My big belly pictures
jmleffler
Posts: 19 Member
I decided to post this here because I thought that many of you many have insight to my question. I have lost 21lbs and have about 30 left to lose to meet my goat weight. I've given birth three times over the past 6 years and my stomach is a hot mess. My youngest is only 7 weeks old and I am already 10lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight. I am 5'6" and weighed 173 when I got pregnant and 163 today.
I got horrible stretch marks with each pregnancy. They have never really bothered me but, as I lose weight, they are becoming a wrinkly mess. As I lose, my skin is incredibly thin at the bottom of my belly and the stretch marks are adding a lovely extra dimension. My baby is only 7 weeks and I've not been able to work out yet. I plan to start a combination of cardio + heavy lifting within the next week or so. While I do think that heavy lifting might help tighten it up, I have serious doubts that my stomach will ever really recover without surgery. I really believe it'll be a wrinkly, hot mess even once all the weight is gone.
Has anyone else had so many stretch marks and lost weight? What does it look like now?
I got horrible stretch marks with each pregnancy. They have never really bothered me but, as I lose weight, they are becoming a wrinkly mess. As I lose, my skin is incredibly thin at the bottom of my belly and the stretch marks are adding a lovely extra dimension. My baby is only 7 weeks and I've not been able to work out yet. I plan to start a combination of cardio + heavy lifting within the next week or so. While I do think that heavy lifting might help tighten it up, I have serious doubts that my stomach will ever really recover without surgery. I really believe it'll be a wrinkly, hot mess even once all the weight is gone.
Has anyone else had so many stretch marks and lost weight? What does it look like now?
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My stretch marks faded over time. My last child is now 17.0
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Hon, you had another human being living in your body up until 7 weeks ago. Of course your belly is a hot mess! It won't always be that way. Will it be perfectly flat and tight ever again? Probably not, but it will definitely improve from where it is now. Just focus on getting healthy and enjoying your sweet baby. Your belly will do what it's going to do.
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Be kind to yourself..... You have been through a lot, and they will fade & your tummy will get small again!0
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Hon, you had another human being living in your body up until 7 weeks ago. Of course your belly is a hot mess! It won't always be that way. Will it be perfectly flat and tight ever again? Probably not, but it will definitely improve from where it is now. Just focus on getting healthy and enjoying your sweet baby. Your belly will do what it's going to do.Kiwi_Billings wrote: »Be kind to yourself..... You have been through a lot, and they will fade & your tummy will get small again!
Thanks. I am not sweating it too much. Like you both mentioned, I was pregnant only 7 weeks ago! Sure, it's a hot mess but that's to be expected at this point. I'm not really being hard on myself and completely recognize that my belly looks like someone who has just given birth. I just wondered if it will stay wrinkly once the weight is lost. I feel like the stretch marks will contribute to the wrinkly mess, lol, and wondered if anyone else had a belly like this before losing weight.0 -
Kiwi_Billings wrote: »Be kind to yourself..... You have been through a lot, and they will fade & your tummy will get small again!
I agree! ^
You will probably have some extra/loose skin, but you will still be thinner and healthier! Also, you can always get it surgically removed if it really bother you at that point. Just google "abdominoplasty", and you can look at before and after pics. Great progress!0 -
thatswhatshesaiddd wrote: »Kiwi_Billings wrote: »Be kind to yourself..... You have been through a lot, and they will fade & your tummy will get small again!
I agree! ^
You will probably have some extra/loose skin, but you will still be thinner and healthier! Also, you can always get it surgically removed if it really bother you at that point. Just google "abdominoplasty", and you can look at before and after pics. Great progress!
That's what I was getting at....do you think the stretch marks and such will result in extra/loose skin? If it does, so be it. I'd rather have extra/loose skin vs. fat. It is what it is, ya know? Wondering if there's anything that can prevent the loose skin. Plan on combining cardio and heavy lifting.0 -
Oh, mama! Look at those beautiful tiger stripes!
My honest response is, "rock those things!" But I understand having babies (I've had two of my own) and wanting your body to go back to something it was before. I waited until I got the go-ahead from my doctor before I started exercising. And then, of course, I took it VERY slowly. I took my kids in a bike trailer (fun for them, exercise for me), and walked around with them in a stroller. Over time, I felt comfortable enough to add some abdominal work a couple times a week. I just kept adding in very small increments. Eventually I started Couch to 5K and now I'm doing Jillian Michaels's 30-Day Shred. My stomach is much more toned now and all the baby weight is gone. You just have to keep up with it, but keep it real - don't do too much too fast or you'll burn yourself out. The stretch marks fade with time.0 -
Oh, mama! Look at those beautiful tiger stripes!
My honest response is, "rock those things!"
Yep! I've always told my wife that I kinda like them and don't really wish them away. They are reminders of my babies and the stretchmarks themselves don't bother me at all. The loose, paper thin skin at the bottom of my belly....now that is something I don't like and want to go away. Lol.
I'm totally cool with my tiger stripes. I actually kinda like them.
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thatswhatshesaiddd wrote: »Kiwi_Billings wrote: »Be kind to yourself..... You have been through a lot, and they will fade & your tummy will get small again!
I agree! ^
You will probably have some extra/loose skin, but you will still be thinner and healthier! Also, you can always get it surgically removed if it really bother you at that point. Just google "abdominoplasty", and you can look at before and after pics. Great progress!
That's what I was getting at....do you think the stretch marks and such will result in extra/loose skin? If it does, so be it. I'd rather have extra/loose skin vs. fat. It is what it is, ya know? Wondering if there's anything that can prevent the loose skin. Plan on combining cardio and heavy lifting.
Just my 2 cents, but no, I don't think the loose skin gets taut again. Curious to see what others say....
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Well, I have minimal stretch marks but I do have the loose, paper-thin skin on the bottom of my belly. It has gotten a lot better since I lost ~25 pounds, but it's still there to some extent. I have 2 kids, both c-sections, and the youngest is 2.5 years old.
Exfoliation and moisturization is supposed to help, but I have not been religious about either.
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Better than tattoos. Burn off any fat you want; don't try to starve it off.0
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thatswhatshesaiddd wrote: »Kiwi_Billings wrote: »Be kind to yourself..... You have been through a lot, and they will fade & your tummy will get small again!
I agree! ^
You will probably have some extra/loose skin, but you will still be thinner and healthier! Also, you can always get it surgically removed if it really bother you at that point. Just google "abdominoplasty", and you can look at before and after pics. Great progress!
That's what I was getting at....do you think the stretch marks and such will result in extra/loose skin? If it does, so be it. I'd rather have extra/loose skin vs. fat. It is what it is, ya know? Wondering if there's anything that can prevent the loose skin. Plan on combining cardio and heavy lifting.
Just my 2 cents, but no, I don't think the loose skin gets taut again. Curious to see what others say....
Unfortunately, I second this ^.0 -
Well, I have minimal stretch marks but I do have the loose, paper-thin skin on the bottom of my belly. It has gotten a lot better since I lost ~25 pounds, but it's still there to some extent. I have 2 kids, both c-sections, and the youngest is 2.5 years old.
Exfoliation and moisturization is supposed to help, but I have not been religious about either.
As I loose the last 25-30, I just wonder if my whole belly will consist of the paper-thin skin that now makes up the underside of my belly.
I weigh 163 now (10lbs less than when I got pregnant!) and my goal is 135-140. Actually, my goal is to be in a size 6 again...which I have not seen in 10 years. I figured that 135-140 would put me there.0 -
You need to give yourself a break. Your womb has only just gone to its pre-pregnancy size. That takes about 6 weeks. Don't beat yourself up, your body will heal. And congrats on the new bundle of joy 0
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IMO the loose skin will always be there. When I lost a ton of weight after just having one child I had loose paper thin skin at the bottom. I worked out a ton to lose that weight and my upper abs looked great but the skin at the bottom never went away.0
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IMO the loose skin will always be there. When I lost a ton of weight after just having one child I had loose paper thin skin at the bottom. I worked out a ton to lose that weight and my upper abs looked great but the skin at the bottom never went away.
Sweet! This is what I wanted to know. I can be fine with all the paper-thin skin at the bottom. I was just hoping my whole stomach would not consist of a wrinkly, paper-thin mess! Yay!0 -
I have had 2 children (youngest is nearly 14 yoa) and been overweight a majority of my life. I started this journey in September, 2012, at 213 lbs. I carry most of my weight in my upper body (an apple I guess). Like you, I have lots of stretch marks and that thin skin you're talking about. I'm down to 136 lbs and, in spite of losing it slowly, I have some loose/wrinkly skin there. The stretch marks have faded a lot, but they are still obvious. I have a little bit of "baby apron" that is loose and flat. It's not so bad that I have skin issues like rashes or anything, so it doesn't bother me too much. I'm not considering major surgery to fix it. I look great in my clothes and nobody really sees it except my hubby. All that being said, I think time and exercise do help a lot, but you will likely still have loose skin.0
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