Is this loose skin or fat?

thorneycroft1997
thorneycroft1997 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if anyone can tell me if this is loose skin or fat? I have lost. 40 pounds over the last year, quite fast at first. I have gained and lost weight quite a bit in the past. I am 5 foot 3 and weight 130lbs, so I would like to lose more weight but the possible loose skin is freaking me out a bit.
thanks in advance for any help ldb7dtjlcnqi.jpeg
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Replies

  • thorneycroft1997
    thorneycroft1997 Posts: 4 Member
    that was really helpful and, inspiring thank you :)
  • thorneycroft1997
    thorneycroft1997 Posts: 4 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    If it is loose skin, it will likely tighten up after awhile. Sometimes it can take up to two years after you've lost the weight for your skin to snap back.

    Thank you!

  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited September 2018
    Almost always, it is mostly subcutaneous fat and some loose skin.
    If it was mostly loose skin it would hang differently.

    If you are that worried about it then have your body fat tested.

    Just put on some muscle to fill the void faster.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Honest opinion: Looks too thick to be just loose skin.
    ^This. Well said.
    Exactly my point, re: "If it was mostly loose skin it would hang differently"
  • thorneycroft1997
    thorneycroft1997 Posts: 4 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Honest opinion: Looks too thick to be just loose skin.

    I’m not saying that to be mean. When it’s mostly loose skin it will be really thin and wrinkly.

    This is mine when it was mostly loose skin:
    bp6v58g1c65l.jpeg
    x6em4fa59p52.jpeg
    ycbtqjinh89b.jpeg

    And now when it’s been filled with a bit of fat:
    f6gecrfm0qvw.jpeg

    thank you for your reply, that was really helpful. If I lost 20lbs more do you think it will become loose skin?

  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    That is a question that cannot be properly answered without more information.

    What is your body fat percentage now?
    If you lost "20lbs more" then how much of that would be fat vs. lean body mass?

    For it to be "mostly skin" then you would need to be around the 18% to 20% body fat range as a woman.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited September 2018
    thorneycroft1997 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Honest opinion: Looks too thick to be just loose skin.

    I’m not saying that to be mean. When it’s mostly loose skin it will be really thin and wrinkly.

    This is mine when it was mostly loose skin:
    bp6v58g1c65l.jpeg
    x6em4fa59p52.jpeg
    ycbtqjinh89b.jpeg

    And now when it’s been filled with a bit of fat:
    f6gecrfm0qvw.jpeg

    thank you for your reply, that was really helpful. If I lost 20lbs more do you think it will become loose skin?

    Getting to the bottom of the healthy weight range for your height might not be necessary, or ideal. Unfortunately, everyone loses weight from different places in a different order, so there's no set answer to that question.

    First off, I would strongly consider slowing down your rate of loss, probably to 0.5lbs per week. Then check out this thread, it may help:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • GretelGSD
    GretelGSD Posts: 11 Member
    I also think it's fat that's hanging around after your weight loss, see how things are at 120 pounds and if you can, start lifting.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    thorneycroft1997 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Honest opinion: Looks too thick to be just loose skin.

    I’m not saying that to be mean. When it’s mostly loose skin it will be really thin and wrinkly.

    This is mine when it was mostly loose skin:
    bp6v58g1c65l.jpeg
    x6em4fa59p52.jpeg
    ycbtqjinh89b.jpeg

    And now when it’s been filled with a bit of fat:
    f6gecrfm0qvw.jpeg

    thank you for your reply, that was really helpful. If I lost 20lbs more do you think it will become loose skin?

    That’s really hard to say. My stomach is the way it is, because I had to lose over 100 lbs. There is only 13-18 lbs difference between the 2 sets of pictures.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,133 Member
    thorneycroft1997 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Honest opinion: Looks too thick to be just loose skin.

    I’m not saying that to be mean. When it’s mostly loose skin it will be really thin and wrinkly.

    This is mine when it was mostly loose skin:
    bp6v58g1c65l.jpeg
    x6em4fa59p52.jpeg
    ycbtqjinh89b.jpeg

    And now when it’s been filled with a bit of fat:
    f6gecrfm0qvw.jpeg

    thank you for your reply, that was really helpful. If I lost 20lbs more do you think it will become loose skin?

    There's no sure way we can answer that, there's too much individual variability.

    If I wanted to lose to a low enough level to get rid of a bit of residual abdominal squishy fat that keeps my skin stretched out there, I'd have to get to an irrationally low weight overall, and I don't want to. Potentially, I could improve the situation by gaining muscle while losing fat (recomposition info here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat ) but I'm too lazy and don't enjoy weight training. ;)

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