For those who have lost a lot of weight

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TaraKathleen5
TaraKathleen5 Posts: 34 Member
in Success Stories
I have lost close to 50 but have 30-40 more to go. Omg my skin looks awful and saggy. It makes me sad when i am doing all this hard work. Is this normal?
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Replies

  • konekkobaba
    konekkobaba Posts: 36
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    unfortunately, age(depending), the elasticity of your skin, and genetics, as well as how quickly you lost it..some good advice is patience, hydrate, moisturize, and keep at the weightlifting to help tone and firm the muscle so the skin has something solid to adhere to, just keep at it, you're doing great! By adhereing, I don't mean like glue =p.
  • viccigb
    viccigb Posts: 93 Member
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    Are you exercising? I've only lost 12lbs, but I've been thinking alot about this too since I've got a bunch more to go. I've been working out w/ weights 2 days a week and the rest is cardio. I'm hoping that helps.
  • TaraKathleen5
    TaraKathleen5 Posts: 34 Member
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    yep cardio and strength traning 5 times a week. I think i do have really bad skin genes :(
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    unfortunately, age(depending), the elasticity of your skin, and genetics, as well as how quickly you lost it..some good advice is patience, hydrate, moisturize, and keep at the weightlifting to help tone and firm the muscle so the skin has something solid to adhere to, just keep at it, you're doing great! By adhereing, I don't mean like glue =p.

    Would basically be saying the same advice. My doctor told me when I get to my goal not to freak about skin for at least 2 years of maintaining because it can take that long for the skin to adjust to the weight loss. Just throwing that advice out there, which is why patience is a big deal.
  • phoenixgirl81
    phoenixgirl81 Posts: 309 Member
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    I've lost 31.5 kg (64 lbs) so far and I still have another 20 or so kg to go until I'll be at a weight I'd be comfortable with...I have the skin issue too. The woman at the gym yesterday who was helping me with weights said that toning will help. I know my belly will never look good and probably my legs never will either (seeing as though they were tree trunks before I started) but I'm hoping that strength training will help my arms look better. I sometimes struggle with thoughts of flaps of skin being left over and that makes me kinda want to give up, but as I've never been one to show off skin, I'm pretty sure that only one or two other people will ever see that stuff and the rest of the world will only see a smaller me.
  • jilllemar
    jilllemar Posts: 42
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    Yup. I've only lost 21 so far and I already have skin sagging. I too am toning and doing cardio. But I physically feel so much better that it doesn't bother me all that much. I am also motivated by my increased range of motion, last night I helped my daughter with her gymnastics exercises by getting on the floor and DOING THEM WITH HER. So I will take the sagging skin if its what I become an active participant in my own life.
  • sweetpea129
    sweetpea129 Posts: 755 Member
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    I havent had this problem yet. I was very worried about it in the beginning but so far so good. Maybe a tiny bit on my upper thighs. I truly expected it to be worse. I still want to lose 30 more so maybe it will hit me? But i hear toning helps and thats my plan.
  • jilllemar
    jilllemar Posts: 42
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    Sweatpea I hear age has a lot to do with it, do you mind if I ask how old you are? Sagging skin isn't like a huge worry in my mind at this point but I do think about it.
  • zlem
    zlem Posts: 92
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    Yes I hate mine :( worst around my thighs and upper arms like bat wings. Yuck. I stopped losing for a few months and I think it has firmed up a little bit but definitely still there.

    Still, bit of saggy skin sure beats having the fat there. At least I can cover that with clothes, can't do that with fat.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
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    It bothered me at first, but I decided the loose skin was better than having the actual weight. I was patient and worked on toning. My loose skin completely toned up. Just be patient and start working on a toning regime.

    Good luck! :happy:
  • sweetpea129
    sweetpea129 Posts: 755 Member
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    Sweatpea I hear age has a lot to do with it, do you mind if I ask how old you are? Sagging skin isn't like a huge worry in my mind at this point but I do think about it.

    I just turned 30 2 weeks ago :) I do think age & genetics play a big roll. I still wonder if maybe mine will start since I still want to lose 30-35 more? But either way, it's better than the weight :)
  • jilllemar
    jilllemar Posts: 42
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    I am 33, which I guess isn't THAT old. I am starting to feel ancient working at the local college gym. I am only 10-15 year s older and I find myself asking "was I that young when I went to college". Nice kids but they look like they are 15.

    The theory that losing weight slowly helps seems to make sense to me, but who wants to slow down when they are having success? I'd rather it sag then get filled back out again.
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    Well done on your loss!

    I've lost nearly 84lb and am quite lucky in that I have very, very little sagging skin on my limbs (largely through lifting weights and kettlebells).

    My stomach, however, is another matter - I do have a pooch, which is partly leftover flab and partly crepey skin. I've started lifting heavy weights over the past few months, and this has definitely dragged the pooch in some.
  • jjscholar
    jjscholar Posts: 413 Member
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    I am embarrassed to say that I am still working on getting rid of unwanted sagging skin... In my case, a lot of it is because I have lost over 200 lbs over the past 15 months... It is also because of how old I am...

    :embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed:
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    Doesn't bother me too much, but it is not ideal. At my age I am just thankful to be losing weight, and hopefully can continue to lose until I hit my goal. It is better than having the fat, and I don't ever want to look back.
  • watcheronthewall
    watcheronthewall Posts: 104
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    I've seen people say that skin can snap back a bit over time but if it is a huge amount it might not. It depends on what type of excess skin it is.
  • lauraatkinson85
    lauraatkinson85 Posts: 84 Member
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    My problem is my chest when I lose weight. When I started dieting I was a 38gg, at my goal weight of 154lbs (when I got there last time), I went down to a 34E. It was like having 2 grapefruits in a couple of carrier bags! Anyone got any tips on what I can do about that?! do firming lotions and potions actually work?!
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    My problem is my chest when I lose weight. When I started dieting I was a 38gg, at my goal weight of 154lbs (when I got there last time), I went down to a 34E. It was like having 2 grapefruits in a couple of carrier bags! Anyone got any tips on what I can do about that?! do firming lotions and potions actually work?!

    Same here!

    In my experience, lifting weights has really helped with the muscles in my chest and whilst it's not exactly a nipandtuck, it certainly made a different to the appearance of my boobs. I went from a 38G to a 34D/E, and whilst they're not funbagtabulous they're definitely not as bad as they were.

    Lotions and potions....eeeh. You'd be better off spending your money on a set of dumbells!
  • lauraatkinson85
    lauraatkinson85 Posts: 84 Member
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    My problem is my chest when I lose weight. When I started dieting I was a 38gg, at my goal weight of 154lbs (when I got there last time), I went down to a 34E. It was like having 2 grapefruits in a couple of carrier bags! Anyone got any tips on what I can do about that?! do firming lotions and potions actually work?!

    Same here!

    In my experience, lifting weights has really helped with the muscles in my chest and whilst it's not exactly a nipandtuck, it certainly made a different to the appearance of my boobs. I went from a 38G to a 34D/E, and whilst they're not funbagtabulous they're definitely not as bad as they were.

    Lotions and potions....eeeh. You'd be better off spending your money on a set of dumbells!

    brilliant - thank you! Ive done body pump and kettlebells today and loving weights so hopefully it'll work! x
  • Vitriolic
    Vitriolic Posts: 19
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    Lift heavy, drink tons of water, and be patient.

    A lot of it has to do with genetics, too.

    Regardless, loose skin or not, this is about becoming healthier. Don't let saggy skin deter you from continuing your endeavor.

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