what about loose skin?

hydelaa

I have been big since the 3rd grade, 20+ years, my skin is use to being big, large...I'm not to the point of loosing excessive amounts yet, but I'm nervous about that point..I'm 255 and say I get to 200, what are you all doing, who have lost 50+ lbs about loose skin?
Any one have this fat below their bellybutton? I call it an "apron" because it is at the spot I would tie an apron
I have had it since the 5th grade at least! I HATE it the MOST!!! It's so embarrassing!! Anyone have one, and have gotten rid of it? Obviously with weight loss it will get smaller, but what about lotions or workouts that will shrink it for me even more?


I 'm computer illiterate apparently and can't get my pic to upload...so here's the link to where you can see the pic..a pic of me about to repel off the balcony and the harness is enhancing my "apron" nicely

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/lamaceaver/?action=view&current=IMG_2773.jpg

reneelee

My Mom was 5' 2" tall and 205 pounds at her heaviest. She got down to 130 pounds by her earlie 30's and looked great in a bathing suit. I think the younger you lose the weight the better off you are. More collagene in the skin. Good luck in your weight loss journey : )

Uxorial

I started dieting at 290 and have lost 100 lbs.

I am 37. I will say that the loose skin for me got better with time. It took months at times but it did improve. In some areas, like the stomach, once there was less weight to it, it didn't "hang" and actually got quite flat.

Don't doubt the power of spanx in the meantime

It is hard to say how it will look in the end. Try not to let it derail you...

shirleygirl910

When I went to Weight Watchers there was a lady there in her 40's. She had lost over 100 lbs. She looked great, and I ask her the same thing. What happens to the apron. She said when she was about 50 lbs down she started drinking lots of water, where before she didn't drink enough, and she started exercising, mostly walking.

I alwways think of her and wonder if I can do that too. I have lost 114 lbs, and noticed with time the loose skin under the chin is going away, but the arms are what gets me. The apron and the little bit of stomach that hangs over the belly button gets covered up with clothes, but the arms... I'm a work in progress at 48 yrs old!!

GabsMommy28

I've been told repeatedly. STRENGTH TRAIN! It's the best way to tone as you go. Good luck.

davisrl0

Well I think you could do as much as you can to build muscle under the skin, so that when the fat does come off, the muscle could maybe fill out the skin a little more. BUT....from my experience, once the skin is stretched, like with stretch marks to where it's permanently damaged, that wont go away. It can significantly be reduced, but you cant make stretched out skin tight again. I have gone from 205 to 150 and have some of that stretched out skin on my lower belly. Im SO self conscious about it, but Ive done all I can do. It was severely stretched out, especially when I was pregnant. Stretch marks were BAD. Its just damaged and no amount of fat loss or muscle building will put it back. I think it just depends on how bad it is, or maybe genetics with your skin (how well your skin will spring back).

needamulligan

I lost about 60 lbs in my late 20's and had NO loose skin. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

I'm worried that time may not be on my side anymore, though About a year ago a nurse who worked in a burn unit posted info on the procedures they use to help damaged skin renew itself. I actually logged on to see if I could find that thread today! Good luck!

RobynMWilson

I lost 70lbs when I was 15. My ab skin was very forgiving and is pretty tight, all things considered. I did have lots of loose skin and cellulite on my thighs and tired every lotion and potion in the world and tried weight training but I was doing it all wrong. I was doing the typical chick low weights, high reps, which was building great endurance but not building me any muscle. Then I started ChaLEAN Extreme, which focuses on heavy weights and low reps and I finally found my answer. I'm finally building muscle and after 90 days of ChaLEAN I've noticed a 50% improvement in my legs and I'm hoping to build on that with P90X. I really wish I knew back in 1987 do add weight lifting then, but that info wasn't as readily available in the 80s as it is now (yes I'm dating myself here lol). so my answer? LIFT WEIGHTS! GO HEAVY OR GO HOME!! lol

jenzsd

I believe it is different for everyone, but the younger you are the better chances you may have. I previously lost 125 pounds after being big all my life and I never got to my goal weight, so I didn't have as much loose skin as loose fat/flab that wouldn't go away, but I was also silly and didn't do strength training - oh, how I wish I had! This time around, while I have less to lose, I am doing carido and strength - I'd like to have as much muscle as I can and will just have to see where I end up. I'm sure I will have loose thighs, arms and stomach on top of muscle, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Drink plenty of water and don't forget strength training. Try to tone as much as possible as you lose. And of course, speak to a professional (or professionals) about this.

Sierramist

I have the same problem with my arms I've been using weights but it made my arms bigger,so now I'm just trying to tone them,good luck to you all

kini324

I have the apron, I hate it! When I do push ups, I call it my udder. I am strength training now and it's definitely shrinking, but I still have some fat on my tummy. I can work on that but the loose skin will never go away, I don't think.

reneelee

There is an online book called active-passive diet he talks about when lossing weight and hitting a plateau, stuff is going on in your body and one thingthat is hapening is your skin is tightening up, so don't get discouraged by the plateau. I goes in reverse as well when gaining weight the body doesn't allow you to gain to much at one time. The body needs to build stronger bones to allow you to hold up the weight. You can go along in life eating badly for sometime and suddenly you are up 10- 15 pounds overnight.

tamimac12

I'm worried about this myself... When I was pregnant with my daughter I carried really low... I have the apron too... I can't imagine how sexy it looks to my husband, but he said he doesn't pay attention to it lol

hydelaa

My boyfriend is very sweet about my apron too Thank goodness for sweet wonderful men

HogSandwich

The biggest factors I'm aware of regarding regaining skin elasticity is a.) age and b.) hydration, and not just in the water sense. You need collagen, and the biggest providers are raw fruits and vegetables.

Oh, and don't bother with any skin product that says it has collagen in it - collagen molecules are massive and the skin molecules are not; it's like trying to shove a baseball through a sieve.

teenytinybikini

Skin can adapt, the main thing is not to lose weight too quickly as your skin may not be as quick to 'catch up'

Other things that help: Skin brushing, exercise - cardio to make you sweat (sweating is great for the skin) and strength training so there is something to hold the skin in place, moisturising daily after shower or bath, massage, drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of good fats (fish, avocado, nuts, seeds etc).