Maintaining Elasticity

moosmum1972 wrote: »

Sadly genetics is your only real friend with this....it can take two years for skin to sort itself out so be patient.

Two years is generally considered the most that it will "snap back". After that, it's not suspected to change much.

It depends on your genetics, starting weight, how long you were overweight, how quickly you lose weight, and so many other factors. We won't be able to tell you with any certainty whether or not your skin will shrink.

What we CAN tell you is that loose skin is better than over weight, unhealthy, and miserable.

Your skin won't become loose overnight. You'll be able to check in with your body daily and maintain/slow down weight loss if you think that that's something that helps. It's something you'll have time to make peace with.

Congrats on losing the 50! Good luck!

Some of us go through phases where our fat cells deplete successfully, but not neatly from the outside layer then proceeding inward. Instead, the fat mass gets progressively more squishy or hang-y rather than its former firmness. Think of a full water balloon (firm, round), vs. a half-full one with just water, no air (kinda squishy, floppy).

This can be frustrating, for sure . . . but it will improve.

True loose skin is thin wrinkles. Think of the thickness your skin has if you pinch up some on part if your body that's bony, with little subcutaneous fat (such as elbow, kneecap, back of hand). It's the thickness of folds in a medium weight fabric.

Thicker folds, like 1/2" or more, still have some fat conspiring with gravity to keep it stretched. If you still have weight to lose, that will keep depleting.

Unfortunately, until you get quite close to goal weight, it's hard to assess what your end result will be, in terms of true loose skin and/or residual body fat (how much and where). Even at goal, you can work to increase muscle and lose fat at the same weight (body recomposition) to improve.

For me, the true loose skin (thin wrinkles) shrank pretty well, continuing to shrink into my 2nd year of maintenance. But I'm old (62) - yours may be faster.

Best wishes!