Does skin ever 'tighten'?? Please help!

yes. you should weight lift.

http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/119-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w-

Or dumbbells. I love my arms now because of bench pressing and pendlay rows. No more arm wiggling when I wave at people.

The dreaded arm wiggling. I'm loving my arms more all the time because of lifting.

A lot changes when you get fitter and your body comp changes for the better. Even your skin will look better. Saggy skin may be there, but will look better.
I wouldn't self-hate over it, no need for that!
And at a later date, you could opt for surgery if you are still unhappy with it.
Wait and see what training and diet do for it, as well as using some massage in that area to tone tissues.

I hope so!! After one child, my tummy looks the same!! I have found inspiration through her ---> https://www.facebook.com/CoachJessamyn?ref=profile She was contemplating a tummy tuck, but if you look through "My Transformation" album, she has managed to get rid of hers through eating clean and exercise. I THINK there is hope!!

I hope so!! After one child, my tummy looks the same!! I have found inspiration through her ---> https://www.facebook.com/CoachJessamyn?ref=profile She was contemplating a tummy tuck, but if you look through "My Transformation" album, she has managed to get rid of hers through eating clean and exercise. I THINK there is hope!!

Unless I'm not seeing the pics you are seeing, the loose and stretchy skin is still there, unfortunately. It is quite obvious in the pics.

I am so glad to hear all this good news! I too have that kind of belly from 2 pregnancies only I feel that mine may be a little worse :embarassed: At least I can hang on to this hope!

A stomach that has carried children and looks like it is NOT GROSS!

OK, now that I got that out of my system - yes, depending on your age and genetics, your skin will tighten to some extent. Anecdotal evidence is that a high protein diet will help as well. High protein being 1.1 to 1.4g/lean body mass (the latest recommendation on protein requirements during calorie restriction).

Best of luck! :drinker:

ETA: I have had only 1 baby, but it was when I was 40, so I had that against me. Feel free to creep the photos in my profile to see what it looks like now. There is loose skin, but it is only noticeable when I do pushups (for instance) and happen to glance down. Then I just remind myself of what my body produced, and I wouldn't trade it for the world!!

I have yet to see loose skin improving after weight lifting. Please show me some pictures.

Sorry, I know I'm being a debbie downer but I've got the same problem as the OP and even though I'm slim and have lifted for sometime now, the loose skin from pregnancy is still there and it IS unsightly. I can't wear bikinis because of that.

Are you speaking to me? I didn't say anything about lifting weights. I advocated she get plenty of protein. Go ahead and creep the pics in my profile if you want to see pics. Just click on my username to get there.

A stomach that has carried children and looks like it is NOT GROSS!

OK, now that I got that out of my system - yes, depending on your age and genetics, your skin will tighten to some extent. Anecdotal evidence is that a high protein diet will help as well. High protein being 1.1 to 1.4g/lean body mass (the latest recommendation on protein requirements during calorie restriction).

Best of luck! :drinker:

ETA: I have had only 1 baby, but it was when I was 40, so I had that against me. Feel free to creep the photos in my profile to see what it looks like now. There is loose skin, but it is only noticeable when I do pushups (for instance) and happen to glance down. Then I just remind myself of what my body produced, and I wouldn't trade it for the world!!

I have yet to see loose skin improving after weight lifting. Please show me some pictures.

Sorry, I know I'm being a debbie downer but I've got the same problem as the OP and even though I'm slim and have lifted for sometime now, the loose skin from pregnancy is still there and it IS unsightly. I can't wear bikinis because of that.

You're not being a 'debbie downer', you are speaking the hard honest truth!!!!!!
I've had one child and had hundreds of stretch marks and have loose skin. The fatter I am, the tighter the skin on my belly. The more weight I lose, the flappier my stomach gets.
Lifting weights, eating right and drinking lots of water is not going to change my skin in any way shape or form - and I've lifted for over 12 years, stomach has been around for coming up 16.
I've had personal trainers and doctors tell me that the only way to get rid of my skin will be to cut it off. I'm under no illusion that the more sit ups I do will help rid me of the belly.

Lifting may not help, but eating right is definitely important. Because you feed your skin from the inside out. I'm going to go ahead and post my photo to avoid any more confusion about my results. I weighed over 165 when I gave birth, so I gained quite a bit more than the recommended 25!

You've no doubt done a great job but it's not the same thing.

At 165 lbs, less 25 lbs is only 140 lbs. I don't know how tall you are but I presume that you're of average height so 140 lbs is hardly overweight. I gained a heck of a lot after all my pregnancies because of the effects of pregnancy. The only time I've ever been fat or obese (probably over 200 lbs) was when I was pregnant.

And yes, your post did refer to eating right, not lifting. I quoted the wrong post. Anyhow, eating right did not help as I ate (and still do) at least 100 gms protein daily for 2, going on 3 years now.

As I said, I don't want to be discouraging to others, but then again, for a lot of individuals, loose skin cannot easily be gotten rid of without outside intervention (aka tummy tuck, cosmetic surgery, miracle creams, if any etc). That's not to say "give up hope and die now". It's just a reality many will have to put up with.

You've no doubt done a great job but it's not the same thing.

At 165 lbs, less 25 lbs is only 140 lbs. I don't know how tall you are but I presume that you're of average height so 140 lbs is hardly overweight. I gained a heck of a lot after all my pregnancies because of the effects of pregnancy. The only time I've ever been fat or obese (probably over 200 lbs) was when I was pregnant.

And yes, your post did refer to eating right, not lifting. I quoted the wrong post. Anyhow, eating right did not help as I ate (and still do) at least 100 gms protein daily for 2, going on 3 years now.

As I said, I don't want to be discouraging to others, but then again, for a lot of individuals, loose skin cannot easily be gotten rid of without outside intervention (aka tummy tuck, cosmetic surgery, miracle creams, if any etc). That's not to say "give up hope and die now". It's just a reality many will have to put up with.

I started out at 120 lbs, so it was a 45lb weight gain and it was all in my tummy. Trust me, it got HUGE. I won't argue that I am genetically blessed to not be prone to stretch marks. But I definitely had loose skin, and still do. But in the 10 years since I gave birth, it has slowly but surely gotten tighter. I'm almost 50 now.

Oh, and I find it a bit insulting that you think it was 'easy' for me to improve my loose skin. It wasn't. I had to lose the weight, and get back into shape all while watching my macros.

And oh, I find it insulting that you present your opinions without acknowledging that in many circumstances, loose skin due to prior pregnancies cannot simply be gotten rid of through diet and exercise!

Did you actually SEE the picture the OP posted in her post above?? You think the saggy bit at the bottom can be gotten rid off through diet and exercise?

No way.

Lifting may not help, but eating right is definitely important. Because you feed your skin from the inside out. I'm going to go ahead and post my photo to avoid any more confusion about my results. I weighed over 165 when I gave birth, so I gained quite a bit more than the recommended 25!

You look fantastic - great job! Do you have a "before" of the loose skin?

Lifting weights is great exercise, but it does not shrink skin. Hydration and time do that. To what extent depends on several factors including genetics, how long the skin was stretched, and your age.

Drink plenty of fluids, lotion up the affected area often, be patient. Those are your best bets.

Apply coconut oil onto skin, could also try DMAE. There is some limited evidence that it helps tighten loose skin.

I am suffering terribly from the same thing. I had my son when I was 27 (17 months ago) and I've lost 73lbs from the day I had him, until now... so you can imagine the meat apron that I am haunted with. lol I am working hard to tone but it makes it difficult. the skin isn't like the rest of the skin on my body. the elasticity seems to be gone. when I suck in REALLY hard, it looks as though the pouch lifts a bit which gives me hope that if I lose the extra 40lbs I need to lose, It MAY actually tone up and shrink.

Here's hoping! I know weights help, but what kind of weights can you do to improve the skin on your stomach? I've been working hard with crunches and such. of course healthy eating and lots of water.

Definitely lift heavy things, drink lots of water and massage with vitamin E oils + moisturizing lotion. These can help but unfortunately once the skin has been stretched, depending on your genetics, it won't go away. All you can do is try to fill it with muscle. To the person who asked about what kind of weights you can do to improve skin etc: like I said definitely lift heavy - explore programs like New Rules of Weight Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5, use medicine balls, etc,. You can't just do crunches, you have to work the entire body.

You've no doubt done a great job but it's not the same thing.

At 165 lbs, less 25 lbs is only 140 lbs. I don't know how tall you are but I presume that you're of average height so 140 lbs is hardly overweight. I gained a heck of a lot after all my pregnancies because of the effects of pregnancy. The only time I've ever been fat or obese (probably over 200 lbs) was when I was pregnant.

And yes, your post did refer to eating right, not lifting. I quoted the wrong post. Anyhow, eating right did not help as I ate (and still do) at least 100 gms protein daily for 2, going on 3 years now.

As I said, I don't want to be discouraging to others, but then again, for a lot of individuals, loose skin cannot easily be gotten rid of without outside intervention (aka tummy tuck, cosmetic surgery, miracle creams, if any etc). That's not to say "give up hope and die now". It's just a reality many will have to put up with.

I started out at 120 lbs, so it was a 45lb weight gain and it was all in my tummy. Trust me, it got HUGE. I won't argue that I am genetically blessed to not be prone to stretch marks. But I definitely had loose skin, and still do. But in the 10 years since I gave birth, it has slowly but surely gotten tighter. I'm almost 50 now.

Oh, and I find it a bit insulting that you think it was 'easy' for me to improve my loose skin. It wasn't. I had to lose the weight, and get back into shape all while watching my macros.

And oh, I find it insulting that you present your opinions without acknowledging that in many circumstances, loose skin due to prior pregnancies cannot simply be gotten rid of through diet and exercise!

Did you actually SEE the picture the OP posted in her post above?? You think the saggy bit at the bottom can be gotten rid off through diet and exercise?

No way.

If you read her post, you would see that that is not actually the OP's stomach. I also think it just takes the piss out of you that you can't argue with my results. lol

You've lost me there completely. What results?? You did not even show any before versus after loose skin!

See the pic (and yes, I know it's not hers, but she said that it LOOKED like that) and show me your before and after pictures and the results you have achieved through diet.

Wow, you really are hostile, aren't you? Like I previously stated, I didn't take 'before' pics. It was 10 years ago. All of this I have been very up front about. I have had a baby, and those are my belly pics (my results). What is it exactly you are trying to call into question? Because I can play this game all day. :bigsmile: