Help with loose, sagging skin....

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emmamcc1981
emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
on the backs of my arms, inner thighs, and tummy. am open to ANY suggestions to blast these areas. i already run and do yoga 5 times a week, have done 30DS and Yoga Meltdown, plus swim and cycle when i can. i weigh 111lbs and am 5'2".

HELP ME! i'm all baggy and gross! :D

Replies

  • wlgreen379
    wlgreen379 Posts: 104
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    From what I've seen heavy lifting seems to help you out. I'm probably not the best to ask, though:-)
  • mwitherite
    mwitherite Posts: 26 Member
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    i've read so many things I don't know what is true. I've heard that over time it will go back and then i've also heard if it's been like that a year or longer it may not. I would honestly say best bet would be to speak with a doctor that could give you a more definitive answer!
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    For most people the issue is that they have to lose more fat.

    Fat is deposited under the skin, the layers closest to the skin are almost a part of the skin. What people run in to is that the layers closest to the skin are still the same size as they were when you were at a larger circumference, preventing the skin from tightening further.

    You can deal with this 3 ways:

    1) Wait it out - Cells in the body naturally are created and destroyed, the process of regeneration, fat is no different. New fat depostis are going to in-line with your current circumference, this natural movement of the fat depostits will slowly allow your skin to tighten. This process can take a long time, well over a year for most people.

    2) Diet it away - While you won't be able to get rid of 100% of the fat under your skin, you can get rid of a lot of it simply by overshooting your weight loss goals. If saggy skin is an issue, set your target to a lower BF% than you originally planned. For guys this means that 10% isn't enough, instead shoot for 7-8% to get rid of as much of the fat close to the skin as possible. You don't have to hold this amount, all new fat deposits will be at your smaller circumference and shouldn't cause much, if any, resagging. Basically the same thing as #1 but supercharging the process to speed it up.

    3) Cut it off - Expensive, dangerous, and not all that pleasant, but you can have some of yoru skin surgically removed to tighten things up. Definitely not recommended except in extreme cases. 1 and 2 will solve it for almsot everybody losing weight, though it may take a few years.

    Everything else is snake oil.

    A lot of people simply give up on their diet too early, declare mission accomplished and blame saggy skin for remaining trouble spots, when really they still should have kept losing. If you aren't there yet, the end of a diet is a tough time, you have to constantly fight that part of you that wants to declare mission accomplished. That extra 2-3-4% BF can be hard to lose, can take a long time, but makes a huge difference when it comes to saggy skin.

    Pinch the back of your hand once. That is how thick your skin is naturally with virtually no fat under it. Now pinch the saggy skin parts. Do they feel like the back of your hand? If not, fat is the issue moreso than the skin. Your forearms, if you are at a relatively low BF% and near the end fo a diet, are about the thickness of skin+fat everywhere for someone at a low BF%. If your saggy parts are thicker than your forearm skin, keep dieting it away, the remaining fat is definitely an issue and you shouldn't be even thinking about any other methods of getting rid of excess skin, simply because excess skin isn't the problem.
  • xMonroeMisfit
    xMonroeMisfit Posts: 411 Member
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    Lots of water and lotion...
  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 753 Member
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    a friend of mine, goes by norcalbeezy on here, sells a product that is an herbal wrap. It's intended to help the body with fat synthesis under the skin. What I noticed for me, is that it helped me firm up the saggy skin from weightloss more so than burned fat. Friend her (she will not accept your request unless you include a message) and inquire about the wrap for your problem areas. They are $25 each + $5 shipping. It's totally worth the $30!
  • emmamcc1981
    emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
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    For most people the issue is that they have to lose more fat.

    Fat is deposited under the skin, the layers closest to the skin are almost a part of the skin. What people run in to is that the layers closest to the skin are still the same size as they were when you were at a larger circumference, preventing the skin from tightening further.

    You can deal with this 3 ways:

    1) Wait it out - Cells in the body naturally are created and destroyed, the process of regeneration, fat is no different. New fat depostis are going to in-line with your current circumference, this natural movement of the fat depostits will slowly allow your skin to tighten. This process can take a long time, well over a year for most people.

    2) Diet it away - While you won't be able to get rid of 100% of the fat under your skin, you can get rid of a lot of it simply by overshooting your weight loss goals. If saggy skin is an issue, set your target to a lower BF% than you originally planned. For guys this means that 10% isn't enough, instead shoot for 7-8% to get rid of as much of the fat close to the skin as possible. You don't have to hold this amount, all new fat deposits will be at your smaller circumference and shouldn't cause much, if any, resagging. Basically the same thing as #1 but supercharging the process to speed it up.

    3) Cut it off - Expensive, dangerous, and not all that pleasant, but you can have some of yoru skin surgically removed to tighten things up. Definitely not recommended except in extreme cases. 1 and 2 will solve it for almsot everybody losing weight, though it may take a few years.

    Everything else is snake oil.

    A lot of people simply give up on their diet too early, declare mission accomplished and blame saggy skin for remaining trouble spots, when really they still should have kept losing. If you aren't there yet, the end of a diet is a tough time, you have to constantly fight that part of you that wants to declare mission accomplished. That extra 2-3-4% BF can be hard to lose, can take a long time, but makes a huge difference when it comes to saggy skin.

    Pinch the back of your hand once. That is how thick your skin is naturally with virtually no fat under it. Now pinch the saggy skin parts. Do they feel like the back of your hand? If not, fat is the issue moreso than the skin. Your forearms, if you are at a relatively low BF% and near the end fo a diet, are about the thickness of skin+fat everywhere for someone at a low BF%. If your saggy parts are thicker than your forearm skin, keep dieting it away, the remaining fat is definitely an issue and you shouldn't be even thinking about any other methods of getting rid of excess skin, simply because excess skin isn't the problem.

    Thank you! this is what i needed to hear!! i KNEW i still had lbs to lose but everyone around me is telling me to stop now and that i've done enough. just another case of needing to trust MY instincts and not listen to everyone else....

    thank you, thank you, thank you. i was considering leaving MFP today because i thought i was at the end of my 'diet' and now i know that i'm not. :D

    EDIT: also going to start deadlifting kettlebells to rip those muscles, while continuing my running and yoga workouts :D
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Mostly likely if you are 111 pounds you do not need to lose any weight, just lose body fat. Sounds like you may be skinny fat. I was the same way when I was 105 pounds. I started lifting heavy 3-4x a week, eating more (1600-1900 calories minimum) and slowly gaining weight while losing fat. My cellulite and flab is all but gone. I weigh more now (110) but fit into the same clothes, and look WAY better in a bikini!
  • ready2tryagain42
    ready2tryagain42 Posts: 202
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    I have been taking L-Caritine for about 2-3 months now. It is a fat metabolizer. While I have gained weight, I haven't gained inches and still in the same size so far. Worth a try.

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