Did your loose skin tighten back up?

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wonderwoman234
wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've lost 12 lbs. in about 12 weeks - slow and steady. I lift heavy, eat healthy and also do cardio. I look much tighter and more toned but still have at least 25 lbs. to lose.

I have lost a lot of belly fat and my stomach looks much more flat, it also feels more soft and jiggly. I am afraid it is loose skin and even more worried that as I lose more weight that it will look even softer and more jiggly and never tighten up. It reminds me of my belly right after I gave birth, when I could actually move my belly around because of the loose skin! Back then, my skin eventually tightened up but I was also in my 20's.

Has anyone had loose skin that eventually tightened up? If so, how long did it take? How much did you lose before you started getting loose skin?

Honestly, given my slow weight loss, I was not anticipating any loose skin! I don't have the problem anywhere else on my body, just my abs.

Side note: I do ab exercises to make the muscle underneath the fat strong and toned and to support my core. I know I can't spot reduce.

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    It can take up to two years for your skin to retract. The speed you lose weight has no bearing if you'll get it or not all it means is your skin has longer to catch up so it may be less noticeable as you're losing. Think of it like a balloon if you let the air out quick or slowly you still have the same amount of balloon. If you have it long or short term is more down to the amount of weight genetics and your age. No matter what a little lose skin is preferable to the health problems caused by excessive weight. I've lost 130 pounds in 15 months and yes I have some loose skin but not a lot and it is retracting in places still hopefully when I've finished losing and a couple of years down the line any I have will be minimal. No matter what it'll be better than being 333 pounds waiting for some health problem to kill me.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    I lost 28lbs and carried most of it on my tum, 14mths into maintenance my tum is still getting smoother and less loose.
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
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    I lost some weight before joining, and have lost a lot of inches even when the pounds didn't go anywhere. I started to have some loose skin on my arms, I noticed a bit around the sides of my boobs, and a little bit on the side of my tummy. This was also where I held a lot of my fat and where I had stretch marks (although they eventually went away). Mine tightened back up really quickly. I'd say the arms took about a month and the boobs and sides just a couple weeks more. But I'm also a bit crazy about my skincare routine. Always have been and I am keeping it up through my weight loss. I think that, still being young, and making sure I'm doing a strength routine that really challenges me have made a big difference.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    With only having lost 12 lbs (not that that's nothing!) - it may not be loose skin. Sometimes the fat gets squishy for a while when you're losing. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
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    With only having lost 12 lbs (not that that's nothing!) - it may not be loose skin. Sometimes the fat gets squishy for a while when you're losing. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    I think you may be on the something. I also read something similar after I posted that said it may just be more fat not loose skin. I do have more fat to lose on my belly, so I am hoping that might be it.

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