could use some advice re: tightening loose skin, increasing

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todayiswhereyourbookbegins
todayiswhereyourbookbegins Posts: 3
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
i feel really lucky to be apart of a community that is filled with people that are really knowledgable about facts, can speak from experience, have similar goals, and are just straight up interested in the same things i am. so that's why i'm asking YOU for some help.

alright, so i'm at a place physically, where i'm not really looking to drop pounds. my upper body is extremely (almost too) lean. i would just really like to fine tune my legs & booty area.

here i am at the gym last week. you can see what polar opposites my upper body and lower body are. i'd like my hard work to show on both halves of my body.

some of you know, i've lost over 100 lbs (crazy i know) the majority of that weight i have to say was from my hips down. my skin is pretty loose. i've read multiple articles re: toning/tightening loose skin, and what my options are. i am not and will not consider sugery. i don't want scars going up and down my legs and across my midsection. it's just not worth it to me. one man wrote that there is fat underneath that loose skin that you have, so if you continue to lose weight and build muscle, the skin will improve and tighten. no i won't look perfect, but i'll look better.

my questions:

a) is this possible? can i tighten my loose skin?

b) should i be switching my cardio from steady state cardio running to something like 10 minutes on the highest resistance on the elliptical, 10 minutes stairmaster, and 10 minutes powerwalking on the highest incline on the treadmill? i've already kicked up my leg strength training.

my current leg training:

weighted squats (30-40 lbs. 3x10)

deadlifts (40 lbs. 3x15)

walking/static lunges. (3x10 each leg)

seated leg press machine (50,60,70 lbs. 3x15)

seated leg extensions (50 lbs. 3x10)

laying hamstring curls (40 lbs. 3x10)

occasionally: step-ups on a block. 5 minutes.

do you have any suggestions/advice/prior knowledge regarding this issue?

Replies

  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I had loose skin (not a lot, but some) and when I switched to less cardio and more weights - I noticed that the skin slowly started looking better. Is it perfect? No. But, it really doesn't look bad at all. I was told to work on building muscle because the muscle will take the place of where the fat was and the skin will "fit" again.


    Not sure if it's total true, but it seems to be working for me. Course, it is a slooow process.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    Great question!! I am in the same boat. I agree about not wanting surgery but at the same time I know I have about 5-10 lbs of skin alone I could get rid of. I have maintained for a year and continue to stay active and eat right. I am training for a marathon and I mix in biking and strength training. I want the skin to hopefully just continue to diminish. It isn't awful except for on my stomach. Icky pooooo!
  • fastbelly
    fastbelly Posts: 727 Member
    Will give you a bump since I'm interested in seeing what people have to say about this too.

    From what I've read recently though, skin can take up to 2 years to re adjust and only then will you have a realistic picture of what loose skin you have, so maybe your skin still isn't where it will end.
  • AudgePaudge
    AudgePaudge Posts: 537 Member
    Bump :)
  • todayiswhereyourbookbegins
    todayiswhereyourbookbegins Posts: 3
    yeah i've recently started cutting back cardio to 3-4 days a week, about 30 minutes max. and bumped up my weight training. high weight, low reps. i'm hoping it will continue to tighten. thanks so much for your advice & congrats on your success!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    This isn't based on experience, but it might help to use some good collagen boosting lotion to firm the skin, and maybe some vitamin E?
  • AshDHart
    AshDHart Posts: 818 Member
    Bumping to see what others have to say.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    I dropped 80 lbs after having my son 7 yeas ago and i swear i gained just as much on the bottom or more that i did on the top. I ended up stretching out my legs and butt more then my stomach. so for me if i go below 130lbs now, my thighs begin to sag. :S not bad but it isnt pretty. So my plan is to build up my thigh muscles and reduce fat. Hopefully it will fill out my cellulite, keep my skin taught and not jiggle as much.
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
    How long has it been since you reached your goal weight? How long were you overweight at your highest weight? How long did it take you to lose your weight? I am no expert but I spent 3 years losing 165lbs. I started at 300 and finished at 135. Then I started lifting weights and settled at 145 in December of 2007. I maintained at about 140 from then till June of 2010 when I broke my hand and had a uterine ablation and added 20lbs due to not working out and adjusting to the results of the surgery.
    I ask how long you were heavy and how fast you lost your weight because I think those are two of the biggest factors with genetics and age probably being the other two. I am 43 and just realized today that my awful batwings are actually the smallest they have been so far and smaller than I ever thought they would be. I carried a lot of extra weight in my upper arms and my stomach.

    The worst areas are my upper arms and my thighs, my stomach bounced back surprisingly well but still isn't pretty. If you are sure you arent going to do surgery(I struggled for years with that decision and finally decided no) then I recommend lifting heavy and progressively and being patient. It can take YEARS to shrink the skin and nobody can guarantee how good your results will be but if you aren't choosing surgery than what the heck, you have nothing but time to work on it. I am nearly 4 years past goal weight an still see small improvements happening. I will try to look and see if I have my batwing pics from a few years ago and do some now.
  • ardeornellis
    ardeornellis Posts: 198 Member
    I had a tummy tuck after losing 85 pounds and don't mind the scar a bit... The flap is gone.. I, like you, was very unsure about the surgery, but the results boosted my self image SO much.. The scars fade...and they are a reminder to me of where I NEVER want to go again. The dr removed 8 pounds from my trunk.. I didn't have lipo or anything like that.. I just wanted the skin gone.. I'm not saying surgery is for you, but it's not a bad option... I know that with my body shape and the "flap on my lap" as I called it.. It wasn't going to go away, and now it's gone forever.... Just a thought...
  • todayiswhereyourbookbegins
    todayiswhereyourbookbegins Posts: 3
    I just don't think surgery is right for me. in order to remove excess skin from my legs/bum i would have to get a full lower body lift, which would leave me with scars behing my thighs, and an incision around my torso. i'd rather have loose skin than scars (personally) but that's just my opinion.

    i was between 180-230 for just shy of two years. i've been between 120-140 since like halloween. i got down to 125 at christmas, but gained like 15 lbs when i moved across the country and was adjusting to my new life. since april, i hopped back on the wagon. i'm at my LW of 121 right now.

    like i said i'm not interested in losing fat from anywhere else besides my lower-body. i have visible abs and ribs in my upper body, but my lower body looks like that of someone who is significantly heavier than me. i can see my legs just jiggle as i walk.

    i have worked and continue to work SO hard for this body, and i want to look in the mirror and feel like it shows. i know i'm no longer 228 lbs like i once was, but i just hate looking at these legs. it makes me want to scream.

    i read an article about dry skin brushing. i'm going to continue to lift heavy, do high resistance cardio, watch my food intake, try dry skin brushing and use intensive moisturizing lotions/creams. hopefully i'll find success.

    has anyone tried the nivea good-bye cellulite products? i tried bio-oil with no real results. i'd be interested in hearing something about the nivea.
  • ardeornellis
    ardeornellis Posts: 198 Member
    I did a 360 lift with mons and thigh lift.. My scars are on my inner thighs though, and go about half way down, and then all the way around my torso... I must say though....it was a hard and painful recovery....
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
    I really don't have much experience as the most I've ever lost was 45lbs and my skin bounced right back.

    I just wanted to say that you are GORGEOUS and I'm sure that you are your own worst critic:) Congratulations to you and your journey!
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
    give it time and keep working out like crazy with the weights. it could take you a year or two to get the legs you want but with your stats of how long you were heavy and how heavy you were I think you will have no problem getting there.
  • janiedoe111
    janiedoe111 Posts: 161 Member
    A person who has lost a good deal of weight who posts on MFP swears by exercising with a body-shaper on to aid the skin in rebounding.
  • EthanJeremiahsMama
    EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
    Bump!
  • morgthom75
    morgthom75 Posts: 127 Member
    Your skin will tighten up with time, lots of water, dropping your body fat % and building muscle. Especially in the lower body. Max out on the weights. Pound the thighs and glutes with super heavy squats and you won't have any problems. Just build muscles to fill in.
  • HMD7703
    HMD7703 Posts: 761 Member
    Definitely stick with the weight training for your lower body. As the muscle builds, your legs will look better and fill out more.

    Congrats on your amazing transformation. You really are an inspiration!!
  • THINandFABULOUS
    THINandFABULOUS Posts: 170
    bump. :)
  • CallmeSbo
    CallmeSbo Posts: 611 Member
    bump
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