Freaking out (Lots of "what if" questions.)

Yup. You might have loose skin. Depending on your heaviest weight, and how long you've been heavy, yeah, you might. You might not, it depends on genetics too. It depends on the rate you lose weight (slower is better) and lots of other factors. You're young, you might bounce back. You won't know until you get there. You may end up with a flat belly, or with skin that hangs over.

To me, the loose skin is better than being fat for at least a dozen reasons.

I wrote this in another thread recently, so I'll share:

as for loose skin and vanity...i have VERY loose skin and a hanging belly (and thighs) that will jiggle until the time comes when/if I can have surgery, and I've still got at least 30-40 pounds to go and no plans on giving up. I don't have a husband/boyfriend who already loves me for who I am, and sometimes I get self-conscious getting naked in front of someone new...but in my most recent naked adventure...the guy had his hand on my belly and said something like "it's obvious you've been working hard, I'm proud of you." He actually grabbed my belly when he said it, and I didn't feel the least bit unattractive. He was proud of my loose belly because it was a sign of my strength and dedication to myself...a different kind of beauty. A tall, attractive, funny, strong, smart guy, who runs his own business, owns his own home, a "good catch" you could say...found beauty in that jiggly belly. and that's what I am going to remind myself when i see myself naked in the mirror.

Don't let your jiggle stop you from seeing the whole picture.

Lots of people who need to lose a lot of weight worry about loose skin. Looking at your picture and your age, I can pretty much promise you that you won't...especially if you lose the weight now, and not wait until middle age. If you lose it fast, you might have some for awhile, but it will shrink. It will take time and effort to lose it, but you'll look and feel much better after you do it.

People here are very supportive and it's beautiful. Just take a deep breath. It will be okay. Take your time and loose the weight healthy. You arn't just doing this to look and feel better, you're doing this for your health. For your friends and family; treating your body like it deserves to be treated.

My what if has always been, what if I would of started this diet 4 years ago. I put 100 lbs on in the last 4 years and it frustrates me thinking where I'd be if I started this diet 4 years and 100 lbs. lighter.

Don't be 4 years down the road and thinking about those what ifs. Start today, and all the other what ifs, take them one at a time as they arise.

RE: Protein...

grilled chicken breasts and greek yogurt are my favorite ways to get protein. Plain greek yogurt tastes a little more like sour cream, so add some fruits and nuts (walnuts - also a very good source of protein).

Dried beans - pinto and white - are not only good sources of protein, but pottassium as well.

As for the price: dried beans aren't terribly priced. Chicken can cost a little more. If you buy a whole, raw turkey breast cut up into steaks, it comes out to $1 or so a day. You can probably find greek yogurt on sale sometime during the week. We just bought some 10 for $10 single serving cups.

I figure my lunches cost $2.50-$3 a day - turkey on "thin rounds" with the cabbage from a slaw pack, OR chicken breat and quinoa/brown rice blend with a little feta OR Progresso light soup and a cup of greek yogurt with walnuts and dried fruit.

Dinners, for me, are more of the same mostly, with a salad. Breakfast is always eggbeaters (and oatmeal, most of the time).

Spicy Wheat Thins for 1 snack, and a cored apple with cinnamon for the second snack....Water, water, water, (diet powerade, ) water, and a little more water....maybe a green tea for breakfast or right before a workout. Diet Powerades are on sale wherever I go - $.69 for 32 oz.

Take a very deep breath.

what if is fine - you can wonder what things are going to be like when you've lost the weight. It's a big change. Who knows what it'll be like until it happens?

But what's the alternative? Staying exactly the same? You already know how that feels.

Sure you might have loose skin. Maybe only for a little while, maybe forever. Half of it is your age and health, half of it is genetics. you can't control it even if you wanted to. You can do what you can - my doctor recommends fish oil twice a day, vitamin D, and has me keeping my skin healthy. I use a very good lotion every night - I have an expensive one (Epionce body lotion) that has faded my stretch marks and scars so you can barely see them, and I have a cheaper one (Jergens with Vitamin E) for everything else. My doc said the only thing I can really do is keep my skin hydrated, drink lots of water, moisturize, lift weights, hope for the best. Even if you have loose skin, most doctors won't even consider taking off the excess skin until you have been done losing weight for a certain amount of time because the body takes a while to bounce back. My doctor recommended I wait a year before I start to really worry I'll need to have excess skin removed.

Will other things happen like, you lose the weight and you're still not happy? That's all up to you. Your weight isn't really tied to your happiness. Not really. That's a mental change that takes time and patience and self-love. Loving yourself has absolutely nothing to do with weight loss. I honestly didn't make the switch to being happy and loving myself until after I started to take care of myself - not just lose weight but eat right, go to the doctor regularly, keep my hair and skin and nails in good shape...whatever I needed to do to feel like I was the first person on my list of important people. That happened a long time before I lost 70 lbs.

Wonder how it'll be, but don't let it stop you from finding out. Seek guidance from friends and counselors and family. Talk about how you're feeling, never be ashamed of asking these questions. Just remember why you are doing it in the first place and be mentally ready for anything.

You don't have to limit carbs. Just weigh everything you eat and log it, and stay under your calories. You just want to try and eat 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass (or change your macros to 40% carb, 30% fat and 30% protein).

Now the saggy skin... I have it. I'm actually unsure right now if that soft pocket on my stomach is mostly skin or fat (thinking mostly skin at this point, I already had stretch marks too). And yes, it looks horrible (picture a Shar Pei, that's the idea). But I still look so much better in clothes, I don't lose my breath when I bend over anymore, my acid reflux is better, my blood pressure is perfect, my cholesterol is normal... It's totally worth it. I'll never look good in a bikini (really... even if I manage to lose my last 12-14 lbs, over my dead body you'll see me in one, I think), but that's ok with me at this point.

If I may, (because you sound like you're trying to find reasons not to do this) I'd like to go the opposite direction with a few "what If's"

What if you develop Diabetes and go blind, or lose a foot?
What if you develop apnea?
What if you suffer a massive heart attack and die?
What if a stroke turns you into a potato?

Loose skin is nothing compared to any of those. Your fears are minimal compared to what lies ahead if you don't get on the proverbial wagon. Will you fall off? You may, find some supportive friends who will motivate you, set small goals for yourself to keep you going. When I started I made my goal to just lose 40 pounds, and it terrified me because it seemed like a lot of weight. After that I figured I'd like to weigh 205, that sounded about right to me, this morning I was 202, and my new goal is 185. Once you start seeing progress you'll just want to keep going. Friend me if you like, or don't, most people read my profile and decide I'm an @$$, and that's fine, but the small group of friends I do keep seem to really like my lack of bush beating.

Good luck.

Rigger

Don't worry about "what if" ......

Do make the healthiest choices at each meal ....... move more ...... no excuses ...... use common sense & enjoy the "adventure" ......

And at the end of each day, go to bed knowing you made the best possible choices for yourself :flowerforyou: