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

[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.

[Catrin]

I've the same problem with skin that isn't so elastic - and I've lost a LOT of weight, close to 100 pounds. I've also had stomach surgery, twice, so suspect things won't change much. I am 53, and while I don't have all that many stretch marks, the skin is taking it's own sweet time to shrink down. If it doesn't I won't allow that to trouble me, though it could if I allowed it to do so. Weight training is great for many reasons, and becoming comfortable in your own skin is one of the most important, to my mind at least. Congratulations on all of the hard work you've been doing. Personally I wish that I had added weight training years before I did, it pays off in so many ways.

[emily_in_nc]

I've the same problem with skin that isn't so elastic - and I've lost a LOT of weight, close to 100 pounds.

Wow, Catrin -- I had no idea. Congratulations!

(Sorry for the thread hijack...)

[Catrin]

Wow, Catrin -- I had no idea. Congratulations!

(Sorry for the thread hijack...)

I've run across a couple of people recently who haven't seen me for a decade, their shocked reaction was rather interesting

back to the regular thread...

[Sky King]

I started weight training the end of July last year, I am 57. I didn't have as much weight to lose but can still relate to the wrinkles. I have lost 19 pounds of fat but I have gained 6 pounds of muscle but alas still have folds of skin hanging around.
Let us remember to keep celebrating our fitness. I too am beyond the bikini, wear a bra with formed cups and am more comfortable in capri's and walking shorts. Do what works for you, if that means a skin tuck then check it out.
BUT do try out a good weight training program, I do a cross fit type so is only 30 minutes 2 to 3 x's a week. I have 4 GF's who go too, we call ourselves the grey headed team

[skhill]

I'm about 75lbs under my heaviest, and have been this weight (or smaller) for 5.5 years now. 5 years ago, there was much more droopy/ saggy stuff, but over time things have tightened up considerably. Wearing a bikini wouldn't be a good idea, though! I'm 42 now, by the way... Give it some time, and see what happens, would be my suggestion.

A lot of my family weren't all that thrilled about my weight loss. My thinking is that they had known me as an overweight/obese/sedentary person for so many years, and I made some really significant and noticeable changes in my life and appearance. But big changes in the people we're close to can be unsettling. They've all adjusted too over the years!

[Scrappy]

I'm 38yrs old, have gained and lost 100lbs over the years, and this winter got down to 122lbs. Looked great in clothing, but literally shocked a friend speechless when I showed her what it looked like under the clothes.. She said "omg, there is a whole 'nother person's worth of skin hanging off you!" boobs, sad little empty socks dangling off my chest, flying squirrel arms, and wrinkly saggy belly skin, thighs a serious freak show. Genetics are against the women in our family, and with no change in elasticity after years and years, 4 weeks ago I finally decided to "fill it in" with muscle via hard core strength training and lots of protein.

So far I've gained 14 lbs and had to go back up in pants from a 4/6 to a solid 8, but I can finally see (and feel!) some real changes in the wrinkles and dimples in the legs, and my flying squirrel arms are starting to look closer to normal. It's hard to wrap the brain around gaining weight back and going up in sizes to look better, but it's true. My trainer told me:

"When you're skinny fat, or lacking muscle, you can make your body fit your pants by displacing the fat or squeezing it in. (muffin top) When you have muscle, you have to buy pants that fit the muscle because it won't give."

So try gaining muscle first.. It looks great and gives you a nice voluptuous shape while burning calories at the same time :-)

Scrappy