Loose Skin- the real deal

You amazing physical transformation has been well-covered, and I have little more to add except one more heartfelt "Congatulations!"

To me, though, the most striking thing is your attitude. There's something about your unflinching self image, broad perspective, and intolerance for BS that imply a mental fortitude that's just as impressive as the fruits of all those hours in the gym. I wish you were my neighbor or co-worker.

I am so impressed with your weight loss and your dedication to health!

You look great skin and all. I would much rather have loose skin than have the same skin full of fat! Here is to you!!:drinker:

You should be VERY proud!

You amazing physical transformation has been well-covered, and I have little more to add except one more heartfelt "Congratulations!"

To me, though, the most striking thing is your attitude. There's something about your unflinching self image, broad perspective, and intolerance for BS that imply a mental fortitude that's just as impressive as the fruits of all those hours in the gym. I wish you were my neighbor or co-worker.

Very well put! I second you.

bump

Thank you for posting.

OP, thank you so much for your brutal honesty and exhibition. I grew up obese (6'3" 265lbs) and have been down to 165lbs and have the problem as well (though not as bad). In all my searching on the internet I don't think I've come across a thread as open and honest about this issue as this one.

Thanks again.

you're still young and maybe in another few years it will look much better

I'd love to see some photos of anyone who was overweight for that long and lost that much, even slowly, who ended up with minimal loose skin and an almost flat belly (without surgery). To me, that seems as realistic as the tooth fairy. I'm not saying that to be snarky, that's just the best way I can put it!

So...anyone?
As the OP said: post up some before and after pics or it didn't happen

<- Not that long (was skinny fat before slowly becoming fat, was obese for a little more than 5 years), and not quite that much weight, but my avi has about 90 lbs less fat that when I started.

However I lost 75 lbs then bulked, cut, bulked, and cut before my avi shot was taken, gaining 15 lbs of muscle and losing an additional 15 lbs fat during the bulk-cut cycles.

I have zero loose skin now, but I definitely had the deflated balloon look going on after my initial 75 lb loss.

The first 2 months bulking had an amazing effect on the loose skin that I had (I wasn't terribly lean at the time either, about 20%). Being in a sustained high protein calorie surplus made a huge difference. It isn't just good for growing muscle, all body processes that require growth and repair are supercharged.

Got any pics of when you started the bulk and when you got done with the first one?

This is about the best I've got, started in June, ended in Oct, cut until Christmas:



The loose skin I had never really showed up photographically in a front on shot like this (there was always enough fat that you could never really tell unless I moved certain ways), and I never had it in the arms/chest, but bending over far I had a large pooch hanging down (crazy looking because it sucked in near the body), and sitting/in normal clothes or bending a little I had a pancake flat roll right around the belt line that stuck out a good bit (different than the little roll that everyone, no matter how lean, has when sitting, it was a lot larger and flatter). I always take progress photos the best I can and try to hide flaws, taking shots of the loose skin was not something I was interested in.

It probably helped loose skin-wise in the arms/chest that I was pathetically muscle-free in the upper body even when fat, so it didn't take up a lot of extra space under the fat. The upper body has a lot of growth capacity; I've put on >5" in the chest, >2" in the arms.

Edit, if you look real close you can see the final hints of it in this picture, which was taken a year after I finished my initial weight loss, after 2 bulk cycles (was midway through the cut after the 2nd, had already lost all the bulking fat, but was looking to get a lot leaner than I had been). It was A LOT worse than this after I finished losing.

Thank you for posting this.

I've got loose skin issue as well even after just 60 lbs lost. It makes me really self conscious.

You look awesome and congrats on the incredible results. I know what you are going through. Between 2007 and 2008 I lost 130 pounds. I had lots of sagging skin. In 2009 I had it removed. It was by far the absolute best thing that I have ever done. However, in 2012 I got pregnant (never thought I was going to have any more children) and I gained weight. So, now I'm working to get it off but I must say....when I got the skin removed I have never in my entire life felt better than I did at that time. If I had to do it all over again, I most certainly would.

Your progress is amazing and you should be very proud of yourself!

Dude you are the man. Single digit % body fat wow. That is maximum effort and just a tremendous weight loss. It seems that you have mentally accepted the probably only real consequence of your success and that's great because now you can just let it be.

I once contemplated Skin removal surgery in the future once I was at 15% BF and maintained for 18 months. That was the plan...until I saw cyberEds sugery pics on his blog. (www.gettingfit4life.com). Drains attached to the body, scars, being out of commission and you still don't look like a beach body. I said to myself what's the point then? (Ed was over 500 and I think it was a must for him due to reasons other than cosmetics)

I will never be able to proudly take my shirt off at the beach or pool, no biggie I haven't done then since birth! At 80-90 lbs lost I have a very loose belly, chest and arms with about 75lbs to lose still but a good Nike pro combat compression shirt keeps me snug as bug in a rug.

Thank you so much for sharing, you look great in a tank top and that's all I want. My wife dated me at 400lbs you think she cares if I have loose skin? She cares about having a husband and father around for years to come.

Great job!

I'm not looking forward to dealing with excess skin so my plan has been to lose weight steadily and slowly. At my highest I was over 280 and a size 24w. In the last year I have missed 7 days of exercising and have gone from 24w, 22w, 20w, 18w, 16w, 16 to 14(same brand and style of jeans) and the scale is hovering at 223. It will be one year the third week of March.

My plan for this year is to lose 50-70 more pounds though the pounds are not what I'm really seeking as I know that muscle weighs more than fat I'm looking for single digit deflation if possible. I'd like to see a size 8 but a 10 would make me way happy. The last time I saw a size 8 was nearly 32 years ago before my 4th child. So while I'm not there yet I can say it isn't to late to get in shape for your health with the side benefit of being able to shop anywhere!

Off for my first session with my coach at the YMCA. I'm so excited!

Thank you for this post. Excellent job on the weight loss and transformation! For the longest time the fear of loose skin kept me from wanting to lose the weight. I have loose skin and will have so much more when I get to goal. It's about getting healthy from the inside out.

Skin gets stretched out, it's not really like it's "not attached" to the muscle anymore. Usually the loose skin is more prominent in large weight loss, fast weight loss, or people who are older (less elasticity).

I feel you. I have a skin suit myself. I find it amusing sometimes, depressing others. Still, you look amazing!