Loose skin

MysteriousLeigh
MysteriousLeigh Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can anyone offer any tips on how to avoid loose skin while losing weight? It's honestly the thing that terrifies me most about losing weight and it's affecting my motivation.

I'm currently losing about a kilo a week, and I have a vibration training plate that I'm hoping will help tone me up as I continue to lose. I've read that losing weight slower might help but I'm not sure what constitutes 'slower'.

SW 256lb, CW 232lb, GW 145lb.

Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
    Losing 1% of your body weight in pounds is a number I hear a lot as a reasonable rate so at around 2.2 pounds a week you are right on target for that.

    How old are you? I lost 80 pounds in my 30s without getting loose skin. However, I lost it slower than 1% a week, and I exercised as I went. I recommend a progressive weight lifting program.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited May 2017
    MysteriousLeigh wrote: »
    Can anyone offer any tips on how to avoid loose skin while losing weight? It's honestly the thing that terrifies me most about losing weight and it's affecting my motivation.

    I'm currently losing about a kilo a week, and I have a vibration training plate that I'm hoping will help tone me up as I continue to lose. I've read that losing weight slower might help but I'm not sure what constitutes 'slower'.

    SW 256lb, CW 232lb, GW 145lb.

    losing weight slowly can help but its all down to genetics and the elasticity in your skin. and to get a toned look you have to lose fat over any existing muscle you have and thats done in a deficit.how is something that vibrates going to help you lose fat? slower weight loss would be .5(1/2) to 1lb a week or less.

    weight training can help you look better while you are losing weight.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited May 2017
    I'm sorry, sweetie. If it's going to happen it's going to happen. On the plus side, if it ISN'T going to happen then it isn't. ;)

    I had loose skin in folds following my first pregnancy at age 19 even when I got down to just over a hundred pounds and 17 years later, before my second pregnancy, I still had exactly that same skin. If it was going to bounce back I assume it would have happened in less than 17 years.

    I have not seen my belly button since 1985.

    By contrast, my sister, same parents, same genetic history, has a few tiny puckers from pregnancy. BUT she had stretch marks from breast growth from the time she was a teen. Meanwhile post-pregnancy she massively gained weight over a few years, then lost a bunch of it and really still does not have loose skin. Pregnancy means a much quicker rate of growth and stretching of skin but then why did I get this literal mess and my sister is fine? You know? Neither of us did cocoa butter or carried "small" or anything. It really was just whatever our genetics had decided to do with the gain and loss.

    You can rub creams and lose slowly and all that but really you need to get healthy first, then if you have loose skin, either probably slice 'n dice it, or come to terms with it.

  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    I'm 80lbs down and have loose skin everywhere. Genetics...
  • angela2520682
    angela2520682 Posts: 13 Member
    I read eating alot of protein helps, i eat 90g of protein on a 1300 calorie diet. I am down almost 50 pounds with no loose skin just more stretch marks,but i have more to lose right now so its a bit early to tell. My mom lost 70 pounds and she has some loose skin but i think all she did was cardio and no weight training or resistance.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
    Genetics and age play the biggest roles. The more you have to lose, the bigger chance you'll experience loose skin.

    Adding muscle helps. But body wraps, skin creams, whatever - waste of money.

    Health is more important! And if it's really bad, surgery is always an option.
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    Mostly it's genetics and your age. I'm down 140+ pounds and have loose skin on my stomach, arms, thighs and face. I lost my weight over 3 years time, so I consider that's 'slow'.
    But, I have to be honest- I'll take the fat loss over loose skin ANY DAY. Feels so wonderful to be fit and healthy. Nice Spanx undergarments help hide the loose skin if it bothers you. And there's always the option later for surgical removal if you desire.
    I'd recommend fitting in weight training while losing- if anything, I have lovely toned muscles that I concentrate on rather than the 'bat wings' lol.
  • MysteriousLeigh
    MysteriousLeigh Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks everyone. Guess I'll just have to chance it.

    @kshama2001 I'm 30 and my life is pretty much on hold while I lose this weight so I'm trying to do it quickly. But ofc there's the question of 'Do you want it done quick or do you want it done right?'

    @CharlieBeansmomTracey The vibration plate doesn't help lose fat. It works the muscles which helps tone the skin. It's not a weight loss method, it's a toning aid.

    @toxikon and @fitoverfortymom In theory healthy should be better, yes, but I don't really see the point if I'm gonna look worse than I do now. But that's my own issue, obviously.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
    Losing slowly generally means you are getting a higher level of nutritious food. Couple that with .8-1g protein per 1lbs ideal body weight and you have a better chance of producing enough collagen and elastin ( both proteins) to get the best skin results your genetics will allow.

    Exercise improves circulation. Good circulation improves cell turnover. This in turn helps with skin regeneration.
    Creams, can help the surface of the skin look better, but it is the process of massaging it in that is more helpful- back to cell turnover and circulation.

    Lifting weights gives you a better substructure, (also helps with circulation) this does help loose skin look better, as does good posture- it is great for the midsection.

    To sum up: eat at a reasonable deficit, get plenty of protein, exercise, and hope genetics are on your side.

    Cheers, h.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited May 2017
    MysteriousLeigh wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. Guess I'll just have to chance it.

    @kshama2001 I'm 30 and my life is pretty much on hold while I lose this weight so I'm trying to do it quickly. But ofc there's the question of 'Do you want it done quick or do you want it done right?'

    @CharlieBeansmomTracey The vibration plate doesn't help lose fat. It works the muscles which helps tone the skin. It's not a weight loss method, it's a toning aid.

    @toxikon and @fitoverfortymom In theory healthy should be better, yes, but I don't really see the point if I'm gonna look worse than I do now. But that's my own issue, obviously.

    it CLAIMS to work the muscle(there is no proof),but to get that toned look you have to lose fat over your existing muscle. so therefore if you have fat over the muscle no matter how much you work the muscle you wont get that toned look,you cant tone muscle.also if you dont have a lot of muscle you may not get that toned look you want even if you lose the fat.its a lot harder to build muscle and I doubt some vibration thing is going to do that. thats like getting one of those belts that make your stomach muscles contract claiming it will give you a flat stomach.
  • MysteriousLeigh
    MysteriousLeigh Posts: 15 Member
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    it CLAIMS to work the muscle(there is no proof),but to get that toned look you have to lose fat over your existing muscle. so therefore if you have fat over the muscle no matter how much you work the muscle you wont get that toned look,you cant tone muscle.also if you dont have a lot of muscle you may not get that toned look you want even if you lose the fat.its a lot harder to build muscle and I doubt some vibration thing is going to do that. thats like getting one of those belts that make your stomach muscles contract claiming it will give you a flat stomach.

    Alright, thank you.

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