Losing fat without being half a skeleton?

tacticalhippie

I know I still have fat to lose.
I also have some saggy skin issues.

Also... know that you can't spot reduce.

The problem:
Every time my weight starts to go down, I start to look emaciated.
My rib cages pokes out, my ribs stick out (even on my upper chest)
My elbows get all weird and veins pop out like crazy on my arms/neck.

BUT there's still the fluffiness on the back (maybe it's the brastrap?)
And the thighs...
and the hips.

But I was wondering if it was something along the lines of I need to build more muscle then worry about the fat

I don't want my upper body to look like a skeleton if that is what it takes to lose the fat on the lower body.

Sorry, just struggling with this right now.

divacat80

I'm on your same path! When I reach my goal weight I'll still have a considerable amount of fat in my traditional problem areas (hips, lower belly, back, tighs,bum). I guess we'll have to stick to eating well, and the weight training will take care of the extra fat. Maybe even if we eat fatty foods our metabolism will be so high thanks to the weight training that we'll burn the fat in them easily.

If you're like me, you'll still need plastic surgery to get rid of certain fatty spots. But I'm planning to accept my body just as it will be when I reach my goal weight. I have no interest in becoming too skinny or in looking like a model. I just want to become my healthy version of myself and be away from having a dangerous extra weight.

You might want to stay away from too much high intensity cardio
Best of luck!

meshashesha2012

have you been lifting weights? preferably something with compound lifts like strong lifts, new rule of lifting or starting strength?

my aunt lost a hella lot of weight a few years ago by diet and walking and she ended up looking like a bag of bones one of her sons kidnapped her and made her start weight training and she's looking much better now. oh and she's well over 60 (she wont tell me her exact age :laugh: ), so age isnt an issue

breyn2004

My personal opinion, from what I've read, been told and experienced, is that yes, you should work more on building muscle. That's where I'm at right now. I've cut back on my cardio, upped my protein intake and have started pushing myself harder in the weight room. One of the trainers at the gym mentioned quite a while back that Vitamin D helps with the elasticity of the skin, but I've not tried or spoken to anyone who has so I don't "know". Good Luck!

Tricep_A_Tops

Lift heavy to prevent as much lean muscle loss as possible while you are eating at a deficit. Also try to lose your weight very slowly. I tried to limit my weight loss to 1lb. per week during my 83lb weight loss. If I didnt do both of those things I would have ended up looking like a jellyfish once I reached my goal.

wild_wild_life

I'm the same way. I get very thin in the upper body with quite a bit of jiggle in the thighs. I started lifting weights to build some muscle in my upper body, which has helped a little, but not a lot. Squats and lunges helped firm up the lower body but I don't think it makes the fat go away. If you keep eating at a deficit it will eventually come off but I have learned to live with it to some degree. Fat in that area in women is actually supposed to be healthy. Don't know if that helped much!

sarahg148

I agree with the weight lifting idea. Is it also that you have lost so much weight that you are just not used to seeing those areas of your body that no longer have the extra padding???

risenonlytofall

Have you correctly measured yourself for a bra since losing weight (not using the VS rubbish of +4 inches to your band)? That could help with the squishiness around your back.

The firmer and stronger your muscles are the better they will look, even if you can't spot reduce the last bits of fat over them. Also, some people are just naturally more bony than others, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. As long as you are healthy you're doing wonderfully.