Extra skin vs fat?

christibam
christibam Posts: 478 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm starting to notice my skin seems sort of... (for lack of a better term)... 'empty' in some areas. It's not really a lot and I'm probably the only one that notices and it's only when I sort of pinch my skin together that I notice.

I'm just wondering if there's a way to tell the difference between if this is just still some fat or if it's going to be loose skin?

I do strength training and exercises to tone but I think the weight may have come off too quick at first. Over 1/4 of my body weight gone in 7 months seems pretty fast but, after some of the stories I've seen on this site, I really don't know what's "too fast".

Maybe I should cut down on cardio and focus primarily on strength training on this point? I still have a ways to go before my goal so anything that might help leave me with as little loose/extra skin as possible I'm willing to do now.

Replies

  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
    This is what I'm talking about on my stomach. Sorry for the crappy picture. See the dimples though and how the skin sort of hangs weird? Any chance that'll go away because it's just fat or does it look like just skin?

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  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    It looks like it is going to be loose skin. Use cocoa butter for now to keep the skin supple and elastic to allow it to snap back as much as it can, once you reach your goal weight you can see where you want to go from there.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    Don't stop doing your cardio or strength, you are losing fat and its working for you! keep it up!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Over time your skin will shrink and tighten. You just gotta keep doing both cardio and strength.
  • sweetNsassy2584
    sweetNsassy2584 Posts: 515 Member
    I had that problem but its almost all gone now. Just keep on doing good and it will go away. Be patient
  • Jewels_Ka
    Jewels_Ka Posts: 67 Member
    I think you know that its skin. However, it seems like you still pemTure in your assesment. Do not be too critical of your self. You are loosing fat so yes the skin will sag. But once you are happy with your TOTAL weight loss and you accomplished your goal, you will reasses and do what is right for you. You look and doing GREAT!!!
  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
    Don't stop doing your cardio or strength, you are losing fat and its working for you! keep it up!

    I just wasn't sure if I should step up the strength training. I'm not sure why I thought that would make a real difference on my skin though haha.

    And yeah, it's definitely working and working well. I should be under 200lbs soon and I can't even remember what it's like to be 100 something.

    If anything, the possibility of wearing an adorable 1 piece to hide some skin and still rocking it is much better than dying before I'm 30 because of some weight related health issue. My health was already slipping as I had a stroke last year at 24 so being healthy is number 1 but looking great is very close behind.
  • polo571
    polo571 Posts: 708 Member
    I had that problem too. over the last year its tightened up with maintaining weight. Im excited to see what it looks like in another 45 pounds.
  • cgraziano109
    cgraziano109 Posts: 8 Member
    Yeah it is loose skin. Work on abs and let it settle down. This is what happens when we lose a lot of weight. Losing too fast also causes this. Just keep working out and concentrate on your middle, also pull the stomach in hold breath out and Paul in deeper. This really works the inner core well.
  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
    Ohhhhhh and my belly button has always had a stupid fancy mustache thing going on with the fat above it. That part doesn't really seem like extra skin since it doesn't do the same weird surface fold thing other parts do. It's just there to keep me classy.
  • JessJessB
    JessJessB Posts: 22 Member
    I had that same problem- I've lost 117 so far, and I had a baby in November. I've got excess skin in my stomach area, but I can noticeably tell that it's starting to retract, if that's the right word, as I continue to lose fat. I used to have a noticeable overhang all the way across, and in the last maybe month it's picked up to where I just have two small areas below my hip bones that hang. It just takes time, but your progress is fabulous and in my experience it'll continue to shrink. It's not a bad problem to have, IMO!
  • cgraziano109
    cgraziano109 Posts: 8 Member
    You are doing great. Lose the picture for now and enjoy your one piece bathing suit. You will. Son be in the hundreds. :happy:
  • fattofit20
    fattofit20 Posts: 86
    You look awesome! Congratulations on deciding to get healthy. Keep doing what you're doing. It's working. My skin is also a bit "loose" but I think with a little more cardio and some weights it may go back to normal. However, I'm getting a bit "over the hill" so I'm not sure if it'll work. Either way, the weight loss will make me happy. We have to be patient and you are doing great!
  • mjf0461
    mjf0461 Posts: 470 Member
    Hey, I am not going to tell you something that may not be a truth. I am 51 years old, I was up to 267.5 lbs and 5'10 with large frame so I carried my weight pretty good. But I had a large middle area also. Being a retired cop that had been shot in the stomach and major surgery to save my life, I too had issues. But I can tell you my way of doing it. If it works cool.. I keep lotioning my body religiously to keep the elasticity in the tissue. I also do strength training, and daily work outs. I truely believe core work is the best thing for your body so I do pilates. I sit a desk 5-6 days a week, and I do breathing techniques to increase my core strength. For having 6 kids, being shot in the stomach, and over weight. My stomach looks pretty dang good. I am finally starting to get the definition of 6 pack in the upper abs on both sides. Still alot of work to do, but it's coming along.. It can work just stick with it and keep you head high girl you've done a wonderful thing for your body...
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
    Over time your skin will shrink and tighten. You just gotta keep doing both cardio and strength.

    This.

    I lost about 30 pounds last year. I gained back 5 or so, but from last summer to this summer my sister said I looked way better now. I was confused because I weigh the same, but she pointed out that my skin has had time to fit itself to my smaller body. And looking at pictures, it's true.
  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
    Hey, I am not going to tell you something that may not be a truth. I am 51 years old, I was up to 267.5 lbs and 5'10 with large frame so I carried my weight pretty good. But I had a large middle area also. Being a retired cop that had been shot in the stomach and major surgery to save my life, I too had issues. But I can tell you my way of doing it. If it works cool.. I keep lotioning my body religiously to keep the elasticity in the tissue. I also do strength training, and daily work outs. I truely believe core work is the best thing for your body so I do pilates. I sit a desk 5-6 days a week, and I do breathing techniques to increase my core strength. For having 6 kids, being shot in the stomach, and over weight. My stomach looks pretty dang good. I am finally starting to get the definition of 6 pack in the upper abs on both sides. Still alot of work to do, but it's coming along.. It can work just stick with it and keep you head high girl you've done a wonderful thing for your body...

    Thanks so much! I actually did start using lotion a couple weeks ago every day after my shower. Do you know if firming lotions are worth the money or if regular lotion or cocoa butter is sufficient?
  • up2me2lose20
    up2me2lose20 Posts: 360 Member
    I had a lot of loose skin too, and I think I still do have some, though I can hide it, if I need to now. For me, I really started to tighten up once I started adhering to a pretty *strict* clean diet. No processed foods. No refined sugars. Lots of water. Also weight training has allowed me to gain some muscle to add under my skin to help things look a little fuller. Last year at this time I was awful thin after losing almost 40lbs in 6 months, but a year later and at virtually the same weight, I look better because of the added muscle and tightening of the skin. It just takes time. Dedication. Clean Eating. Strength Training. :) Good LUCK!
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    I appreciate the responses here that say there is hope! I was super worried about this as at one time I was 323 pounds. I have a lot of extra skin and the more I lose, the more wrinkly it gets. But I have noticed that in the past few months, the big tummy flap is retracting. My belly button is now up above my waistband instead of below it...lol. I had lost 110 pounds with gastric bypass in 2003 and promptly regained 55 of that. This time I actually am doing it the right way with a healthy...ok healthier...diet and lots of exercise. I am in way better shape and quite a bit smaller (almost two sizes) even though I am only 3 pounds below my last low weight in 2004.

    So there is a lot to be said for losing slowly, eating cleaner, drinking the water, and EXERCISE! :)
  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
    I appreciate the responses here that say there is hope! I was super worried about this as at one time I was 323 pounds. I have a lot of extra skin and the more I lose, the more wrinkly it gets. But I have noticed that in the past few months, the big tummy flap is retracting. My belly button is now up above my waistband instead of below it...lol. I had lost 110 pounds with gastric bypass in 2003 and promptly regained 55 of that. This time I actually am doing it the right way with a healthy...ok healthier...diet and lots of exercise. I am in way better shape and quite a bit smaller (almost two sizes) even though I am only 3 pounds below my last low weight in 2004.

    So there is a lot to be said for losing slowly, eating cleaner, drinking the water, and EXERCISE! :)

    WRINKLY! That's the word I was looking for earlier to explain the surface of my skin lol. Thanks. It's basically a little wrinkly like I'm dehydrated when I'm not.
  • spade199
    spade199 Posts: 1
    Hey everyone, I was just happen to come across this topic and was wondering did your loose skin every go down? To begin with congrats on the major weight loss. I myself lost 104 pounds over two years ago. I continue to exercise and with the weight training, however, my loose skin is still on my tummy. At first I thought it was fat because I was able to tone up my arms, legs and chest area. So I went to a doctor to see if something was wrong. I was advised it was loose skin and I dont have much fat in my tummy area. My friend suggest I get a tummy tuck because he saw it on the biggest loser. Just was wondering if there was any other way. I drink lots of water and eat no meats. I just want to be comfortable.

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