Stretch Marks & Pouch Before & Afters

TinaDay1114

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

I think in the back of my head I knew this, just didn't want to believe it! Argh! It's exactly this that makes me want to just be fat forever, what's the point in being healthy if I still HATE my body?

As you lose weight and get healthier, you'll start to come to terms with the flaws that your body still has. It has taken me a long time, but instead of looking in the mirror and thinking "damn that belly skin!" I focus on the things I like...

I have fabulous arms. I've worked very hard on my arms and they look great.

I love my hourglass shape. I have larger hips and have always hated them - until I realized? They give me a beautiful shape.


There will be things you love and things you don't love about your body. Don't let the "don't loves" control you. Keep losing weight. Get healthier. You'll be surprised at how your focusing on what can change and what does change helps your mindset.

^^^^ YES, this. My "pouch" has gone away -- and as it has, I love my new body. I worked hard for it, too. I'm not trying to be 20 again (I love my two boys, and see stretch marks as my badge of courage).

If you keep going, and do strength training/ab work, you'll get there. I NEVER thought I'd lose that thing, but I went from this:


...to this...but it took me about a year of steady, hard work (and slow weight loss):

memcd911

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

I think in the back of my head I knew this, just didn't want to believe it! Argh! It's exactly this that makes me want to just be fat forever, what's the point in being healthy if I still HATE my body?

Please please please don't think this way. Seeing excess skin and not being patient is part of what led to me gaining some of my weight back. I had lost about 60 lbs. I was in a 6, and even had a few skirts that were size 4. Smaller than I ever expected to get. But all I focused on was the skin, which I refused to view as skin and still viewed as fat. Not allowing myself to be proud (along with some major emotional setbacks elsewhere in life) I climbed back up to a 10. Hindsight is 20/20. I look back and wish I had that amazing body I had worked for. And this time when I get back to that size, I'll be patient about my skin shrinking.

bellevie23

Um.... I have had two kiddos and my skin has been doing a good job of "shrinking" back.... It's not the same and I'm sure it will never be, but it isn't hideous!!! HYDRATE!!!!!! I really helps your skins elasticity... Drink lots of water... Eat healthy!!!!! And cardio and strength training... that's mine routine and so far so good!

I KNOW my body will NEVER look like it did before kiddos, but I'm not knocking the way it is starting to look now! I'm impressed at the amount my infamous "pouch" has shrank!

The reasons I heart you LOL

Lifting_chick

I don't know how to post a pic. on the forum but my profile pic. was just taken a few days ago. I have terrible streach marks but they have faded alot over the years. And the pouch I am still working on getting rid of but have made alot of progress over the last several months. Time makes the streach marks better but they never go away

Sharonks

My MFP start pic, my youngest was 11mo when I took this pic. You can't see the pooch super well, I was trying to hide it with my shorts.


I literally just took this pic. This is 4, almost 5, months into my journey. I am 22lbs down and about 6 from my goal. As you can see, the pooch is still there a bit on the bottom, and I still have stretch marks but as far as my stomach has come, I can live with the stretch marks.

You look great! With time, the stretch marks do become less noticeable. Like me, you got the full tummy effect. Mine stayed red even as my kids became adults. Last year I started rubbing bio oil on them and they are now a less noticeable silvery color.

Sharonks

I have stretch marks! I know its different for guys but I have them. Before I got fat, I lifted weights religiously! My muscle grew faster than my skin and I got stretch marks on my chest and butt and inner thigh! Then I stop lifting and got fat and now I have stretch marks on my belly too! So ladies stretch marks are not that big of a deal to me! My wife had my three babies and she also got stretch marks for all her hard work and I love every inch of her!!! We need to not be so vain and accept what we have ladies be proud of your bodies because you are beautiful!!!!!

I think acceptance by a partner really helps us accept our bodies. My ex wouldn't say stuff like that, he wasn't negative, just non-committal. My current husband says he didn't even notice all my stretch marks when I brought them up. He often tells me how much he loves my body. I have found that with years of encouragement from him that I feel better about my body too. I know I should be able to find that in myself but sometimes a little reminding sure helps!

love0809

Can i ask what u did to lose weight?

allana3uk

When I started MFP





Now:

This gives me SO much hope! I'm a little bigger than your before pic, and have noticed some shrinkage from my own personal starting point, but never believed that it could all go away. I do now!!

You look amazing! Well done xx

Curvy_princess

Thank you ladies!!

sjeagle30

I dont know how much it will work but I just seen on Dr Phil last week when he had Dr Oz on there that there are so many natural remedies and people dont need to spend the money on over counter things. One of these was stretch marks. Combine shortening and peanut butter and make a paste out of it and rub it on. He said after 7 days you will start to see results. Worth a shot I guess!!!

bkprettygirl

Bump...Are there any updated pics on this topic... i really would like to see what a stomach with stretch marks NATURALLY looks like after working out... (no plastic surgery) I've been working out for 30 days and changed my eating habits... i have seen a very small change...

bkprettygirl

This is EXACTLY how i feel!


I think in the back of my head I knew this, just didn't want to believe it! Argh! It's exactly this that makes me want to just be fat forever, what's the point in being healthy if I still HATE my body?
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clairedivas627

After 4 kids and a lot of stretch marks, I have tried almost every cream out there and nothing have worked for me until I found dermelastic serum.
It's a little bit more pricy but worth every penny .
It's vegan with Vitamin E,Shea butter,plant extract, cocoa butter and peptides.
I have used it once a day before bed time and after a week I see some of my stretch marks fading away...told about it to few of my friends already, I highly recommend dermelastic serum.

Niki_Fitz

CailleachBeara wrote: »

one thing that I've found to improve my skin tone is dry brushing which I do daily before showering, it's smoothed out the skin texture and reduced my cellulite a bit too. Get into the habit daily and you'll notice a difference after a few weeks

I do this ^ too, I believe it helps.

The technique I use involves dry brushing in a certain pattern and then using body oil. http://spiritualityhealth.com/blog/bess-oconnor/garshana-ayurvedic-dry-skin-brushing

Pilates and yoga also helped me. I learned how to engage my lowest and deepest abdominal muscles. Although spot-training is a myth, I believe form follows function and my stomach looked great and gave me wonderful posture and from there, confidence.

Now I'm doing the same routines after baby number two and hoping for the best. I'm being realistic about the fact that my skin might not be perfect. But these healthy choices are worth it!

Caring for yourself brings a confidence that outshines the superficial flaws. At least I try to remind myself of this! Here is my belly currently after two babies and highest weight 170.



I have ~10 lbs to go and I am trying to lose the weight slowly!

DEBOO7

chevy88grl wrote: »

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

As for the stretch marks, they've all faded to my normal skin tone and can barely be seen anymore.

I have taken 3 years to loose 96lbs... slow and steady. With diet, with exercise. I hear what you're saying!
In December I'd had enough of the 'skin' and saw a plastic surgeon. She told me that there was nothing I could do to fix being overweight for 35+ years, having kids, and genetics. That skin was never going to go back - the elastic band was broken.
On 16th June I had an ab repair and tummy tuck. It was the best decision I have ever made and I don't regret the $$ I've spent on it. Now I can look in the mirror and see what I've achieved. Before all I saw was what my brain told me was fat, but it was just empty skin. I'd done the hard yards and didn't need any lipo - no fat left!
There are many reasons to have surgery... bodily health & strength and mental health.

seanevan10

CailleachBeara wrote: »

I have a pouch due to a botched appendix removal when I was 13. I also have a terrible scar and a lot of nerve and muscle damage which means I have constant lower back problems and can't do most ab exercises as the signal from my brain simply doesn't get to my abs due to the nerve damage.

So I took up belly dancing and got some movement back in that area after a LOT of hard work but I will never have a flat stomach and my Dr told me that surgery won't even fix it so I have to learn to live with it. Sometimes you just have to accept that your body looks a certain way and just accept it. One thing about having a problem tummy is that you become an expert in dressing to minimize that area!

I have stretch marks from losing and gaining weight over the years (I don't have kids, can't have any due to the botched op) and expensive creams just don't work and I've tried plenty of them but one thing that I've found to improve my skin tone is dry brushing which I do daily before showering, it's smoothed out the skin texture and reduced my cellulite a bit too. Get into the habit daily and you'll notice a difference after a few weeks

I had a ruptured appendix surgery 13 years ago. I understand the huge scar, nerve and muscle damage. No matter how hard I work and get the fat down, this one side of my stomach still "pudges." And then it got worse with the pregnancy with twins. I will never be in a bikini, but it is looking better getting the weight off.

Vanilla_Lattes

seanevan10 wrote: »

CailleachBeara wrote: »

I have a pouch due to a botched appendix removal when I was 13. I also have a terrible scar and a lot of nerve and muscle damage which means I have constant lower back problems and can't do most ab exercises as the signal from my brain simply doesn't get to my abs due to the nerve damage.

So I took up belly dancing and got some movement back in that area after a LOT of hard work but I will never have a flat stomach and my Dr told me that surgery won't even fix it so I have to learn to live with it. Sometimes you just have to accept that your body looks a certain way and just accept it. One thing about having a problem tummy is that you become an expert in dressing to minimize that area!

I have stretch marks from losing and gaining weight over the years (I don't have kids, can't have any due to the botched op) and expensive creams just don't work and I've tried plenty of them but one thing that I've found to improve my skin tone is dry brushing which I do daily before showering, it's smoothed out the skin texture and reduced my cellulite a bit too. Get into the habit daily and you'll notice a difference after a few weeks

I had a ruptured appendix surgery 13 years ago. I understand the huge scar, nerve and muscle damage. No matter how hard I work and get the fat down, this one side of my stomach still "pudges." And then it got worse with the pregnancy with twins. I will never be in a bikini, but it is looking better getting the weight off.

Posts like this make me so sad My daughter has had a few surgeries already and I hope she isn't insecure later.

cask16

Your positive attitude to your changes body is great but please do wear a bikini again - it's so reassuring to see women of all body shapes enjoying bikinis / gives me more confidence to do the same x

chevy88grl wrote: »

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

As for the stretch marks, they've all faded to my normal skin tone and can barely be seen anymore.