Arms
solska
Posts: 348 Member
Hi LC community,
I am trying to get back to it all after a few very difficult months. Along with better eating, losing fat etc.. I also want to get back in shape. When I put on weight and then had an elbow surgery on one arm and then a shoulder surgery on the other side, my arms lost their shape. I am pretty self conscious about this, that the lower part is almost saggy when I lift them. I assume the weight will eventually with the general loss fall of from here too. Will the skin get back in shape? Is there anything I can do about this? Will the autophagy that is supposed to happen with intermittent fasting and keto help this skin get better too? Any advice, experience, thoughts etc.. is much appreciated.
I am trying to get back to it all after a few very difficult months. Along with better eating, losing fat etc.. I also want to get back in shape. When I put on weight and then had an elbow surgery on one arm and then a shoulder surgery on the other side, my arms lost their shape. I am pretty self conscious about this, that the lower part is almost saggy when I lift them. I assume the weight will eventually with the general loss fall of from here too. Will the skin get back in shape? Is there anything I can do about this? Will the autophagy that is supposed to happen with intermittent fasting and keto help this skin get better too? Any advice, experience, thoughts etc.. is much appreciated.
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Replies
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I don’t know the answer. I’m hoping my saggy bits will firm up too, but I keep telling myself that even if they don’t, good health, energy & mobility are worth it.3
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I had deformities of loose skin on my upper arms from heart failure (caused by eating too low of calories and exercising too much), water retention weight gain when heart failed.
I eat keto and do high reps with 1-2 lb hand weights... Even while watching tv. My arms are smaller than I ever thought they'd be, the skin has tightened up as I lose weight and fat and gain a little muscle. Although not perfect, getting close to where I don't think they look disgusting.
Good luck.3 -
Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »I had deformities of loose skin on my upper arms from heart failure (caused by eating too low of calories and exercising too much), water retention weight gain when heart failed.
I eat keto and do high reps with 1-2 lb hand weights... Even while watching tv. My arms are smaller than I ever thought they'd be, the skin has tightened up as I lose weight and fat and gain a little muscle. Although not perfect, getting close to where I don't think they look disgusting.
Good luck.
I just broke out my old arm weights and am hoping to say "bye bye" to my "bye bye arms"
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Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »I had deformities of loose skin on my upper arms from heart failure (caused by eating too low of calories and exercising too much), water retention weight gain when heart failed.
I eat keto and do high reps with 1-2 lb hand weights... Even while watching tv. My arms are smaller than I ever thought they'd be, the skin has tightened up as I lose weight and fat and gain a little muscle. Although not perfect, getting close to where I don't think they look disgusting.
Good luck.
Thank you for sharing this. I have started doing some reps, but a few sets a day. I will look into getting smaller weights and doing more. This is inspiring. And sorry about the heart failure but good to hear that you are well now.2 -
Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »I had deformities of loose skin on my upper arms from heart failure (caused by eating too low of calories and exercising too much), water retention weight gain when heart failed.
I eat keto and do high reps with 1-2 lb hand weights... Even while watching tv. My arms are smaller than I ever thought they'd be, the skin has tightened up as I lose weight and fat and gain a little muscle. Although not perfect, getting close to where I don't think they look disgusting.
Good luck.
Thank you for sharing this. I have started doing some reps, but a few sets a day. I will look into getting smaller weights and doing more. This is inspiring. And sorry about the heart failure but good to hear that you are well now.
LOL, I use canned goods for my hand weights... One can of soup or beans is usually right at 2 lbs (15.9 oz).
They work!!
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Progressive lifting will build muscle, the skin adaptation takes longer...I didn't ever have the arm issue, but even after losing most of the belly I had foldy wrinkly skin for about 2 years before it finally tightened up...it's still kind of lumpy and not smooth, however, at least it doesn't just kind of flap over my pants like some kind of horizontal pleat.5
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Top pics are a about two months ago. Bottom pics are today. Still have some work to do, but much smaller. Using a couple of cans of old soup or beans out of my kitchen pantry.
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Most dumbbells are about $1/lb at least in my area, cheaper if you can find them used at a thrift store - and keep in mind, you only really need one of any given size...you can do curls with a 3 lb in one hand and a 5 lb in the other, then switch half way through your reps.
Also, water is about 8.5 lbs/gallon if I remember right, so empty milk jugs or juice jugs can become very handy weights.
Plus, you can get the 1 lb ankle weights and add those to dumbbells (or jugs of water) to increase the weight in a small increment. They will velcro around almost anything.
Don't forget the arms are stabilizing for chest/back exercises, so you will get some arm activation doing push ups and pull ups and such.
And bands - a set of bands are cheap and can be very helpful...there are a whole bunch of exercises for how to work your arms with the circular bands (particularly for dancers) and they are usually like $10 for a set of 3 (light, medium, heavy).2 -
I agree with everyone! Start with light weights and do reps.
http://thescienceofeating.com/food-combining-how-it-works/workouts-for-all-areas/upper-body-workouts/2 -
Hello ladies! If you want to try to "fill in" loose skin with muscle, you need to progressively lift heavier. I started lifting in Feb. after loosing 118 pounds. Definitely have a lot of loose skin (arms, belly, back, legs), but it's my arms that bother me the most because they tend to be the most visible. Don't waste your time or money on one or two pound weights; you'll never see real muscle growth. Don't be scared of lifting like a boss; we're women, not sissies!
Oh yeah, how much skin "shrinks" on its own is age and genetics.1 -
It's the rowing machine! And weights. It'll get you solid in no time!1
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Hello ladies! If you want to try to "fill in" loose skin with muscle, you need to progressively lift heavier. I started lifting in Feb. after loosing 118 pounds. Definitely have a lot of loose skin (arms, belly, back, legs), but it's my arms that bother me the most because they tend to be the most visible. Don't waste your time or money on one or two pound weights; you'll never see real muscle growth. Don't be scared of lifting like a boss; we're women, not sissies!
Oh yeah, how much skin "shrinks" on its own is age and genetics.
I have to do 1-2 pound weights. With my genetics I seriously buff up and end up huge.. I don't want to be muscular.
Hired a personal trainer once because I wanted to look just a little more toned in wedding photos. He insisted that I lift heavier weights, told me women do not bulk up naturally.
I started lifting. I bawled when I saw the wedding pictures. I had gone from thin and feminine to extremely broader than my late hubby, who was a big guy and had played football. Thank God it wasn't my wedding, it was family, but still, I was so depressed when the pictures came back.
Everyone is not built the same and not all genetics are the same. Same with diet, not one size fits all. Play with diet and exercise and see what works for you. If not happy with results, can always make changes!0 -
Nah....I don't believe it. No one; male, female or anywhere in between has a testosterone level that would allow them to build muscle (true muscle) like that. My purse weighs more than one pound, so does my hair straightener, my grandchild and a bag of groceries. I lift significant weight and I still haven't "bulked out" because there is still fat to lose. Your picture above looks like you've lost fat for sure, which is great; sorry to say you're not gaining muscle this way.3
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Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »I had deformities of loose skin on my upper arms from heart failure (caused by eating too low of calories and exercising too much), water retention weight gain when heart failed.
I eat keto and do high reps with 1-2 lb hand weights... Even while watching tv. My arms are smaller than I ever thought they'd be, the skin has tightened up as I lose weight and fat and gain a little muscle. Although not perfect, getting close to where I don't think they look disgusting.
Good luck.
Thank you for sharing this. I have started doing some reps, but a few sets a day. I will look into getting smaller weights and doing more. This is inspiring. And sorry about the heart failure but good to hear that you are well now.
LOL, I use canned goods for my hand weights... One can of soup or beans is usually right at 2 lbs (15.9 oz).
They work!!
This is an excellent reminder and advice. Thanks0 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »Progressive lifting will build muscle, the skin adaptation takes longer...I didn't ever have the arm issue, but even after losing most of the belly I had foldy wrinkly skin for about 2 years before it finally tightened up...it's still kind of lumpy and not smooth, however, at least it doesn't just kind of flap over my pants like some kind of horizontal pleat.
Thank you, this is encouraging!0 -
weatherking2019 wrote: »I agree with everyone! Start with light weights and do reps.
http://thescienceofeating.com/food-combining-how-it-works/workouts-for-all-areas/upper-body-workouts/
Thank you for the link!1 -
Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »Hello ladies! If you want to try to "fill in" loose skin with muscle, you need to progressively lift heavier. I started lifting in Feb. after loosing 118 pounds. Definitely have a lot of loose skin (arms, belly, back, legs), but it's my arms that bother me the most because they tend to be the most visible. Don't waste your time or money on one or two pound weights; you'll never see real muscle growth. Don't be scared of lifting like a boss; we're women, not sissies!
Oh yeah, how much skin "shrinks" on its own is age and genetics.
I have to do 1-2 pound weights. With my genetics I seriously buff up and end up huge.. I don't want to be muscular.
Hired a personal trainer once because I wanted to look just a little more toned in wedding photos. He insisted that I lift heavier weights, told me women do not bulk up naturally.
I started lifting. I bawled when I saw the wedding pictures. I had gone from thin and feminine to extremely broader than my late hubby, who was a big guy and had played football. Thank God it wasn't my wedding, it was family, but still, I was so depressed when the pictures came back.
Everyone is not built the same and not all genetics are the same. Same with diet, not one size fits all. Play with diet and exercise and see what works for you. If not happy with results, can always make changes!
Two of my friends, they are sisters and took after their dad, immediately build muscle super easily with not even that much effort but a little athletics. Genes matter a ton. I'd say you are lucky. I would love muscular arms and legs.0 -
Nah....I don't believe it. No one; male, female or anywhere in between has a testosterone level that would allow them to build muscle (true muscle) like that. My purse weighs more than one pound, so does my hair straightener, my grandchild and a bag of groceries. I lift significant weight and I still haven't "bulked out" because there is still fat to lose. Your picture above looks like you've lost fat for sure, which is great; sorry to say you're not gaining muscle this way.
As I recovered from multiple surgeries leg, shoulder and elbow, when all my muscle had atrophied, I was working with first the weight of the limbs themselves and then just a pound or so. Yes, you will build muscle this way. Reps matter a lot.0
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