Concerned about excess skin after weight loss.

I'm just beginning my weight loss journey. I'm worried about excess skin. I don't want surgery and I don't think I could do more than 20 sit ups a day at this point. But I am losing weight. 12 lbs. down in 9 days. Am I guaranteed to have hanging skin if I don't do strenuous excercise?

12 pounds in 9 days? That doesn't sound very healthy. Unless it was mostly water weight.
It's recommended that you lose 1-2 pounds a week for healthy weight loss.

I don't know much about excess skin, but there are a lot of threads about that subject. You can lurk around and probably find 5 on one page. :P lol, jk.
I've heard lotioning helps. And you should weight lift to help tone your body. Crunches won't do much of anything, btw.

I know my weight came off fast so far but I do think I've eaten pretty healthy each day so far. It's just that my old eating habits were so bad and my new eating habits are so good. Oh, and they say you lose weight when you're in love.. I believe it! ;)

Edited to add.. it probably was a lot of water weight actually.

even if you do i think its better to be healthy :)

I think it's kinda early to be worried about that; but it shouldn't be a problem at all if you workout regularly. I lost 70 pounds so far and I don't have any indication of excess skin; mind you now, I exercise everyday.

I don't think it's a problem - I lost 20 lbs, and although I didn't have loose skin, I had lots of stretch marks. However, with exercise, moisturizer and time (think a year plus) they have completely gone away and I have very smooth skin. The only thing is, I have heard the younger you are the more elastic your skin and thus the chances of regaining smooth skin after weight loss are higher. Then again, this shouldn't deter you! You'll be looking fabulous and healthy all the time. People five meters away will see your fantastic shape but not any skin you may have.

I worried about the same thing.  So far I've lost 51 lbs and still have 63 to go.  No excess skin yet.  I ride bike for half an hour a day and swim laps another half hour or so.  Or sometimes I only ride to the pool which is 10 minutes round trip, but then I swim laps for an hour.

Your initial weight loss seems quite rapid, but I lost 19 lbs the first month, then 12 lbs per month for 2 months and last month lost 7 lbs, so as long as you are eating the recommended caloric intake or close to it you should be fine, assuming the weight loss becomes less rapid as time goes on.  Just don't mess up your metabolism by cutting too many calories!

Congratulations on the weight loss and NO! 12 pounds is not too much to lose in the first couple of weeks as you will lose water weight first.

I have a lot of excess skin, but I am almost 50 with two pregnancies.  I have researched the surgery and I am not worried about it but not really sure I want to spend the money for it either. 

It is really up to you.  How comfortable will you be with your body if you have excess skin?  Having excess skin depends on how fast you lose and your bodies ability for the skin to shrink.  Exercising will have little effect on the skin as you do not exercise skin. 

Please do not let the possibility of excess skin stop you from getting to a healthy weight. 

Sweety, if you only want to lose fifty pounds you do NOT have to worry about saggy skin - skin is elastic and it WILL shrink, it's just that it has its limits... the only people who usually get saggy skin are those who are mega-heavy to begin with, because their skin has been stretched so much that it can never recover, and people who lose large amounts of weight very fast, because their skin can't shrink fast enough to keep up. It's great that you've lost 12 pounds in just over a week, but you really shouldn't continue at that level for much longer - if you don't slow down naturally, you'll need to ask yourself if you're eating enough or exercising too much...

Hi,

I feel the need to "weigh in" here.  I lost a total of 98 lbs (I put back on 10 lbs that I've been gaining and losing for the last year or so) and it took me two years to do it.  I lost the first 18 lbs in a month doing Atkins (which I would never do again) and the rest doing Weight Watchers.  I exercised pretty much every day for about an hour, jogging and walking and some calisthenics.  I still jog/walk and now I do Curves Smart.  Anyway, I do have some loose skin.  I'm 38, and I never took the greatest care of my skin.  244 lbs is the heaviest I ever got but I flirted with 225 lbs a few years before I got to 244.  I gained and lost a few times, never moisturized very well... etc.  My point is, skin will depend on some variables, for me it never completely snapped back, my upper arms are a little wobbly, I have a bit of an apron of skin on my belly, I lost a lot of volume in the upper part of my breasts (I lost 10 inches there alone) so the skin there is a little "crepey", however, compared to what I used to look like (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94355064@N00/1757003393/in/set-7215760 2717158469/) I would rather have a little loose skin.  Considering how overweight I was it's not too much to live with.  Be healthy, that is the most important thing.

50 pounds, you shouldn't develop excess skin even with the mildest exercise and plenty of fluid in your diet.

Me on the other hand, and a few others on here, do have the excess skin. Age is factored in, as well as how much weight you came from. I've lost 175 pounds.. and I'm sorry, but it's not a pretty site (in my opinion) when I am nude. But at least I'm healthy, egh?

You'll be fine.

Oh star! Nothing could make me happier than hearing that!! I was so worried about excess skin I almost wanted to stop dieting ... like a paranoia, I could grab myself and be like, it didn't used to be like this ...

    Hi,

I also wanted to add my 2p's worth, I am 47 and began this healthy eating plan ( I will not call it a diet, its a change of lifestyle) in February this year and so far have only lost 10lbs... so well done for all those who have lost, and keep up the effort and good work.

I already have excess skin, a large flabby apron which is extremely loose as is, and if I am successful in losing  all 117lbs it will be so much looser by the end. I am in favour of surgery as I feel for me it is necessary, I hate how I look naked now, as does my husband, so I can only imagine what it will look like by then. I moisturise after every shower and every night  and it makes no difference, my belly area is really badly stretched after 3 pregnancies of increasing sized babies. On saying that my arms, legs and chest are still in good shape. I had a hysterectomy 14 yrs ago and have been on HRT since then, which has probably contributed to the gain and skin condition. My face is youthful for my age but the body lets me down.

My initial loss if very slow and I am only walking for exercise until I loose a lot more weight and be able to exercise comfortably, I walk daily 5-7 miles doing a total of 12,000 to  15,000 steps, a little dancing, but that is all.

I was really worried about this as well when I first started my journey.  My trainer informed me that if I did weight training along with my cardio that everything should be okay.  Im 78 pounds down and no loose skin.  Woo Hoo!  The only thing I'm still worried about is my belly, its still kinda jiggly.  I've upped my ab workouts and it seems to be getting a little tighter.  Maybe a couple more months and it might look like I want it to.  So just make sure you have a good weight program to go along with your cardio.  Hope this helps.  Good luck!!

Hi,

I am also 47 and have creeped up to a very unhealthy weight after 3 children, a complete hysterectomy and Hshimoto's Thyroiditis (my thyroid has 0 function).

My son introduced me to this website and hounds me every time he sees me to start counting calories (in a nice manner).I can never seem to get motivated, always going to start a new diet "tomorrow".Do you have any suggestions on how to quit eating junk food? I am 5'3'' and probably weigh about 224 lbs. I would like to lose 90lbs. And honestly the skin thing scares me.

This is my first post, maybe I will keep this up. BTW I did just have a protein smoothie for breakfast and walked 1 mile on the treadmill, obviously 1 mile is not nearly enough!

drabik - I started out at 236 lbs in October, and now weigh 181 ( a loss of 55 lbs) and I still eat junk food. Not alot, mind you. When I crave those chips, I eat a handful and make sure I log it.  If I want chocolate, I drink DIET hot chocolate and that satisifies me.  You gotta find ways to satisfy those cravings so they won't get  ya in the end! :D

Now, about me.....I'm 43, 2 kids, and I have a samll amount of loose skin. I have chronic back pain and leg pain that will only get worse in time (long story), so weight training is out for me. But it seems it helps.

Good luck!

I have another 80lb to go, I've lost 55lb already.  This is what I am doing apart from exercise to try to avoid the saggy skin as much as possible.

1) Creams: First thing which most people recommend.  If it works or not is very debatable, but I though that I would take the chance.  I seem to forget to use the lotion after the shower, so I keep a bottle by the bed and rub it in my tummy (my worst spot) before I go to sleep.

2) Binder: After lipo, or a tummy tuck etc, the standard treatment is to wear a tight fitting binder. so I thought I would try the same thing, but use it as I loose weight as well.  It actually feels really good, it feels nice and firm, and it reminds me to keep on with the diet.  I just got the 'slimming' underwear from Kmart, it was cheep, and it goes from my ribs just down to my knees.  If only I could get one for my arms.

Hey, its worth a try!

momof2funykds-

Thanks. Have you been exercising too? What are you doing? I think once I get past a few days it may be easier to stick to this. However, I actually had been exercising, eating better and feeling pretty good a few months ago and I just fell off the wagon completely. I work on the road too so it is hard to stick to routines. Many days I am up at 4:00am, hit the road for anywhere from 1-3 hours travel to an account, work 7-8 hours, then drive back home. This 5 days a week, so you can see how I have no energy to do anything except collapse (on top of that I have computer work when I get home).

BTW GREAT JOB!

Original Post by drabik2001:

momof2funykds-

Thanks. Have you been exercising too? What are you doing? I think once I get past a few days it may be easier to stick to this. However, I actually had been exercising, eating better and feeling pretty good a few months ago and I just fell off the wagon completely. I work on the road too so it is hard to stick to routines. Many days I am up at 4:00am, hit the road for anywhere from 1-3 hours travel to an account, work 7-8 hours, then drive back home. This 5 days a week, so you can see how I have no energy to do anything except collapse (on top of that I have computer work when I get home).

BTW GREAT JOB!

this seems very stressful and difficult, but i am sure eating healthier will actually make your hard work a little easier!