Help! How do you tighten up your skin/body as you lose lbs?

I've lost 26lbs out of 90-100 that I need to lose and I'm afraid of having loose skin everywhere when I'm done, how do I avoid that? My goal is to be slim and toned, not bulked up with muscle....
Help please!

Replies

  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Skin will only tighten up over time. And it does. Be patient! That's why all us moms don't have a giant saggy watermelon pouch of skin hanging there.

    Resistance exercise, or any exercise, will NOT bulk you up with muscle, period. I'm assuming you're a woman? We don't have the testosterone to bulk. The bulky women you see go to great extremes to get that way, or they have a very unique physiology. Do not fear the exercise! It helps make us look better, be better, burn more calories, be happier, be healthier.
  • LAMypie
    LAMypie Posts: 127 Member
    You are not alone there. There is a possibility that you will have some lose skin, but if you have 100 lbs to lose, what do you expect? How well your skin bounces back depends on several things. How old you are, how long you've carried the weight, if there is any muscle under there and how fast you lose it. The younger you are, the more elasticity your skin has and therefore the better it will bounce back. The less amount of time you've been this weight, the better it'll bounce back. More LEAN muscle, better skin. The faster you lose (biggest loser ppl...100 lbs in 6 weeks o.O) the less time your skin will have to adjust, and therefore, saggier longer. I'm terrified of the skin issue, but I also know that the only ppl who will see it IF it's there is me and my hubby, and he would rather I have some floppy skin than be unhealthy and have floppy fat. Chances are, you very well could have SOME skin hanging, but it won't be the whole kit and caboodle. Keep it up, and good luck!
  • builtforlife
    builtforlife Posts: 259
    I think (in my un-expert opinion) that everything will be okay just as long as you dont lose weight too quickly. Genetics probably plays a role, too. If you're female, don't worry, weights wont bulk you up, they'll build that toned muscle underneath your fat which will help you burn fat and also look good when you get your bodyfat down. Besides, if you're on a calorie deficit, you wont be able to become all bulky because your muscles don't have enough calories to grow into Arnold Schwarzenegger. Even if you were eating enough calories, you most likely wouldnt get bulky because you dont have the hormones that a male has.
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
    im afraid this depends mainly on age as the skin looses the elasticity when you get older.
  • ShellBell4281
    ShellBell4281 Posts: 127 Member
    The skin will tighten up over time. But then again, some of it may not. I had to have extra skin cut off my tummy last year from my pregnancy and 130 pound weight loss.
  • krissymonique
    krissymonique Posts: 9 Member
    Skin does typically bounce back, in my experience anyways. After my first two children I gained 80 poundsish with each of them and was able to get down to a pre-pregnancy weight and other than a few stretch marks on my hips could barely tell that i had carried for 9 months......With that said I was in my 20's. At 34 had a surprise pregnancy :) so here we have the age factor. I did not gain 80 lbs this time as I figured at 35 after she was born it would be much more difficult to lose that amount however you do get a huge bulk in the tummy and once again I was able to get my belly back into pre-baby state much quicker this time. So It definitely is possible for the skin to go back where it should be in time. As for weight training and working out I do a very vigorous workout everyday which is probably why I was able to to get back where I wanted to be, also worried about the muscle thing. I figured that I would go for it anyways cause either it would be fat or muscle and I prefered the muscle if it had to be one. But it actually has evened itself out and I am getting more toned and losing the fat so there is hope for everyone if I can do it. Good luck to you keep working hard and you will not be disappointed with your results if you remain consistant and determined :)
  • mrob81
    mrob81 Posts: 36
    This is why I always recommend that people have some sort of weight training program when dropping weight. Anyone can eat way under their maintenance and lose weight. What separates individuals is how they look and feel after the weight is gone.
    TRUST me. I felt like utter crap after I dropped my weight. I was weak and looked like I was sick.

    The weight lifting while losing weight is tried and tested on my moms. Once she got down to her goal, she had no flabs or nothing. I had her on a strict workout plan, and didn't want her to drop too quickly.

    Everyone is different though. Let us know how it goes.
  • Jenniferlynn212
    Jenniferlynn212 Posts: 110 Member
    Thank you! I guess I need to start lifting!