things up TheFitnessTut
  • kellibenage
    kellibenage Posts: 41
    Awesome answer! When I was pregnant I got the huge horrible bear claw type stretch marks on my stomach and I only gained 12 pounds my entire pregnancy! My doctor said that it's ALL genetics. Some people have great elasticity and some don't.

    Be proud of your skin! I'm preaching it, and working on attaining it!
  • barefoot76
    barefoot76 Posts: 314 Member
    I have had four children, and I am very short (under 5 feet tall) and my babies were all over 8lbs at birth. Needless to say, I stretched out quite a bit (in addition to gaining 40+ lbs of fat each pregnancy!).

    My profile pic is my stomach. I had a LOT of skin after the fourth baby, and honestly I still do -- I am not nearly as tight as I was in college -- but I think it is looking pretty good. Even the stretch marks have faded. I suppose if I got really, really skinny, my body would tighten up more, but I want to be strong and have lots of energy for my kids. So, I eat.

    The good news is that I don't have flaps of skin hanging out all over the place, y'know? I was afraid of that, too. I did have a "sharpei" look for a while, but that went away as I continued to exercise. I might actually consider getting a lift at some point, but for now I am content to try to "work my butt off," lol!

    I endorse weight training, eating clean (no soda, no junk food!), drinking lots and lots and lots of water, and wearing spanks when ya gotta! ;-)
  • future_marathoner
    future_marathoner Posts: 170 Member
    I use skin tightening wraps once every 2 weeks, I do a ton of ab work, and lots of strength training. I figure that's doing as much as i can. The wraps and ab work really help with my tummy area though. lost over 14 inches so far!
  • PatasDeGallina
    PatasDeGallina Posts: 155 Member
    I heard that it could take up to two years for your skin to finish shrinking. Most plastic surgeons recommend waiting at least a year in maintenance mode after weight loss before removing loose skin.

    I have some loose skin. I have much less than I thought I would. My husband asked me the other day if I wanted to eventually (after having any other children) get a tummy tuck, because I have a flap from being pregnant with our son. But I think I won't care when I'm all done.

    I've never wanted to strut around in a string bikini, that's just not my style.

    But, I've heard there are things you can be doing to help have LESS loose skin. Water, certainly, and tone your muscles. Loose skin looks better with some muscle tone underneath.

    My sister used a skin firming lotion, and that seemed to work a bit, but I bet hydrating your skin with good creams, no matter what they have in them, would help with circulation and elasticity.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    It's genetics, you can drink all the water you want. Either you're going to have excess loose skin or you're not. And there's nothing you can do about it really if your body doesn't catch up, barring surgery. You must understand that so many of our bodily ideals all stem from aesthetics...movies...opinion...public expectations...etc., and not science. Don't waste your time worrying about it, just be glad you got way healthier.

    I love this man!

    Edited to say I've started using Bio Oil because I've seen it recommended for stretch marks and "wrinkley skin", and using lotion every day in hopes to at least make it look better. I'm not as worried about my stomach as I am my bat wings. They've gotta go!
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