Is Loose Skin Preventable?

[Beth]

I've been reading a lot of posts on loose skin and I did some research wanted to start a new thread with some facts. There are many factors that come in to play with loose skin such as how long you have been overweight, your age, the elasticity of your skin, and the amount of weight you want to loose. Another factor is how fast you loose weight, if you loose it quickly you are more likely to end up with loose skin than if you loose weight slowly. Also mixing workouts with cardio and muscle toning is a good way to help prevent or lessen the amount of loose skin. If you remember Matt did not have a problem with loose skin and this is probably because he was athletic and very fit until college when he began to let himself go, so he wasn't overweight for long and his skin went back to normal fairly easily. Suzie on the other hand talked about how she has to wear a gerdle to hold her loose skin, maybe that is because she was overweight longer and on the BL contestants lose weight so much faster than you would normally. As you continue to lower your body fat your skin should tighten at least partially and again will tighten after a one to two year period of weight loss being maintained through good diet and exercise. I hope you find this info useful

[Trying4Thin]

I am terrified of loose skin. I have put in a lot of time on the treadmill and the tops of my legs are starting to sag because of the inches lost. I have solid muscle underneath all that fat. What gives?? I think I am going to have to start weight training my lower half, and what doesnt disappear, will when I have surgery. I havent lifted since November and that was only for a few days. I figured if I did straight cardio, I could burn more fat, but at this point I need to add weights before I get too flabby. I am 30 years old and have been "obese" since the Fall of '94. I hope it isnt too late to turn things around, would love to avoid going under the knife.

~Carrie

[Damzel]

I know that is my biggest fear.... I have been big forever...lil by lil ... I noticed that my legs look a lil more dimply then before like they are getting lose so it shows rather then just being stretched over the fat?? Just trying to figure out the difference really in like tred mill and ellipticals. where you would think you are gaining muscle so would you really need weight training too... if they are solid under the soft then muscle is building?? Just a thought?? and how do you weight train the middle and butt?? with out access to a gym or weight room?? Help....lol Don't want to look like a shar pei Puppy when this is all done....lol

DAMZEL

[Missy]

Weights...Weights...Weights!!!!

You can't just do cardio if you don't want loose skin. You have to tone the muscle. Cardio is awesome for burning fat...but you need to do weight training to tone your muscles. Usually I do an hour of weight training and 1/2 hour to an hour of cardio everyday.

Some great exercises you can do are leg lifts/raises, squats, lunges, ab crunches.

If you have access to a gym...for my lower body I do the leg press (240 pounds), leg extensions at 120 pounds, leg curls at 70 pounds, lunges while holding 10 pound weight in each hand, squats, running the stairs

I also do 100 pounds on the chest press...use the pectoral fly, bicep curls, shoulder press, back extensions, tricep curls..I use the ab machines where you add weights too them as well.

If you want to burn fat and tone at the same time, you must do cardio AND weight training!

[72butterfly]

I agree with Missy you should always do weight training and cardio. Building muscle burns fat. Weight training helps with your metabolism also. Other ways of toning include many of the Taebo videos, they are generally a combo of cardio & weight training, Pilates, water exercise, and any ball workouts. Varying your routine and not doing all cardio is essential.

[pathoulihanuk]

thats probably the best way to prevent this and to maintain kit.

[Patty_Ann]

Originally Posted by Beth

I've been reading a lot of posts on loose skin and I did some research wanted to start a new thread with some facts. There are many factors that come in to play with loose skin such as how long you have been overweight, your age, the elasticity of your skin, and the amount of weight you want to loose. Another factor is how fast you loose weight, if you loose it quickly you are more likely to end up with loose skin than if you loose weight slowly. Also mixing workouts with cardio and muscle toning is a good way to help prevent or lessen the amount of loose skin. If you remember Matt did not have a problem with loose skin and this is probably because he was athletic and very fit until college when he began to let himself go, so he wasn't overweight for long and his skin went back to normal fairly easily. Suzie on the other hand talked about how she has to wear a gerdle to hold her loose skin, maybe that is because she was overweight longer and on the BL contestants lose weight so much faster than you would normally. As you continue to lower your body fat your skin should tighten at least partially and again will tighten after a one to two year period of weight loss being maintained through good diet and exercise. I hope you find this info useful

Beth...thanks for this information. It has made me feel better about the loose skin issue. I was afraid of this but this message has settled a lot of the nerves. I was like Matt...I haven't been overweight my whole life - the pounds didn't come until my 3rd child - 3 years ago. It seems that after I had my tubes tied the pounds came and never went away - very difficult to lose. I always had an athletic trim build - I am doing more cardio than anything right now b/c I want to lose most of the weight before I start weight training. I don't want to build a bunch of muscle before losing the weight. Thanks again!

[Patty_Ann]

Originally Posted by 72butterfly

I agree with Missy you should always do weight training and cardio. Building muscle burns fat. Weight training helps with your metabolism also. Other ways of toning include many of the Taebo videos, they are generally a combo of cardio & weight training, Pilates, water exercise, and any ball workouts. Varying your routine and not doing all cardio is essential.

72 & Missy - thanks for posting this. I had just left a message about how I am only doing cardio b/c I don't want to build muscle. After reading your muscles I will be changing this as soon as I can. Thanks for your input!

[pathoulihanuk]

I know its a very complex subject and people aernt aware of the loose skin which can make people sared of this as long as you the right training for cardio there wont be a problem

[weaverdelooh]

I noticed in my Richard Simmon's work out video that they were also doing toning, using bottles of pop as their weights to help tone.

Originally Posted by Beth

I've been reading a lot of posts on loose skin and I did some research wanted to start a new thread with some facts. There are many factors that come in to play with loose skin such as how long you have been overweight, your age, the elasticity of your skin, and the amount of weight you want to loose. Another factor is how fast you loose weight, if you loose it quickly you are more likely to end up with loose skin than if you loose weight slowly. Also mixing workouts with cardio and muscle toning is a good way to help prevent or lessen the amount of loose skin. If you remember Matt did not have a problem with loose skin and this is probably because he was athletic and very fit until college when he began to let himself go, so he wasn't overweight for long and his skin went back to normal fairly easily. Suzie on the other hand talked about how she has to wear a gerdle to hold her loose skin, maybe that is because she was overweight longer and on the BL contestants lose weight so much faster than you would normally. As you continue to lower your body fat your skin should tighten at least partially and again will tighten after a one to two year period of weight loss being maintained through good diet and exercise. I hope you find this info useful