Loose skin vs body fat
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SisterSueGetsFit
Posts: 1,211 Member
I know this may seem like a strange question, but after a 50-55 pound weight loss I am having a hard time telling the difference between what could possibly be excess skin and what is still body fat that I need to lose. I've gone from 205 to around 153. I'm 5'5" so I could probably lose another 25 to 30 pounds. Below is a picture for reference. Any guidance is appreciated! 
3
Replies
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Great job!
Several posters have said their skin didn't tighten up until they'd been at goal for a few years. Are you doing any strength training?0 -
You look lovely, congratulations on your achievement.
It will be a little of both. You will have some loose skin that will be holding fat also. Skin on it's own is thinner, so if you can kind of grab it, then it's fat & water underneath.2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Great job!
Several posters have said their skin didn't tighten up until they'd been at goal for a few years. Are you doing any strength training?
I'm just gently starting. I'd like to lose at least another 15 pounds before I seriously start lifting as I know it's difficult to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I do use the treadmill at an incline of 15 and a pace of 3 for 30 minutes at least five times a week so I am engaging my leg muscles more than just straight walking. My problem is I feel "fatty" and look jiggly. I don't know if it's loose skin or if it's just excess fat I need to lose yet. Or maybe a combination of both...
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You look lovely, congratulations on your achievement.
It will be a little of both. You will have some loose skin that will be holding fat also. Skin on it's own is thinner, so if you can kind of grab it, then it's fat & water underneath.
Thank you for your kind words. I had a feeling it was a combination of both.
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rchlthompson wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Great job!
Several posters have said their skin didn't tighten up until they'd been at goal for a few years. Are you doing any strength training?
I'm just gently starting. I'd like to lose at least another 15 pounds before I seriously start lifting as I know it's difficult to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I do use the treadmill at an incline of 15 and a pace of 3 for 30 minutes at least five times a week so I am engaging my leg muscles more than just straight walking. My problem is I feel "fatty" and look jiggly. I don't know if it's loose skin or if it's just excess fat I need to lose yet. Or maybe a combination of both...
You should not wait to start strength training. It's probably THE biggest mistake people make. At this point it's about keeping what muscle you do have, and if you are a true noob to lifting you may gain some muscle (or at least have more fluid retained in them) It's probably a combination of loose skin & fat. Strength training NOW is the best thing you can do in you situation.6 -
I've lost 84 lb. I was 'planking' recently. My loose skin on my torso hung down like thin curtains. That's how I know it's not fat.
I endorse what rybo said above.1 -
rchlthompson wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Great job!
Several posters have said their skin didn't tighten up until they'd been at goal for a few years. Are you doing any strength training?
I'm just gently starting. I'd like to lose at least another 15 pounds before I seriously start lifting as I know it's difficult to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I do use the treadmill at an incline of 15 and a pace of 3 for 30 minutes at least five times a week so I am engaging my leg muscles more than just straight walking. My problem is I feel "fatty" and look jiggly. I don't know if it's loose skin or if it's just excess fat I need to lose yet. Or maybe a combination of both...
You should not wait to start strength training. It's probably THE biggest mistake people make. At this point it's about keeping what muscle you do have, and if you are a true noob to lifting you may gain some muscle (or at least have more fluid retained in them) It's probably a combination of loose skin & fat. Strength training NOW is the best thing you can do in you situation.
Thank you!
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »I've lost 84 lb. I was 'planking' recently. My loose skin on my torso hung down like thin curtains. That's how I know it's not fat.
I endorse what rybo said above.
I also endorse what rybo said, but I have to add that since women tend to carry more body fat than men, our experience of loose skin will be different.
In some areas, I have that loose, crepey type, but I know in areas where women naturally carry body fat, there will always be some subcutaneous fat clinging to the loose skin.
In other words, I think it's easier for men to have that "thin curtain" effect than women.
OP, you do have some loose skin, but there is body fat there that can still go. I think you'd see more definition in the sides of your abdomen if you had less body fat.1 -
Please, please, please start lifting now. Nothing will make a bigger difference ( in a good way) to your shape. You look awesome, BTW2
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Loose skin is thin and wrinkly like tissue paper or a deflated balloon. If it doesn't look or feel like that, there's still fat. You look great.3
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Strength training helps you get stronger and NOT LOSE as much muscle while losing. You want to lose mostly fat, not muscle. Plus when you get to your desired weight, you will look much better having strength trained.
I don't see anything I would identify as loose skin in your picture.0 -
I have a very long way to go with weight loss and I can definitely say start lifting now! I've been lifting since fairly early on and I'm so glad I did. While I'm sitting very close to 20#'s lost I look like I've lost a lot more. People comment on it bc it looks like more.
You look fantastic. Great work! I hope I look that good when I'm done.1 -
I'm struggling to see any loose skin in your pic OP. If i squint my eyes and get the magnifying glass out, i can see a teeny bit of crepe paper look around your belly button, but I'm seriously reaching here
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For some/many of us, the fat areas can get kind of squishy when we're on the way to goal, rather than neatly shrinking from the outside perimeter first - the areas get less dense. Maybe this is what you're observing?
If so, as you continue to lose, you can expect the fat areas to continue to deplete. Some areas will pretty much fully deplete and kind of tighten up, but some may have actual loose skin (as other have said, loose skin is a very thin layer that tends to look crepe-y or have very small sort of slightly drape-y folds to it). The loose skin then may continue to shrink back over quite a long period.
I agree with others that there's every reason to start lifting now, and no reason to wait, as long as you keep your intensity at a level that isn't fatiguing and that fits your eating level. As women, it's pretty slow for us to gain muscle under the best of conditions. Starting your lifting while losing weight can help you retain as much as possible of your existing muscle, so you don't need to rebuild it (slowly) later.
Furthermore, although you may not gain much additional muscle while in a calorie deficit (beyond newbie gains, anyway), you can gain strength (via better adaptation/efficiency/utilization of the existing muscle, loosely speaking) . . . and extra strength is a useful thing in itself.0 -
rchlthompson wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Great job!
Several posters have said their skin didn't tighten up until they'd been at goal for a few years. Are you doing any strength training?
I'm just gently starting. I'd like to lose at least another 15 pounds before I seriously start lifting as I know it's difficult to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I do use the treadmill at an incline of 15 and a pace of 3 for 30 minutes at least five times a week so I am engaging my leg muscles more than just straight walking. My problem is I feel "fatty" and look jiggly. I don't know if it's loose skin or if it's just excess fat I need to lose yet. Or maybe a combination of both...
You should not wait to start strength training. It's probably THE biggest mistake people make. At this point it's about keeping what muscle you do have, and if you are a true noob to lifting you may gain some muscle (or at least have more fluid retained in them) It's probably a combination of loose skin & fat. Strength training NOW is the best thing you can do in you situation.
This. Start lifting now!!!0 -
Loose skin is thin and wrinkly like tissue paper or a deflated balloon. If it doesn't look or feel like that, there's still fat. You look great.
Thank you very much. I'm pretty sure most of it is excess body fat, but there are a few places on my arms and legs that are definitely excess skin. All with due time. : )Christine_72 wrote: »I'm struggling to see any loose skin in your pic OP. If i squint my eyes and get the magnifying glass out, i can see a teeny bit of crepe paper look around your belly button, but I'm seriously reaching here
Thank you for your kind comments. It funny how I'm so much more critical of my body now than I was at over 200 pounds. I just seem to find any and all imperfections. I know I have a bit of body fat to lose yet, and the excess skin isn't THAT big of a deal, but I'm just having a hard time telling the difference in some spots.For some/many of us, the fat areas can get kind of squishy when we're on the way to goal, rather than neatly shrinking from the outside perimeter first - the areas get less dense. Maybe this is what you're observing?
If so, as you continue to lose, you can expect the fat areas to continue to deplete. Some areas will pretty much fully deplete and kind of tighten up, but some may have actual loose skin (as other have said, loose skin is a very thin layer that tends to look crepe-y or have very small sort of slightly drape-y folds to it). The loose skin then may continue to shrink back over quite a long period.
I agree with others that there's every reason to start lifting now, and no reason to wait, as long as you keep your intensity at a level that isn't fatiguing and that fits your eating level. As women, it's pretty slow for us to gain muscle under the best of conditions. Starting your lifting while losing weight can help you retain as much as possible of your existing muscle, so you don't need to rebuild it (slowly) later.
Furthermore, although you may not gain much additional muscle while in a calorie deficit (beyond newbie gains, anyway), you can gain strength (via better adaptation/efficiency/utilization of the existing muscle, loosely speaking) . . . and extra strength is a useful thing in itself.trigden1991 wrote: »rchlthompson wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Great job!
Several posters have said their skin didn't tighten up until they'd been at goal for a few years. Are you doing any strength training?
I'm just gently starting. I'd like to lose at least another 15 pounds before I seriously start lifting as I know it's difficult to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I do use the treadmill at an incline of 15 and a pace of 3 for 30 minutes at least five times a week so I am engaging my leg muscles more than just straight walking. My problem is I feel "fatty" and look jiggly. I don't know if it's loose skin or if it's just excess fat I need to lose yet. Or maybe a combination of both...
You should not wait to start strength training. It's probably THE biggest mistake people make. At this point it's about keeping what muscle you do have, and if you are a true noob to lifting you may gain some muscle (or at least have more fluid retained in them) It's probably a combination of loose skin & fat. Strength training NOW is the best thing you can do in you situation.
This. Start lifting now!!!
Thank you both for the insightful answers. I'll start looking into a beginner lifting program ASAP.0 -
Thanks also to everyone I forgot to "quote" and respond to. I appreciate the time you took to answer and for your helpful/nice comments.3
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