My stomach is starting to hang more since I lost weight

faburizu
faburizu Posts: 32 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
I am terrified of having a pouch like a lot of women I know do when they lose a lot of weight. I have always carried my weight in my stomach and I am losing weight sort of quickly. Is there any tips anyone can recommend for tightening skin? I wasn't extremely overweight. I used to be 225 but not for a very long time, and now I'm around 184. I'm already extremely insecure about all of the other parts of my body, I really don't need another thing :( . When I google it, it just says to exercise and eat right and drink water but I am doing all of those things already. I also wear spanx every day but I always have done that.

Replies

  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    edited March 2015
    From what I understand there is little you can do that is proven effective beyond surgery. I'm working out with the weight machines at the gym as I lose weight to try and tone my muscles to try and avoid that. I started at 244 and an at 229 now so I don't see much of a difference yet...
    There are worse things in life than a pooch. Being fit and healthy is more important.
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
    Sometimes things look "worse" before they get better. Think of your body like a construction zone. There's going to be some extra lumber and piles of sawdust scattered about for a while. You're young. Things will bounce back. But there might be some awkwardness during the construction phase.

    Make sure you're getting adequate protein, doing some form of strength training and don't have too high of a calorie deficit. If you're set to lose two pounds a week, it might be about time you switch to 1.5 pounds a week.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Follow a progressive weight lifting programme and give it time

    skin takes up to 2 years to shrink
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    I second what all the others have said. As for insecurity, if you are young there is pressure to look conventional - the way your peers or the media define "pretty", just as there is pressure to behave conventionally. Beauty lies in uniqueness, just like charm lies in quirks - you will develop your own unique brand of beauty in time, it may or may not include a pooch. I really don't say that in the gushy sort of way, it's just a fact one comes to appreciate with a little time - the better you come to know yourself, the more confident you are, the more beautiful you will feel and look to others. And there are few things like tackling a fitness program to boost confidence - not because of how you look at the end, but because of all that you have seen you can do :)

    Sorry for the rant, just wanted to say that not only skin will probably bounce back, insecurities will melt away too if you focus on your accomplishments and not on perceived "flaws".
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Lifting helps retain muscle mass and tighten everything. Lose skin is pretty much genetics and time. You have youth on your side, so keep doing what you're doing and be patient.
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    Yes, I have a bit of a hanging stomach, but it is 100xs bettter than a fat stomach. That is how I see it. I am not for cosmetic surgery for myself.
  • loconnor466
    loconnor466 Posts: 215 Member
    Wiseandcurious wrote: »
    I second what all the others have said. As for insecurity, if you are young there is pressure to look conventional - the way your peers or the media define "pretty", just as there is pressure to behave conventionally. Beauty lies in uniqueness, just like charm lies in quirks - you will develop your own unique brand of beauty in time, it may or may not include a pooch. I really don't say that in the gushy sort of way, it's just a fact one comes to appreciate with a little time - the better you come to know yourself, the more confident you are, the more beautiful you will feel and look to others. And there are few things like tackling a fitness program to boost confidence - not because of how you look at the end, but because of all that you have seen you can do :)

    Sorry for the rant, just wanted to say that not only skin will probably bounce back, insecurities will melt away too if you focus on your accomplishments and not on perceived "flaws".

    <3
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
    It mostly comes down to genetics and time... Some things can help, keeping hydrated, not losing too fast, moisturising, weight training. But ultimately it will be what it will be and SKIN does not have any fat or muscle, once they have gone - they have gone!! If it becomes a serious issue for you (it is for me after losing 118 lbs) wear appropriate clothing and relish in your accomplishments rather than dwell on the bad stuff and learn to love yourself, loose skin and all...
  • gaurdgoose
    gaurdgoose Posts: 106 Member
    The fact that you are so young should make it easier for your body to firm up and tone up even in the Tummy area. Unlike myself 50+ and losing over 100+ pounds I will have the saggy bag
  • tinabobeena1981
    tinabobeena1981 Posts: 79 Member
    My best friend told me when I first started losing weight that her stomach when through phases while she was losing. (She lost around 80 lbs and started about where you did.) She said sometimes it would sit up high and then it would sag lower for a few months, then start to flatten out. Your body will go through a lot of changes, but just keep doing what you're doing!
  • gwayby
    gwayby Posts: 42 Member
    Wiseandcurious wrote: »
    I second what all the others have said. As for insecurity, if you are young there is pressure to look conventional - the way your peers or the media define "pretty", just as there is pressure to behave conventionally. Beauty lies in uniqueness, just like charm lies in quirks - you will develop your own unique brand of beauty in time, it may or may not include a pooch. I really don't say that in the gushy sort of way, it's just a fact one comes to appreciate with a little time - the better you come to know yourself, the more confident you are, the more beautiful you will feel and look to others. And there are few things like tackling a fitness program to boost confidence - not because of how you look at the end, but because of all that you have seen you can do :)

    Sorry for the rant, just wanted to say that not only skin will probably bounce back, insecurities will melt away too if you focus on your accomplishments and not on perceived "flaws".

    I wish I could have comprehended this when I was younger. I'm 28 now and just learning to love my uniqueness and flaws (with the help of a great therapist). I'm "weirder" than I was in my early 20's, and hardly ever wear makeup anymore, but people seem to like me more. It's a relief to just be yourself ☺️
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    i lost 50lb and had to csection babies. my stomach is not what it was. but i can tell u i still feel a million times better inside and out. im healthy. and thats really what matters. because im confident i can get over my stomach. i buy clothes that flatter me. i will never wear a bikini but atleast ill but on a one piece and feel like i can rock that way more than when i was heavy
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
    Water is very important for your skin as well as proteins. And vitamins. So eat healthy and be patient...
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    Mine is hanging too and I'd much rather that than have it all puffed out fat sticking out like I'm 20 months preg with twins LOL.

    I did have twins almost 19 years ago now (ergh I feel old) and while I had no stretch marks (thanks genes!), my skin hung for awhile. (I was actually at almost perfect weight for me after their birth) Eventually it mostly tightened up so I'm crossing my fingers I get that lucky again. I don't care about having the near perfect abs I had before kids, but yeah it takes time for nature to reverse what is done.
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
    Youre super young, and so your skin still has a lot of elasticity to it. My advice, cross this bridge when you get to it! You may find that you bounce back very quickly and realize stressing over it was for nothing! I really do think though, that if you just give it some time, your skin will tighten up.

    Don't even think about surgery...thats last ditch "once youre at goal weight for a couple years and your stomach is still hanging about" resort. Im nearly 40, have had a baby, and I dont know, genes? But when I lose weight, my stomach is a jiggly at first, then starts tightening up...next thing Im like oh hey!! Whered you go tum?! So just wait it out, dont stress until you have a legit reason to!
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Skin elasticity is generally affected by age. You are 22 YO and your skin will likely tighten up just fine in time. The skin does require time to tighten after weight loss.
  • faburizu
    faburizu Posts: 32 Member
    Thanks everyone! This is my first time really working this hard toward weight loss/health/fitness and I was at my highest weight ever when I really began this journey but your responses have put my anxiety to rest. I just saw myself in the mirror this morning and panicked. Thanks!
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