Can i do this without surgery?

msarro
msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey folks!
Here's my problem, maybe some of you can help. I have been overweight since I was about 7 years old. I am just a few scant pounds away from my goal (though I may lower it another 20 lbs). I have loose skin everywhere, I still have a gross beer gut that hangs over. I'm not sure what's fat, and what's loose skin. I've lost this weight over the course of 3-4 years of steady progress so the skin should have tightened up. I'm wondering if its just loose skin that I'm going to have to get removed with surgery? Is there anything else I can do? I'm trying to set up an appointment with a physical trainer at my gym to discuss if there's any sort of way to tighten it all up but I already run 4x a week, bike 5x a week, and do calisthenics regularly at home. I could add back in a weight training regimen but I'm not sure I have the time for it.

I know there are some other bigger losers on here, any of you have this issue? What did you do? I'm wearing all size smalls now, and yet I still feel as gross as I did the day I started when I look in the mirror.

Replies

  • KellieMcMurdy
    KellieMcMurdy Posts: 49 Member
    That's awesome that you've lost all that weight! I don't know that I can help with your question but a friend of my Moms had a gastric bypass a few years ago and the dr told her the only way to get rid of the excess skin was surgery. Not sure if that applies when you don't cheat to lose weight but thought I'd put it out there.

    Before anyone who reads this gets mad, she did cheat ... she gained weight so she was eligible for the surgery, she lost quite a bit and has since gained 40 of it back cause "real" food makes her gag (or so she says) so she lives on blizzards.
  • Laurie9797
    Laurie9797 Posts: 14 Member
    With the amount of weight that you lost, my guess is that it is skin. Is the skin damaged (ie. stretch marks)? If so, then unfortunately the only way to get rid of it is surgery. It does take a little longer for the skin to catch up to the body, but damaged skin can't repair itself.
  • JustBeckyV
    JustBeckyV Posts: 182
    I have the same issue. I know some of it has tightened up but chances are most of it will not go away on it's own. I have been overweight for about 20 years now. It bugs me some but I don't let it get to me too much. NO matter what I am healthier than what I was before and I can still do those things that I have dreamed of doing.
  • ChristieisReady
    ChristieisReady Posts: 708 Member
    I did read on a plastic surgeon's site that a lot of water, defining muscle (to give the skin something to "stick" to", and applying vitamin E or a scar cream such as Mederma can help some, but if you have many inches of loose skin that doesn't really keep the same temperature as the rest of your body, it's likely that you will need surgery. Just don't do it until you are DONE losing weight.

    Good luck, and know that A) you look WAY hotter (I peeked) and B) on the inside, you're a stud, so now it's just about getting to where YOU are comfortable.
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