Saggy skin: The picture journal and the battle for sharp abs

[Monika33]

You got it!!!!! It may take a long time but it is going to be worth every bead of sweat!!! You can do it!!!!

[CTB]

I'm in, the motivation in this thread is incredible and so are all the people posting in it. Keep up the hard work everyone!

[Vincenza]

Originally Posted by Monika33

Weight 136 and going down!

Wow I thought I was the one hiding a flap.

<3

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by Carmen666

I'm in, the motivation in this thread is incredible and so are all the people posting in it. Keep up the hard work everyone!

I am glad your in!!! I am going to keep on going until the skin is gone!

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by Vincenza

Wow I thought I was the one hiding a flap.

<3

That is my motivation to get it gone!! My abdomen was stretched out so far with my twins that I could not even touch my fingers together.

[Monika33]

Ok, Ladies!

What is your daily workout?

[BuffMotherWW]

At my age (44) skin is not as elastic and mine was stretched out pretty bad after having 4 children.

March 10, 2008
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com//i...423142orig.jpg

August 31, 2008
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com//i...423242orig.jpg

I know I will always have the severe stretch marks - those are damage to the skin that can't be repaired, but our bodies are pretty amazing and I am HOPING my stomach can shrink down more than it is.

[Deborah_Lyn]

Great transformation!

Very inspirational and congrats on all your hard work paying off!

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by BuffMotherWW

At my age (44) skin is not as elastic and mine was stretched out pretty bad after having 4 children.

March 10, 2008
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com//i...423142orig.jpg

August 31, 2008
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com//i...423242orig.jpg

I know I will always have the severe stretch marks - those are damage to the skin that can't be repaired, but our bodies are pretty amazing and I am HOPING my stomach can shrink down more than it is.

That is awesome thanks for joining us!, My skin is hanging over but I am working hard everyday with a great trainer and awesome diet to get rid of most of my body fat!! What kind of diet are you using?

Great transformation you look awesome!

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by Deborah_Lyn

Great transformation!

Very inspirational and congrats on all your hard work paying off!

Keep posted you havnt seen anything yet!

[Monika33]

I really feel like it is getting tighter!!!

My weight is now 133!

Size 6 in jeans

[Monika33]

I am going to be updating every two weeks more pic to come soon!

How is everyone doing on their changes?

Post your pics

[Rob Awesome]

I used to be a representative for a supplement company and I am currently an active personal trainer... a researcher and scientist in the field of endocrinology on a track for my MS/PhD and Monika... I must say... in my field/s of meeting and interacting with numerous individuals... you have the greatest potential and the strongest intrinsic motivation that is truly inspiring!

I wish you the best of luck on your journey!

[spirit3530]

Originally Posted by Rob Awesome

I used to be a representative for a supplement company and I am currently an active personal trainer... a researcher and scientist in the field of endocrinology on a track for my MS/PhD and Monika... I must say... in my field/s of meeting and interacting with numerous individuals... you have the greatest potential and the strongest intrinsic motivation that is truly inspiring!

I wish you the best of luck on your journey!

You trying to court my superstar???






Moni tell him how the team gets down

[strangefyr]

Originally Posted by spirit3530

Remember ladies if you didn't blow up in weight over 12 months its not going to come off and recomp in 12 months.
....

I ballooned from 140 to 200 pounds over the course of 10 years.
2 years ago i began kickboxing (high energy cardio burning) along with a very basic weight lifting regimen. i do this only 3 days a week and walk other days. I began kickboxing in february 2007. By November 2007 i had lost 50 pounds. I've kept it off with the same 3-day routine.

my body seems to build muscle easily. i know i look and feel younger than i did in 2006. i'm 44 and feel great. i joined this forum/site looking for info on body-building competition info for 40-something women. is there such a thing???? even for those of us with saggy skin from weight loss???

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by strangefyr

I ballooned from 140 to 200 pounds over the course of 10 years.
2 years ago i began kickboxing (high energy cardio burning) along with a very basic weight lifting regimen. i do this only 3 days a week and walk other days. I began kickboxing in february 2007. By November 2007 i had lost 50 pounds. I've kept it off with the same 3-day routine.

my body seems to build muscle easily. i know i look and feel younger than i did in 2006. i'm 44 and feel great. i joined this forum/site looking for info on body-building competition info for 40-something women. is there such a thing???? even for those of us with saggy skin from weight loss???

What is your body fat at? Do you have pics? Is kickboxing and high intensity cardio all you are doing?

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by spirit3530

You trying to court my superstar???






Moni tell him how the team gets down

Thank you Sage, I would not be here if it wasnt for you!


GO TEAM ANTI-GOLIATH

[Monika33]

This is only getting better!

[Vigilante_Inc]

First and foremost I want to congratulate everyone who has to worry about this problem. It means you've taken a step in the right direction and you're getting your bf % down. I'll help shed some light on this whole debate and I hope it doesn't discourage anyone because it's not the most uplifting news on the net lol. We must first seperate the two types of loose skin. Loose skin from pregnancy is tremendously easier to get rid of because it's not like that for long. If you really think about it depending on the individual their bellies only enlarge dramtically for 1 to maybe 6 months (Some more some none at all) Then their is the extremely stubborn obesity loose skin. Now depending on age and time overweight it will tighten up a little bit, but I wouldn't expect miracles. The difference is when you're overweight you're skin doesn't really stretch it grows. You gain a little bit of weight overtime and youre skin stretches then slowly that skin returns to it's original thickness at it's larger form and the process continues. So you literally have skin cells that keep multiplying and multiplying. With pregnancy the belly generally grows so quickly the skin never really has time to fill in. I always hate to be the barer of bad news but if you were overweight for an extended period of time it's unlikely that it will return to that shrink wrapped tightness. I'm currently suffering from loose skin too. I went from 304 to 270 for a while and I'm currently at about 200 pounds. Another less talked about problem is that most people who were overweight have stretched their actual abdomen. Making their waistes appear bigger. The tissue in between the muscles grows and your waiste literally widens. Surgery does fix both of these problems but is very expensive and there are scars left behind. The worst part about loose abdominal skin is there's really no way to add muscle to tighten it up. Loose skin on the arms... get bigger arms. Loose skin on the legs.... hey, just build up those quads and glutes. Loose skin on your abs... hell, you can do every type of situp and crunch from now till forever but that won't fix you're loose skin. My recommendation... lose the bodyfat because you deserve to be healthy and feel good. If the skin is a problem then surgery is an alternative (one I'll be looking into when my bf% gets under ten percent) Hope this helps.

[IzzieUpNorth]

I want to say this thread is awesome. And I'd like to put myself in as a fellow loser of the tummy flap.

I gave birth to my daughter weighing 350lbs. I maintained 300lbs for a while and 2 years ago decided to set a goal to lose weight. January 2009 I made my goal to lose 100 and now I'm setting my eyes on the next prize, to be on stage by the time I'm 25.

I've been told I have time on my side, now it's time to mold something smokin from this silly putty figure.

[Holly854]

I am dealing with the idea that I WILL most definitely have extra skin when I start loosing weight. I always did in the past and now that I am 43 I can only assume it will be there even worse.

I was upset after I had my first baby with all my stretch marks and extra skin. I was beating myself up because I didn't have the money (at the time) to purchase that expensive "anti-stretch mark cream". The dermatologist told me that no matter what kind of cream I would have put on my skin would have reacted the same. She was kind enough to not say, that If i wouldn't have put on so much weight that it wouldn't have done that to begin with.

Is anyone on this thread Joining the Transformation Contest?

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by Holly854

I am dealing with the idea that I WILL most definitely have extra skin when I start loosing weight. I always did in the past and now that I am 43 I can only assume it will be there even worse.

I was upset after I had my first baby with all my stretch marks and extra skin. I was beating myself up because I didn't have the money (at the time) to purchase that expensive "anti-stretch mark cream". The dermatologist told me that no matter what kind of cream I would have put on my skin would have reacted the same. She was kind enough to not say, that If i wouldn't have put on so much weight that it wouldn't have done that to begin with.

Is anyone on this thread Joining the Transformation Contest?

I really think loosing all the body fat is helping tremendously! My loose skin is definatly getting smaller

I wanted to join the transformation contest but didnt get to sign up in time.

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by IzzieUpNorth

I want to say this thread is awesome. And I'd like to put myself in as a fellow loser of the tummy flap.

I gave birth to my daughter weighing 350lbs. I maintained 300lbs for a while and 2 years ago decided to set a goal to lose weight. January 2009 I made my goal to lose 100 and now I'm setting my eyes on the next prize, to be on stage by the time I'm 25.

I've been told I have time on my side, now it's time to mold something smokin from this silly putty figure.

That is an awesome goal, I plan to be on the stage by summer 2010. What kind of diet are you working with!

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by Vigilante_Inc

First and foremost I want to congratulate everyone who has to worry about this problem. It means you've taken a step in the right direction and you're getting your bf % down. I'll help shed some light on this whole debate and I hope it doesn't discourage anyone because it's not the most uplifting news on the net lol. We must first seperate the two types of loose skin. Loose skin from pregnancy is tremendously easier to get rid of because it's not like that for long. If you really think about it depending on the individual their bellies only enlarge dramtically for 1 to maybe 6 months (Some more some none at all) Then their is the extremely stubborn obesity loose skin. Now depending on age and time overweight it will tighten up a little bit, but I wouldn't expect miracles. The difference is when you're overweight you're skin doesn't really stretch it grows. You gain a little bit of weight overtime and youre skin stretches then slowly that skin returns to it's original thickness at it's larger form and the process continues. So you literally have skin cells that keep multiplying and multiplying. With pregnancy the belly generally grows so quickly the skin never really has time to fill in. I always hate to be the barer of bad news but if you were overweight for an extended period of time it's unlikely that it will return to that shrink wrapped tightness. I'm currently suffering from loose skin too. I went from 304 to 270 for a while and I'm currently at about 200 pounds. Another less talked about problem is that most people who were overweight have stretched their actual abdomen. Making their waistes appear bigger. The tissue in between the muscles grows and your waiste literally widens. Surgery does fix both of these problems but is very expensive and there are scars left behind. The worst part about loose abdominal skin is there's really no way to add muscle to tighten it up. Loose skin on the arms... get bigger arms. Loose skin on the legs.... hey, just build up those quads and glutes. Loose skin on your abs... hell, you can do every type of situp and crunch from now till forever but that won't fix you're loose skin. My recommendation... lose the bodyfat because you deserve to be healthy and feel good. If the skin is a problem then surgery is an alternative (one I'll be looking into when my bf% gets under ten percent) Hope this helps.

Thank you for all the insight, My goal is to work hard and loose the BF. See what happens.

[BuckSpin]

All of you are very inspiring. I share the same problem. After everything I have done & been through, all I see in the mirror is that (expletive) pooch hanging around my navel. Now it has gotten smaller & smaller as I lean out more & more, but in the back of my mind I can't help but think this is my version of a "Scarlet A" for 20+ years of being obese.

I am open to any & all suggestions as to how to make this damn thing go away short of surgery. And, like Moni, I too have stage aspirations (target date of autumn 2011) but not if "it" is still here.

Hope you ladies don't mind if I peek in from time to time to see how you are all doing and help me keep a optimistic view on this.

[Kate1]

Don't worry BuckSpin! The "good guys" are always welcome over here

[Vigilante_Inc]

There are some things you can do to help. They aren't miracle bullets or anything but improving the health of your skin will increase your bodies ability to recover to a more tight and firm midsection. Exfoliating is the most dramatic helper. It slowly but surely removes dead skin and results in increased blood flow to the skin. Moisturizing helps as well. So do it after you shower and before bed. Also drinking a lot of water helps your skin bounce back slightly. Hope that helps.

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by BuckSpin

All of you are very inspiring. I share the same problem. After everything I have done & been through, all I see in the mirror is that (expletive) pooch hanging around my navel. Now it has gotten smaller & smaller as I lean out more & more, but in the back of my mind I can't help but think this is my version of a "Scarlet A" for 20+ years of being obese.

I am open to any & all suggestions as to how to make this damn thing go away short of surgery. And, like Moni, I too have stage aspirations (target date of autumn 2011) but not if "it" is still here.

Hope you ladies don't mind if I peek in from time to time to see how you are all doing and help me keep a optimistic view on this.

You are on the right track, my BF is getting lower and lower, my skin is bouncing back, progress pics to come next week. This is going to be a great journey. Glad to have you join us!!!

[Monika33]

Originally Posted by Kate1

Don't worry BuckSpin! The "good guys" are always welcome over here

Glad to have you with us, definatly the good girls are always welcome!

[trance__dreamer]

wicked thread! /m\

& i, too, suffer w/ this issue. rahhhh. =/