Spanx but more.....
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FitByFifty1970
Posts: 127 Member
Does anyone have a recommendation for something to hold in my lower belly. It is so huge it is stopping me from wearing clothes that otherwise would fit. My pants are baggy in the butt and hip but the next size down won't go around my gut amd it seems to be sagging worse with the more I lose. Thanks!
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I had to shop around for various kinds of spanx for me. My problem is that the hanging muffin top; I have such wide hips, that I have to size pants for my hips which accommodates the lower gut. But with most pants being mid to low rise, that makes the upper skin muffin top really pronounced, so I was looking for a lot of high waisted stuff.
I had some success with Avenue body shapers in holding in the gut; I also needed longer legged ones to actually keep them from riding up between the legs. I also have started exploring corsets. I made a waspie-like under bust corset a few weeks ago with a solid wooden brace right in the center and tried it out yesterday; it worked perfectly to hold that muffin top in and was actually quite comfortable. They make long corsets too; you might find one that could help with you; though I can tell you from experience lacing the darn things without help is an absolute bear!1 -
No way am I wearing a corset with wood in it!...there are a lot of Shapers online to choose from in all different styles....I wore a girdle every day from 8th grade thru college!...I have looked at Sleeves to contour and shape my upper arms but I don’t know which ones or what size to order....good luck!1
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No way am I wearing a corset with wood in it!...there are a lot of Shapers online to choose from in all different styles....I wore a girdle every day from 8th grade thru college!...I have looked at Sleeves to contour and shape my upper arms but I don’t know which ones or what size to order....good luck!0
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No way am I wearing a corset with wood in it!...there are a lot of Shapers online to choose from in all different styles....I wore a girdle every day from 8th grade thru college!...I have looked at Sleeves to contour and shape my upper arms but I don’t know which ones or what size to order....good luck!0
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Thanks for the help, I'll pass on the corset. I'm huge busted and I need a reduction, not something that will make them look bigger. I am going to check out Shapers. I need something industrial! I just put on the size 14 suit pants and jeans and yep, it fits in thr hips and thigh but the huge lower belly hanging down makes them too tight. Ugh.2
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lol I use the shapers too, but needed something with more strength to it. but I get it - I can't use the arm guards Connie is talking about!1
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I've looked around, too, for something to help deal with the sagging belly. Really wish I could find something that would "hold it up" and in rather than squish it down! Seems like that would be more likely to help the body tighten the skin? Haven't seen anything though.1
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I have a “ tummy” but not horrible....I have had 2 C sections, too....vertical incisions....I do 50 to 75 stomach crunches laying down every night...suck it in and hold it....use your muscles....my problem is my arms!1
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conniewilkins56 wrote: »I have a “ tummy” but not horrible....I have had 2 C sections, too....vertical incisions....I do 50 to 75 stomach crunches laying down every night...suck it in and hold it....use your muscles....my problem is my arms!
I'm kinda stuck on the torso exercises until my shoulder is dealt with - I'm sure it will help when I get there, but there is muscle underlying this belly flap...it is just that the skin isn't shrinking down as quick as I'd like! I'm hoping dropping more fat and "emptying" it out will help? Hence a goal weight that keeps dropping. I've been at my goal weight twice and each time drop it 20 lbs...hoping that will be the magic number. Hopefully 150 does the trick!
Arms?! Can't even go there. Thinking it is going to be a long-sleeve kinda summer. Going to have to keep an eye open for those loose, light, gauzy tops.1 -
lauriekallis wrote: »conniewilkins56 wrote: »I have a “ tummy” but not horrible....I have had 2 C sections, too....vertical incisions....I do 50 to 75 stomach crunches laying down every night...suck it in and hold it....use your muscles....my problem is my arms!
I'm kinda stuck on the torso exercises until my shoulder is dealt with - I'm sure it will help when I get there, but there is muscle underlying this belly flap...it is just that the skin isn't shrinking down as quick as I'd like! I'm hoping dropping more fat and "emptying" it out will help? Hence a goal weight that keeps dropping. I've been at my goal weight twice and each time drop it 20 lbs...hoping that will be the magic number. Hopefully 150 does the trick!
Arms?! Can't even go there. Thinking it is going to be a long-sleeve kinda summer. Going to have to keep an eye open for those loose, light, gauzy tops.
I have read that it can take up to 2 years for skin to tighten....my arms are never going to tighten in 20 years!...my doctor said I could have skin reduction as I am in good health and I heal quickly but I don’t want to go thru any more operations...at 69 I just want to look “ hot “ lol1 -
Exactly, my abs are not great but they aren't totally shot, it's the loose skin on top that keeps hanging more and more as I lose. I'd love to (for now) find something industrial to suck it in so I am not wearing pants that sag in the butt and hips/thighs.
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conniewilkins56 wrote: »I have read that it can take up to 2 years for skin to tighten....my arms are never going to tighten in 20 years!...my doctor said I could have skin reduction as I am in good health and I heal quickly but I don’t want to go thru any more operations...at 69 I just want to look “ hot “ lol
I was thinking of the surgery options too...but only thinking, not considering. My shoulder injury included a ruptured bicep head that rolled down so it is now irreparable. I was told that I will have a "popeye" bulge - which the doctors noticed but I honestly couldn't see it beneath the fat. Now I can see it. LOL. And now, compared to the rest of the upper arm (and the sagging elbow area and lower arm - I didn't expect that!), I think the popeye bulge is kinda cute! I was telling a far away friend about it the other day and she insisted on a photo...I'll share it here too. I guess it is time to get used to the "new" me...
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Laurie, I have had 2 C-sections, major back surgery,both knees replaced, spurs and a tear repaired in my shoulder, cataracts removed, at 58 I had my appendix, a tumor on my appendix,my ovaries and a mass removed from my uterus!......I guess I will live with saggy arms!.....I kind of think your Popeyes looks like a muscle!1
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conniewilkins56 wrote: »Laurie, I have had 2 C-sections, major back surgery,both knees replaced, spurs and a tear repaired in my shoulder, cataracts removed, at 58 I had my appendix, a tumor on my appendix,my ovaries and a mass removed from my uterus!......I guess I will live with saggy arms!.....I kind of think your Popeyes looks like a muscle!
I agree. We can live with saggy arms! I like my popeye bump too! I guess it is a muscle, it just isn't really connected anymore. Really looking forward to having a "working" saggy arm though!
I have learned that it isn't a great idea to get injured during a pandemic. Not if you are a middle-aged woman with a shoulder injury. Even if it does take your dominant arm out of the picture, it is still "elective" surgery and they are not happening around here.1 -
I have a lot of extra skin but I 100% am getting some of it removed. My arms don’t bother me as much as my thighs and of course my stomach area. I have to be at 174 before the plastic surgeon will meet with me and I would like to be around 150 before the surgery.2
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I don't know if I will have the surgery or not; it all depends on whether I can even get down to a weight where it would be considered conceivable. I am finding that the loose skin on my arms is a problem - finding shirts that will accommodate in the ladies section is tricky. For instance: Cato's had this really, really cute button down red striped cotton shirt that I liked and thought would look very classy with a black pencil skirt - 50's retro style which I like a lot. I bought the shirt in a size 18W and while it fit perfectly in the waist and bust, the arms were entirely too tight, so I had to take it back
I would like to get rid of the muffin top, though. It interferes with my body shape for one thing and is difficult to hide. My shoulders are proportional to my hips and my normal waist line and bust give me a pretty decent hourglass shape except for that stupid muffin top; hence why I've gone to experimenting with corsets as body shapers and even the ones with boning still don't hold it in far enough.1 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »...I would like to get rid of the muffin top, though. It interferes with my body shape for one thing and is difficult to hide. My shoulders are proportional to my hips and my normal waist line and bust give me a pretty decent hourglass shape except for that stupid muffin top; hence why I've gone to experimenting with corsets as body shapers and even the ones with boning still don't hold it in far enough.
That will go as you continue to lose when the plateau ends!
I've hit the point where the muffin top is not really there anymore. The waist of my jeans and just above and below the waist is fine (when I'm clothed of course so you can't see the shrivelled looking stuff) but now there is a bulge lower down - that starts maybe 1/3 of the way between the waist and crotch area? - where the skin flap hangs out.
I'm hoping against hope that someone will sign on here and post "that too will go!!!!" :-)1 -
I was scheduled for the breast reduction/lift for early April but cancelled it since I am not vaccinated yet. I may now wait for the entire thing and do it at once, the 'mommy makeover' mentioned though that name is gross. I know with the breasts they will do that anytime since it isn't as stressful on the body and recovery should be swift. The belly is a big deal and no good surgeon will touch you until you are at your ideal weight for at least a year to be sure you don't fluctuate back up. So it'll be a long while with these gross boobs and my flapping belly.1
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@lauriekallis
unfortunately, my muffin top is flabby 4" of excess skin beyond my natural waist. I'm afraid losing weight won't ever fix that empty bag of skin. What is amusing to me is that the muffin top for me isn't tightening up, but the apron below the belly button has really tightened up; I've got a better shot at that going away on its own than the muffin top!1 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »@lauriekallis
unfortunately, my muffin top is flabby 4" of excess skin beyond my natural waist. I'm afraid losing weight won't ever fix that empty bag of skin. What is amusing to me is that the muffin top for me isn't tightening up, but the apron below the belly button has really tightened up; I've got a better shot at that going away on its own than the muffin top!
Crazy how our bodies all respond so differently! I don't have any bag of skin that I can really call "empty" yet - still working on that!
But I think we should both believe each other's skin success will happen for themselves.
I'm going to believe that my apron will tighten up because yours did and you can believe that your muffin top will tighten up because mine did and we can both wander around smiling for awhile.
(until of course reality smacks us with some cold hard truth.)
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