How can I get rid of my "Muffin Top?" and worried about lose skin
Replies
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My stomach looks EXACTLY like yours. Even when I was pregnant, I still had the two stomach thing going on. I will tell you that I lost 100 lbs once and it did go away for the most part, with lots of weight training and core exercises. The only time the loose skin was noticeable was if I was doing a push up, then it would hang down. This time, I'm halfway to my goal, but I've also had two children and I'm in my late 30's since the last time I lost the weight. I expect it to be different this time. I plan to have the excess skin from my stomach removed once I've successfully maintained my goal weight for at least a year. In the meantime, I wear control top undies or spanx, and you can't tell what's going on underneath. Just a suggestion for you. Keep up the amazing work!1
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Hello, and first of all congratulations on doing a bang up great job so far!
We don't choose where the weight will come off, unfortunately. Also while you are losing weight you might get imbalances which will change after you stop losing weight and your body stabilizes.
You are also young and your skin has a much better probability of bouncing back than someone who is older. With plans for children it makes no sense whatsoever to be considering surgery till you are done having children.
Most of the mothers I've complained to about my own belly, have replied that I am not allowed to complain until I pop a kid in my mid 30's!
The normal weight range is usually substantial, and depending on how much muscle mass you had at the start of your journey the top of the range may or may not be an appropriate ending point. You can always re-evaluate upon reaching that target!
There is no reason to put limits on your strength training. Not only does strength training potentially help you with your skin... but it makes you strong! So if you have the "strength" to do it, just go for it!
I am not going to lie to you and say that loose skin will not be a problem; but, you ARE young so your bounce-back abilities are as good as they can be AND when you have children loose skin may become less of an issue for you as opposed to now when you are trying to "capture" the feeling of a never overweight 22 yo.
All in all: congrats on doing this. And do remember that your health matters more than anything else!0 -
You just have to keep losing weight, that's all. Your belly will get smaller.
If you don't want your shirts to show every roll of fat, put on bigger shirts. Another size or two up and the shirts won't cling to the fat rolls.0 -
Your body type is like mine. I have the 2 stomach thing too. I am also waaaaay heavier than you but I've had it since I was just a little overweight. I worry how it will look once I've hit goal, or close to it.0
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You have done great, keep up the good work. For what is worth I think that you look great in the picture with the red pants and blue shirt. Everyone carries their weight differently, I have two separate areas of fat on my abdomen (one above my belly button and a larger area below, it is fairly common in women who are pear shaped.0
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I still have so much fat and weight in my thighs, stomach, and muffin top that I'm worried 46.3 pounds won't be enough of a weight loss to get rid of everything and make them normal.
As they say - you can jump off that bridge when you get to it. Worrying about whether 46 lbs will be enough is pointless at this stage. First things first. Lose the weight. Once that's done, THEN you can assess how things look.
I started at 152 lbs and I'm at 128 now but still have some belly fat and arm fat to get rid off. I'll need to lose another 10 lbs of fat. My skin has shrunk well but I'm still a bit flabby. I haven't been doing a lot of strength training, just cardio (hiking, cycling, walking) but intend to start after I get to my goal of 118. I've come to accept that it may take a full 6 months or so for my body to really shrink up and become more toned/solid/less soft.
For now, focus on what's important and that's to lose the excess fat.0 -
Wow thanks everyone for your opinion and advice
It's nice to know some people are going through the same thing as me as well! You guys are right, I shouldn't worry too much until I reach my goal since who knows what will happen then or what I will look like. But it is really hard not to worry, especially when I see so much loss skin starting to appear. 0 -
@jenniator, keep up the good work! Some good advice here.
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This is me I'm at 183 lbs 5'3" and have the same problem with the upper and lower stomach area. I have no butt or hips so many sizes slide right off me. I'm trying to get clothes that compliment my shape and gut but it's hard. I don't care what my weight it I just want the 2 stomachs gone. And then I may worry about the insides of my thighs.0 -
You have had great success....Congrats.
Keep on going till you reach your goal and reassess then, the results may well surprise you...Hopefully. It would be lovely if we could wish away our particular problem areas in a flash but often they are stubborn and the last to go.
I was has similar issues at my highest weight 268 lbs and even as I got closer to goal my stomach protruded far more obviously than my butt or even chest. I essentially had an apple shape when overweight though now I have what I think would be called a slight hourglass/maybe even a ruler (I'm not up on all the terms) now at 110 lbs.
Anyway....it wasn't till the very last pounds were leaving that my tummy did it's stuff and really shrank....it then took at least 1-2 years for the skin to tighten up to where it is now and I'm 52 and started losing weight at 48 so there is always hope....you just have to be extremely patient.
The other issue that posters have mentioned is about the 'apron of skin' effect....this may lessen over time or you may feel that surgery is the answer for you.....like someone else has said the only time that mine is droopy and noticeable is doing planks etc but honestly I think that it won't get any better after all this time. I muscle tearing from 2 pregnancies as well. I don't know if putting on weight can cause the same problems with the underlying muscles but if you have torn the substructure then probably surgery is going to be a valid option.
All the best.0 -
Congratulations! And well done.
Keep up with the calorie deficit.
There are 2 types of bellies. B and D.
Yours is the B because side on that is just what it looks like B, it dips in at the belly button.
I have a B belly too, so know exaxtly what you are talking about.
I think, by what you have said your goal weight is, you are about the same height as me, 5'1-ish.
Here is what helped me when I first started exercising:-
Learn good posture, slouching makes it look ten times worse.
Engage your abs as often as you can. When on the elliptical engage your abs,
Driving the car, engage your abs,
Get used to standing tall and sucking your belly in. I used to get told ' belly button to spine' and I use it as a mantra whenever I am on a long drive.
All this just makes you conscious that there are muscles there.
If you really don't like weight training, look at doing some resistance work with your body weight. It is very effective.
I have done belly dancing classes, Zumba, and aqua fit. All 3 of those, if done with purpose will improve your core strength, so that by the time you get to your goal, you will have a better lbm. Doing weight training 3x week would give you a better result.
Here is a pic of me. I am posting it so you can see that you can, with effort improve your belly ( if you look at my profile there is a clothed pic of what I use to look like for comparison.
Cheers, h
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middlehaitch wrote: »Congratulations! And well done.
Keep up with the calorie deficit.
There are 2 types of bellies. B and D.
Yours is the B because side on that is just what it looks like B, it dips in at the belly button.
I have a B belly too, so know exaxtly what you are talking about.
I think, by what you have said your goal weight is, you are about the same height as me, 5'1-ish.
Here is what helped me when I first started exercising:-
Learn good posture, slouching makes it look ten times worse.
Engage your abs as often as you can. When on the elliptical engage your abs,
Driving the car, engage your abs,
Get used to standing tall and sucking your belly in. I used to get told ' belly button to spine' and I use it as a mantra whenever I am on a long drive.
All this just makes you conscious that there are muscles there.
If you really don't like weight training, look at doing some resistance work with your body weight. It is very effective.
I have done belly dancing classes, Zumba, and aqua fit. All 3 of those, if done with purpose will improve your core strength, so that by the time you get to your goal, you will have a better lbm. Doing weight training 3x week would give you a better result.
Here is a pic of me. I am posting it so you can see that you can, with effort improve your belly ( if you look at my profile there is a clothed pic of what I use to look like for comparison.
Cheers, h
^^^ This is pure GOLD.....love the B and D idea - it really get's the differences across effectively. Couldn't agree more about constantly being aware to engage your ab. muscles all the time.
BTW - You look fabulous!!!!
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You are not alone. I'm built like you are. I call them my upper belly and my lower belly. I've always had a lower belly even when I was in high school and a normal weight. The upper belly became more pronounced as I gained weight. I carry most of my weight around my mid section. I have a distinctive waist right at my belly button. I wear lots of loose tops mostly tunic style to try to hide the upper belly. You are doing a great job and are very young so that is on your side. I'm in my early 40s and expect the loose skin to be a problem for me. But, I'll figure that out when I get there.0
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I have a similar problem. I also am pear shaped so the weight goes to lower half. It took forever to really see an improvement but now I'm getting closer to goal and it's much much better. Give it time, I agree 20+lbs is a lot and will make a big difference. I also had B belly when pregnant for first few months, which was a bummer (but got over it Bc being pregnant is amazing experience), it eventually turned into D
I used to wear spanx to smooth that area out and make me feel more comfortable in certain clothes. Or maybe try shirts that have a little more "give" in that area. I have similar shirts that I love, they are so comfy, but they cling to my middle.
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Thanks for posting the pictures. I think you could use some help picking clothes that work better for you, and I say this as someone who'd prefer to wear flannel 24/7 and need my fiance's help to pick out clothes. Is there a Lane Bryant near you? The staff wears LB clothes and the ones at my store anyway are friendly and happy to help. The clothes may seem expensive but there are always sales and coupons, so you never pay retail. Just avoid the really thin stuff because at this point you don't want fabric to cling to you.1
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B Belly here too! It's always been there but the growth of the panniculus has happened in the last 20 or so pounds. I HATE the panniculus. It's the think I most want to go away as well. The problem I have with spanx type things is they roll up or down depending if it's a top or bottoms. It's hard to find a brand that will stay in place.0
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I think you look great! Yes you are carrying some weight in your belly, but as you lose more that will change.
Speaking from the perspective of someone who has had kids- don't worry too much about the extra skin now. If you plan to have kids, that skin will all have to stretch back out over the baby belly- so no sense stressing now. I've had 2 kids, and yup, my belly skin is a little loose and flabby. Yours will be too- how much is just a matter of time. It will shrink back some, but if you aren't happy with it you can always look at surgical options after you are done having kids.
I think you look great- in 40 more lbs, your belly may still bother you, it may not. Worry about it then! For now, keep doing what you are doing.0 -
I have a stomach like yours! And a similar pear shape. I always hated it. In my case, the upper stomach roll stuck out farther than the lower one, so talk about a muffin-top effect! I have gone from 198lbs to 142lbs, and it's much improved, but there's still that "B" shape, and I have some loose skin on the upper belly section now. It's starting to look flat in clothing though, which is great! Have to be careful with choice of pant styles, but you can get to the point where there's no visible "roll" with clothing on. You can do it!
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stephanieammon86 wrote: »Think you are amazing! I know small tricks like vicks vapor rub with seran wrap around it. But it is hard for skin to regain elasticity. But you didn't get bariatric surgery you worked your butt off to get where you are so if surgery is route u take there is no shame!
please don't do that - it's weird and innefectual
OP you've done amazingly well
Keep on going
Follow a progressive resistance programme to ensure you preserve as much muscle as possible
give your skin time to revover from weight loss - seriously takes up to 2 years once you hit goal weight for it to recover as much possible
sometimes the stomach is the last to go
but it's down to where you carry your fat
seriously lift heavy stuff - makes a difference1 -
I feel for you, I have the same problem plus I have a very short torso and a spinal curve which makes things worse. But it can be done, once you get closer to your goal you could see a big improvement. My stomach is always last to go but once I'm at a healthy weight, more or less does.It's never perfect and I doubt I'll ever have abs but I'm happy to look ' tidy' in jeans and other clothes.
The fit of the jeans is good advice and for now, you might want to avoid anything that hits around the waist area or nips in with shirts as this can make it look worse. Go for shirts that fit well but skim that area, show off your huge achievement! You might be longer in the leg like me which makes up for the waist issue, show what you're proud of and minimise what you're not, even very slim ladies still have areas they would like to change.
Boobs - a properly measured bra makes all the difference, get a professional fitting done and buy good quality brassieres.
You are very pretty with incredible hair, be proud of what you've achieved and go out and rock it! Don't be too disappointed in your results, you aren't at goal yet, re evaluate once you're there and meanwhile, be good to yourself! Keep working out, that really helps sculpt then once you've lost the excess fat, you will be able to fine tune a bit, well done!0 -
You've done an amazing job so far, congratulations!
I'm a nurse, and I've seen literally thousands of naked everyday people over the course of my career. The belly fat pattern with an upper belly and a panniculus you have is very common. The fact that you think you've never seen it on anyone else should be a confidence booster in a way- you undoubtedly HAVE seen them, you just didn't notice. Like most people probably aren't noticing yours. And your boobs, which you're happy with how they look in bras, but notice that they sag when you take your bra off? Most boobs do that. All boobs do that eventually. The reason you think everyone else doesn't have sagging boobs is because you mostly see them in bras. It is in the nature of breasts to gradually migrate downward.
For most of us, our own body is one of only a handful we ever see naked up close in person, frozen in front of a mirror for our hypercritical inspection, and it's nearly always the one we judge the most harshly. Seeing everyone else in their clothing, in motion as they live their lives, it's easy to believe that they all look and feel better than we do, that nobody else has a weird [fill in the body part you're most insecure about here] like us. But they do. Or they don't, but they have a funky [fill in a body part it's never even crossed your mind to worry about] that they secretly believe everyone is looking at.
Your belly is well within the normal range of human shapes. I was literally just the other day on a pregnancy board reading an article about how some pregnant women are insecure about having a "B" pregnant belly, because the classical image of a pregnant woman has the single D curve, but it's VERY common, and they had a gallery of dozens of photos of lovely mamas-to-be with B bellies.
Everybody else has given great advice about how your shape will likely continue to change, and how surgery is an option if you're not satisfied with the final result of your skin from weight loss (although I agree with those who said to hold off at least a year to be sure you're at your final weight, and to consider postponing till after kids if you intend to have any). I just wanted to drop a note to say: you're normal. You're so normal.
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You have done so much! It is incredible! Thank you for being brave and showing us photos of your tummy when you are self conscious about it. I think you will find https://www.007b.com/breast_gallery.php a helpful tool for you in gaining confidence about your own body. It is a gallery of dozens of women showing what their natural breasts look like in an non-sensualized way.
I have similar self confidence issues about loose skin and similar fears about losing all of the weight and having a disgusting loose skin there and wanting to have children soon too. I did a bunch of research and using hyalauronic acid and retinol is supposed to help a bunch, especially when used in conjunction with micro-needling. I ordered these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B5G45R6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085NRCWDS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I've also been using really good quality moisturizer for the first time in my life, and I have noticed a huge difference in my skin. I am 26, and I didn't think I had wrinkles yet, but I guess I did because using the high quality moisturizer with a vitamin C infusion has made a world of difference. And the 1oz container has actually lasted far longer than I ever thought it would (2 months+ so far). This is the one I bought https://www.sephora.com/product/laneige-radian-c-cream-with-vitamin-c-P466134?skuId=2406841&icid2=skugrid:p466134:product .
All those products add up pretty quickly, but they are far less expensive than surgery, and are far easier to use than surgery is to recover from.
You may consider using a modern waist trainer. Get one that is the right size, and that doesn't put pressure on your spine. Give your belly (and breasts) a really thorough massage with some or all of the above products and then put your shaper on (belly or bra). And as your skin tightens I imagine it will tighten to that shape.
How has your weightloss progress come along since you first posted?1 -
I have the same type of belly and I have found that high waisted pants look the best on me and are also more comfortable. I don’t like pants that fit in the narrow part of my belly (around the belly button), because I feel like they make the top belly look more prominent and they feel really uncomfortable.4
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