Thoughts on loose skin...

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jlrae
jlrae Posts: 35
in Fitness and Exercise
I am kind of resigned to the fact that my belly will be saggy even when I reach goal weight because I am, like, really fat AND I have had four kids! But that's what spanx are for. LoL.

I just really really really hope my arms tone up. And my back. And if the gods are really good maybe even my thighs. Someone tell me that this is an attainable dream.

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  • Maggieq87
    Maggieq87 Posts: 400 Member
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    I'm really heavy. As in; my belly hangs over and I have really floppy arms. When I was thin, my belly stopped hanging and my arms were fine. My belly wasn't firm, but it didnt flop anymore..

    Haha I'm trying to say, there is hope!
  • Tennessee2019
    Tennessee2019 Posts: 676 Member
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    bump
  • ajanmillie
    ajanmillie Posts: 241 Member
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    I hear you. i have had no kids but I've lost alot and still have more to go. I was really sad about loose skin but I guess lose skin is better than being obese and having health problems.
  • jlrae
    jlrae Posts: 35
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    I hear you. i have had no kids but I've lost alot and still have more to go. I was really sad about loose skin but I guess lose skin is better than being obese and having health problems.

    Yup. I agree. Toned arms would be great though. LoL.
  • Melis25Fit
    Melis25Fit Posts: 811 Member
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    I've lost a little over 120 lbs, and since I've started strength training, my arms are finally starting to shape up. My inner thighs still suck, so does my stomach. After a plastic surgeon consult, I was told that if you've had kids, and had major weight loss, surgery is the only way to fix that damage. Legs/Arms Could quite possibly tone if you give it long enough....
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
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    Lift weights.
  • TXBlockhead
    TXBlockhead Posts: 169 Member
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    I have thought about this as well. The thought of surgery has entered my mind. However, after seeing what a woman went through with a botched tummy tuck on tv last night, I have decided that I will be left with whatever I am left with. It's the result of what i have done to my body.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
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    I have seen pics from a couple of women, moms, who have lost 70-110 lbs and their tummies have loose skin but it is not nearly as bad as i would have expected. like almost flat but rather than being firm, you know, some loose skin there. and their arms look great! after seeing their pics, i'm so hopeful!!! my belly wasn't so big until i got over 210 i guess, then it got pretty big. and of course, 2 pregnancies didn't help! lol. and my arms were really big for my weight. i have a lot of fat in my arms and thighs i guess. anyway, i have hope!
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    I've lost a lot of weight and have the whole loose skin issue. My arms aren't bad but only because I exercise including strength training so have some "guns", lol. The muscle has definitely helped fill up the loose skin.

    I carried a lot of weight in my stomach and thighs . As much as I exercise, haven't seen much of an improvement in the looseness of the skin in those areas but still would like to lose about 50 more lbs, so maybe with a little less fat and more muscle I'll get six pack (one can dream). However, other than the inconvenience of trying to find pants that fit properly, I've really kind of grown to accept it. I figure as long as hubby loves my body I don't care if it disgusts everyone else. Don't look at me then.

    Good luck!
  • erzille
    erzille Posts: 524 Member
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    I hate the loose skin. :frown: Surgery on my lower belly and three kids were not kind to my body. I have been told to give it time. I will continue to workout...and will give it time.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Loose skin depends upon several factors: How overweight were you: (skin is slightly to very stretched out) - How long were you overweight: (longer is worse obviously) - Yo-Yo dieting and sun damage can make it worse.

    AGE & GENETICS - younger people have much more supple (?) skin than us older folks, but still it takes skin awhile to recover.

    Yep - not looking so good for me.
  • jamie31
    jamie31 Posts: 568 Member
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    Lift weights.

    This doesnt always work. I have lost 120lbs and have lifted weights the entire time of losing . my dad is a former pro power lifter so he really stressed the importance of weight training early on. I have hovered around the same weight ( give or take a few pounds) and I have not been able to get rid of the extra skin. My arms are extremely tones but there is that disgusting layer of extra skin on there that just hangs. I am also relatively young ( 28) and have had no kids.

    Could be that genetics have something to do with how our skin reacts but I dont know. I am just wanting you to know that for some of us the extra skin will be there unless cosmetic surgery is approached. : (
  • KariQuiteContrary
    KariQuiteContrary Posts: 274 Member
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    I agree with the "lift weights" suggestion by Auticus. I will add that my "lifting weights" was the Jillian Michaels dvd's that contain strength training. I definitely credit my disappearing 'lunch lady arms' and newfound 'ITC' (inner thigh clearance) to these workouts with weights! As for the tummy....darn right that's what spanx are for!
  • DisneyMommy
    DisneyMommy Posts: 281
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    It seems to just come with time for some. For me I thought I would have that saggy tummy forever. But it's slowly going away and almost totally gone now. I do think genetics play a factor though. I wasn't heavy after having my kids and had a flat stomach after both. It wasn't until I gained weight that I got a pooch. I do lots of cardio and ab work plus the most important which is watching your diet.
  • twilla367
    twilla367 Posts: 20 Member
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    Hey
    I call my stomach the flap! When I was at my heaviest I would pick it up and put it over my couch. Now that I have lost a lot of weight it still hangs but is much smaller and no one seems to notice it but me! I can have a stomach lift but when the flap is so large it is very dangerous and I want to live a long life hence the weight loss. If I was you I would concentrate on toning and heck what is wrong with a spanx it's cheaper then surgery!!
  • emy10284
    emy10284 Posts: 171 Member
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    i would have to agree lifting weights can help. i have had to kids back to back they are litterlaly 11 months apart . so that really did in my stomach and im still working on it, i do still ahve some serious loose nasty skin but my are "improving " not anywhere perfect but working on it . i have always hear water , water, and more water to help. Also, someone once said it could take up to a couple of years to really get your skin back to normal. you can also try pilates i heard that really helps with toning .

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