Lost weight ... and looking awful.....

[LunaB]

I never thought I would write a vain post like this, but nevertheless, here I go.

I am 56 (but feel 36 ), and have struggled with my weight all my adult life. When I was younger I sometimes went down to 54 kilos (about 119 lbs) and looked great - but quickly put it all back again. Last year I was up to almost 80 kilos (175 lbs) and finally decided enough was enough.

This winter/spring I have gone down to 132 lbs, which I think is fine for my height (169 cm) and I am soooo pleased with my result ... but here´s the anticlimax: I look terrible. My boobs are nothing but empty bags, my tummy is wrinkled and floppy (even though I do tummy exercises) and my arms are floppy and wrinkly. Even my legs look wrinkly. Today I took a good look at my body in the mirror and it could easily pass for the body of a 70 year old - which is fine if you are 70 but not a young and active 56 yearold .

On the positive side: I feel great, psysically, I am so much fitter - last year I couldn´t run 500 yards, now I easily run 5 k and more and I am training for my first triathlon (a Sprint) and I have secret fantasies of an Ironman before I die.

But boy, do I look terrible. When my 12 year old daughter saw me with only my bra on, she started crying, thinking I looked like "one of those people yopu see on TV, that stuff you DIE from!!" My husband, who likes voluptious women (even though he himself is a superfit Ironman type of guy) thinks I am way too skinny. I don´t want him to see my boobs now (or what´s left of them) and all plans of finally having a bikini summer, are out the window.

I haven´t actually lost too much, I think this is a reasonable weight for me, and I don´t really want to put it back on since my running is finally feeling good and I feel great. Well, sort of..... If it wasn´t for the looks. And I am not being silly a self conscious beyond reason now, I do look really old in my body.

How much could weight training help, in filling out my body somewhat without adding fat again? Or is this the Choice - fat or voluptious? (Or is it "volumptious...? English is not my first language as I live on the other side of the planet from you.)

Maybe I am just about to realize that at 56 this is how you look? And I certainly didn´t look good with that fat on either, just more rounded.... Sigh...

[Crankin]

Losing large amounts of weight often causes the issues you are describing. I'm not a coach, but since you didn't mention it, why don't you try adding in weight training? Losing weight often equals losing muscle mass and when we get older (I'm a couple of years ahead of you), we need to concentrate on building muscle mass to counteract the natural process of aging. If I was in your position, I would get some professional advice: strength training/exercise physiologist/PT (make sure it's a real professional) and a registered dietician.
I think that a lot of people (women) ignore the strength issues, which can cause a lot of problems as we age.

[lph]

I agree that weight training should help, as it defines the body from under the skin. But there's just so much you can do, and at some point I guess you just have to decide how you feel about it. I think it's quite common for people who have lost a lot of weight to "need" plastic surgery to remove excess skin. I don't consider that vain at all, even though I'm all for accepting natural aging.

I hope you have a blast training for your first sprint triathlon! I did my first and so far only sprint ltri ast year, and it was SO much fun :-D (And there will be lots of wrinkly people around, I promise you.) Masse lykke til, kjør på :-)

[OakLeaf]

Boo for the negative messages from your family. First and foremost, I hope you can get comfortable with the body you're in. It sounds like you've done a great job with the fitness and fat loss. I hope that you can continue to feel GREAT about yourself and the way you feel ... and the way you LOOK, too, even if it isn't exactly what you see in airbrushed pictures of supermodels in the magazines.

We all lose skin elasticity as we get older. That's what causes wrinkles, and when you've lost a lot of weight, your skin is still the same size as it was when there was more fat underneath. Your skin is a living organ, so whatever you can do to keep it healthy will help maintain and possibly even restore some of its elasticity. Nutrition is #1 - plenty of raw vegetables and, once you've gotten enough fiber for the day, raw vegetable juices. Don't neglect protein, if most of your calories are coming from vegetables. An alkaline-forming diet. Hydration. Taking care of the connective tissue that connects with the skin by foam rolling and other self-myofascial release techniques. None of these will turn any of us into lingerie models, but they'll help your skin health, PLUS they'll make you feel better from the inside, which will help make you feel better about yourself.

(((((LunaB))))) Without seeing you, I can just about guarantee you don't look "awful." Shame on people who tell you that you do.

[Kathi]

For your boobs check out this subReddit. http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/ There are other women there who are also going through weight loss and looking for advice there. Several of the members are bra fitters and can help you with bras that are good for your shape.

A properly fitting bra will improve your looks and self esteem. You sound a lot like me. Boob tissue does migrate and with good fitting bras you will be surprised at the changes you'll see.

If you're running you need a good fitting sports bra, too.

[Crankin]

I want to echo what LPH stated. I don't think it's vain at all to have to have surgery to remove excess skin after a large weight loss. I actually know 2 people who have done this. Everyone has different feelings about this, and I hesitated to bring it up.
You've worked incredibly hard, and you have the right to feel good about this.

[indysteel]

I don't have any additonal advice to add to the already great advice you've gotten. I just wanted to congratulate you on your weight loss and fitness gains. That's positively fantastic! I'm sorry that you've had to endure some negative reactions to it and hope that you don't let others' reactions change how feel about your accomplishments.

[Swan]

Parroting the weight training advice! When I lost a lot of weight all at once (27lbs in two months), I started looking like a crumpled plastic bag. But hitting the gym for those machines and to lift weights really tucked everything back in pretty well! I still have a tiny bit of loose skin in my arms, but I'm still beginning at the gym (only been a couple of weeks). If weight training doesn't cut it for you, don't feel bad if you do want a tuck. It's really important to feel good about your body.

[LunaB]

I want to say a great big thank you for all the positive replies I have been getting on my post! I KNEW this forum was the one and only place to spill my beans! Thank you!

I may not have enough loose skin for a tuck, but I admit that if I was in my 20´s or 30´s I would definitely save up to have my boobs fixed. Something that would never ever have crossed my mind even in my wildest dreams before. Now, at 56 .... hm, I don´t know, I may just have to live with them...?

And weight training will be next on my agenda! I lost the weight very rapidly on a real crash diet, so I probably lost a lot of muscle in the process.

And with clothes on I think I look pretty good at the moment

Och, lph - Tusen Tack!!

[Blueberry]

I just wanted to echo what others have said - you have done something amazing! Since you lost it fast, I would say give it some time. Skin can take some time to adjust - and add weight training as others have said. If the boobs bother you, I don't think your age should be a limiting factor if it's what *you* want to do for *you*. You're active, you're in great shape - do what it takes for you to feel that way. I don't think you need to settle because you're 56!

[zoom-zoom]

I lost the weight very rapidly on a real crash diet, so I probably lost a lot of muscle in the process.

It could also be that your skin will simply take longer to shrink down a bit than your fat cells did, so be patient. I think a lot of people find that when they lose weight fast that there is a lag between their skin shrinking to match the rest of them. And some areas are stubborn on some of us. My upper arms, inner thighs, and belly all have stretch marks (and having had a c-section only adds to my belly's floppiness), so these areas may never shrink much, since the skin has visible lack of elasticity. A lot of it's genetic. My mom doesn't have particularly elastic skin, either.