weight loss with NO loose skin? possible?

amandakev88 · March 2014

is it possible? did anybody lose 25 pounds or more and not have loose skin? i rarely see anybody have it in pics, so im assuming its possible. what is the trick to avoiding it?

minizebu · March 2014

I think that it depends on many factors: How large was the person to start with? How long had the person been overweight? How quickly did the person lose the weight? Did the person lose the weight through diet alone (or diet and cardio only) or did they incorporate resistance training into their regimen? How old was the person when they lost the weight?

I am middle aged, had been progressively overweight to obese for about fifteen years, and I lost my weight over the course of the last eighteen months through mostly diet and cardio. I have some lose skin on my lower abdomen, my upper thighs and I have a bit of a chicken wing look to my arms.

I believe that if I had not been overweight for so long, if I had incorporated resistance training into my regimen, and if I had been younger, then I might have avoided it.

rrrnda · March 2014

I don't know, but I want to find out too. I have a HUGE amount to lose, 120 lbs., and know that I need to do strength training as well as everything else.

Good luck!!

Sreneesa · March 2014

I have lost 35 lbs in the past and no loose skin. I never really exercised either.

I believe genetics plays a big role. I never got stretch marks having kids,, my mom had five, including twins, no stretch marks and we both lost the weight quickly and no loose skin.

Mind you in the past I always lost weight fairly quickly and still never no loose skin.

So yes its very possible. The more weight you have to lose, and I also believe the longer you are obese, not necessarily overweight, the higher chance of having loose skin.

zoeysasha37 · March 2014

I think everyone will be different, as many factors come into play. But I would suggest weight training if your looking to have minimal loose skin. When I started my journey, I didn't know mfp even existed, and I was basically on my own trying to figure everything out. I wish I would've incorporated strength training into my routine then, cuz I do have some loose skin now. But I'm still in the process of working on it :-)

fuzilojak · March 2014

I lost around 140lbs over 14 months when I was 16-17. I dieted and did cardio (walking/running, raquetball) and a little weight lifting ad other than a bit lost loose skin on my lower abdomen I fine. I could never get a full six pack but I also wasn't putting that much time in at the gym.

When I was 27 I had gained a good amount of the weight back and stayed cycling 35-40 miles a day for 6-7 days a week, plus 1 1/2 hrs in the gym 5 days a week and lost about 80-100lbs that time and still had a little belly but still fairly toned else where.

After an accident a few years ago I started gaining a lot of weight. I was over 420lbs before I started dieting and working out. I've been this big for a while now and I'm older so I'm worried I might not be so lucky this time around.

I do agree with minizebu on the different factors that can attribute to the extra skin. I know losing the weight too quickly can be a big factor, resistance training will tone the muscle under the skin but not sure how much it helps with the skin tightening up.

I would also look into what foods, vitamins and minerals are good for promoting healthy skin. I've done that over the years and I do believe it helps.

http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/information/nutrition/best-vitamins-for-skin-health.htm

lemon629 · March 2014

I lost 60 pounds several years ago and didn't have loose skin or any other cosmetic problems. I'd only been overweight for six years, though, so that probably helped. I also lost it slowly, approximately 18 months.

fredman2 · March 2014

Well, a month ago I was 407.6, today I am 384.8 and I am not noticing it yet,
but I HAVE A LOT TO LOSE, and a long way to go.
What I am saying is: I will keep you informed, but loose skin is on my
mind as well, but if I have to deal with loose skin as opposed to being
morbidly obese, I know which one I'm taking!

MissImpala · March 2014

With being overweight my entire life and working on losing over 200 lbs, I just started, but already I have loose skin. But physical beauty is not the reason I do this. My back and hip pain is why. My wish not to need my husband take care of me due to my loss of indepence is motivating me. My inability to clean or decorate my house the way I want without my back killing me motivates me. To not want to be that heavy breathing morbidly obese person in the scooter at Walmart motivates me! To actually be able to ride a bicycle again without excruciating pelvic pressure motivates me! Physical merits are a bonus, but fleeting. Find the things other than beauty that motivate you, there is always surgery. :-)

Guinivere · March 2014

I've lost 77 lbs so far with no loose skin because I did it deliberately slowly, losing a little, then enjoying a plateau allowing my skin to "catch up".

So my advice is don't hurry it.

And get a lymphatic drainage massage every two weeks to improve the skin tone and texture as you go along.

I'm three years into my weight loss on the quest to be a Permaloser. I suspect I will get to a stable goal weight by the end of this year, but next year is fine too. It's all good.

CrusaderSam · March 2014

Nothing there is no trick! It is something you will get or wont. Its like asking tall people what their trick was to get tall. I think the hardest part for people about this topic, that is one thing that just wont be in their control. Also the reason you don't see it in a lot of pics its not that hard to crop out or hide if you want to cover it up in pics. Like the pic I use for my avatar you cant see it but my skin is in very bad shape. So you should just think of it like this, right this second, before you lose a single pound your skin has already come loose or it hasnt, it is already done and over. The only thing you can do at this point is lose the weight and be healthy and that's the only outcome that matters.

NewLIFEstyle4ME · March 2014

Here's some success stories, inspirations and good food for thought on this topic here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1227399-any-lost-50lbs-with-no-loose-skin-success-stories

wlundin · March 2014

Not sure how possible it is as we get older. I lost 100 pounds about 20 years ago and had no left over skin. Over the past 14 months, I have lost 180. I went from the Pilsbury Dough Boy to a Shar-Pei. I hope that time, exercise and hydration will help out.

gurlygirlrcr80 · March 2014

I have lost 117 lbs in 13 months and i have lose skin. I working out with playing sports, lifting weights, and a little cardio. The more I'm lifting, the better the skin is looking. I don't think it will too much of a factor later. I'd rather have extra skin than 100+ pounds of fat on my body still. It depends on your skins elasticity and genetics and build and so many different things. If you don't have elasticity left in your skin...it's not going anywhere and you can't "create" that...you either have it or you don't.

RunningMom42 · March 2014

I lost 50 pounds in about 10 months and I don't have any loose skin to speak of. I still have about 20 pounds and some toning to do. I think the key is to balance a reduced calorie diet, cardio and strength training. I do have a bit of a waddle on my neck that I didn't have before and I think my face has aged since I lost weight but I can live with that.

impromark · March 2014

It's genetics. I lost 40+ pounds in 2013 and my arms are smaller (AND more muscular) with no loose skin, while my belly is shaping up a six-pack with a bit of it hanging around. I'm not letting it get me down though - being in far better shape is a much better thing to think about than a bit of excess skin here or there!

Mark

weight loss with NO loose skin? possible?

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