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  1. #1
    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Slow Weight Loss = Less Loose Skin?

    Age: 19
    Height: 6'2
    Weight: 370 pounds
    I carry the weight well. My goal is to minimize body fat and then lean bulk. I want to minimize/avoid loose skin. Will bulking and lowering body fat percentage as low as practically possible eliminate loose skin?

    I've also read all over the internet that slow weight loss will result in less loose skin, but I can't find any reliable sources to back that claim up. Fact or fiction - what do you all think?...



    Another question I had was related to how to minimize loose skin through lifting, if that is even possible. I've seen pictures of bodybuilders who have lost a large amount of weight, had loose skin while they were thin, and built muscle that tightened up the skin.

    So my question is - should I get to that point in my fitness journey where I minimize body fat and have loose skin, and THEN build muscle / cut?

    OR...

    Should I cut weight until loose skin STARTS to appear, build muscle to fill it in in, and repeat until I am lean and muscular?

    I don't want to try the first approach and build muscle that does not fill in the loose skin or cause it to tighten. And I'm not sure if the second method would be effective. But the former is what I've seen works.



    TL;DR

    In short, I am very overweight and my goal is to build a lean, muscular physique and minimize loose skin. Will lots of muscle and very low body fat percentage eliminate loose skin? Will slow weight loss help with loose skin, or is that just nonsense? Lastly, what method / order of burning fat and building muscle would be most effective, if any?

    BONUS QUESTION: Do you have any personal anecdotes of yourself or someone else who has lost weight, dealt with loose skin and tightened it? Please, do tell!

    Edit: As something I just considered after writing the above, I wonder if this hypothetical is accurate...

    Person A and Person B have identical genetics.

    Person A slowly loses 100 pounds over the course of two years, and so their skin keeps up and completely tightens gradually, giving the appearance of responding to the slow weight loss.

    Person B loses 100 pounds instantly, and their skin completely tightens over the course of two years, at the same rate of Person A, only it appears looser at first due to the lack of mass beneath it.

    This seems more likely than slow weight = less loose skin, but I could be wrong. Just looking for evidence, anecdotes or discussion.
    Last edited by Required4433; 09-29-2020 at 03:15 AM.
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    Registered User spradish's Avatar
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    Slower weight loss is only reduces loose skin in the short term. Your skin's rate of shrinkage is going to be slower than your rate of fat loss no matter what. In the end though, the end results are the same. Also keep in mind that it is normal for it to take a year or two after your diet is done for the skin to finish shrinking, when you lose a significant amount of weight.

    You should start lifting as soon as you are able to do so. I would not wait to start dieting because you can't lift right now (if that's the case) but start ASAP as it will help your overall health and physique in the long run.
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    Moderator SuffolkPunch's Avatar
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    I agree, it doesn't matter if you can't lift, at your weight loss of lean mass is not going to be a problem. Start dieting and do whatever movement / exercise you can, ramp it up over time. Get weight training whenever you can but you have plenty of time to organise that.
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    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by spradish View Post
    Slower weight loss is only reduces loose skin in the short term. Your skin's rate of shrinkage is going to be slower than your rate of fat loss no matter what. In the end though, the end results are the same. Also keep in mind that it is normal for it to take a year or two after your diet is done for the skin to finish shrinking, when you lose a significant amount of weight.

    You should start lifting as soon as you are able to do so. I would not wait to start dieting because you can't lift right now (if that's the case) but start ASAP as it will help your overall health and physique in the long run.
    I appreciate the response and the advice. Can you point me towards any resources that support the claim that the end result is the same no matter how quickly the weight is lost? Almost everything I have read says the opposite, so if you could share how you came to this conclusion it would be very helpful.
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    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by SuffolkPunch View Post
    I agree, it doesn't matter if you can't lift, at your weight loss of lean mass is not going to be a problem. Start dieting and do whatever movement / exercise you can, ramp it up over time. Get weight training whenever you can but you have plenty of time to organise that.
    I'm in a caloric deficit and doing daily cardio, no weightlifting yet. Thanks for the support.
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    Registered User Luclin999's Avatar
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    From personal experience, I think that how loose your skin will be if your get lean will depend at least as much upon how long you were fat.

    IE. the longer the skin was stretched out, the less likely it is to "snap back" to its original shape.

    All of that said, at 370 pounds it will likely take you 1-2 years to drop the 200 extra pounds you are carrying and even with taking that long you are probably going to have at least some loose skin issues no matter what so focus less on the aesthetics and more on the health aspects of the process.
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    Han shot first! TolerantLactose's Avatar
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    Cart before the horse. A little like worrying about the taxes I would owe on an 8 figure salary as if the former is more a pressing issue or bigger challenge than the latter.
    Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
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    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Luclin999 View Post
    From personal experience, I think that how loose your skin will be if your get lean will depend at least as much upon how long you were fat.

    IE. the longer the skin was stretched out, the less likely it is to "snap back" to its original shape.

    All of that said, at 370 pounds it will likely take you 1-2 years to drop the 200 extra pounds you are carrying and even with taking that long you are probably going to have at least some loose skin issues no matter what so focus less on the aesthetics and more on the health aspects of the process.
    I'm hoping that because I am relatively tall, young and carry the weight well (I do not appear as obese as I am), that given I do deal with loose skin I will be able to tighten it by building muscle mass. But even if that is not the case, you are right about health > aesthetics. Thank you for your personal experience. How long are we talking before shrinkage begins to become less likely? I have only been this overweight for less than a few years or so, if that.
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    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by TolerantLactose View Post
    Cart before the horse. A little like worrying about the taxes I would owe on an 8 figure salary as if the former is more a pressing issue or bigger challenge than the latter.
    True, but to run with your analogy, in my case the 8 figure salary is guaranteed with hard work - sure it's a challenge, but I know how to get there and I can expect results if I stay consistent. The taxes, on the other hand, are a huge variable. I can't seem to figure out how they work, how bad they will be, if/how I can prevent them, or if/how I can remedy them. Hence my original post.

    However, I agree with the sentiment that I should focus on what's more difficult. I just want to manage this issue and I'm getting conflicting information about it.
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    Han shot first! TolerantLactose's Avatar
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    The truth is that the vast majority of people who try fail to lose even 20 lbs and can manage to keep it off for more than a year.
    Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
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    Registered User spradish's Avatar
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    Unless you have a time turner or Delorean that will let you go back to before you gained the weight, and not gain it, you are wasting time and energy even thinking about this issue. You are significantly overweight, which is very bad for your health. Focus on fixing that, not on your skin's elasticity or rate of shrinkage.
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    Registered User spradish's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Required4433 View Post
    I appreciate the response and the advice. Can you point me towards any resources that support the claim that the end result is the same no matter how quickly the weight is lost? Almost everything I have read says the opposite, so if you could share how you came to this conclusion it would be very helpful.
    I came to this conclusion after years of reading about and observing people who have lost weight. I've never seen conclusive evidence that slower weight loss, creams, or brushing reduce loose skin. It comes down to how big you were, how long you were that big, your age (and skin elasticity), patience while your skin recovers, and genetics.
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    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by spradish View Post
    I came to this conclusion after years of reading about and observing people who have lost weight. I've never seen conclusive evidence that slower weight loss, creams, or brushing reduce loose skin. It comes down to how big you were, how long you were that big, your age (and skin elasticity), patience while your skin recovers, and genetics.
    I understand, thank you for imparting this wisdom on me.
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    Registered User Required4433's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by spradish View Post
    Unless you have a time turner or Delorean that will let you go back to before you gained the weight, and not gain it, you are wasting time and energy even thinking about this issue. You are significantly overweight, which is very bad for your health. Focus on fixing that, not on your skin's elasticity or rate of shrinkage.
    I am well on my way, down from my heaviest at 400! As long as weight loss rate is irrelevant to rate of shrinkage, I have no reason to slow down, even if I did value aesthetics over health.
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    Originally Posted by Required4433 View Post
    I am well on my way, down from my heaviest at 400! As long as weight loss rate is irrelevant to rate of shrinkage, I have no reason to slow down, even if I did value aesthetics over health.

    That is great progress! Keep it up.
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    Originally Posted by Required4433 View Post
    Age: 19
    Height: 6'2
    Weight: 370 pounds
    I carry the weight well. My goal is to minimize body fat and then lean bulk. I want to minimize/avoid loose skin. Will bulking and lowering body fat percentage as low as practically possible eliminate loose skin?

    I've also read all over the internet that slow weight loss will result in less loose skin, but I can't find any reliable sources to back that claim up. Fact or fiction - what do you all think?...



    Another question I had was related to how to minimize loose skin through lifting, if that is even possible. I've seen pictures of bodybuilders who have lost a large amount of weight, had loose skin while they were thin, and built muscle that tightened up the skin.

    So my question is - should I get to that point in my fitness journey where I minimize body fat and have loose skin, and THEN build muscle / cut?

    OR...

    Should I cut weight until loose skin STARTS to appear, build muscle to fill it in in, and repeat until I am lean and muscular?

    I don't want to try the first approach and build muscle that does not fill in the loose skin or cause it to tighten. And I'm not sure if the second method would be effective. But the former is what I've seen works.



    TL;DR

    In short, I am very overweight and my goal is to build a lean, muscular physique and minimize loose skin. Will lots of muscle and very low body fat percentage eliminate loose skin? Will slow weight loss help with loose skin, or is that just nonsense? Lastly, what method / order of burning fat and building muscle would be most effective, if any?

    BONUS QUESTION: Do you have any personal anecdotes of yourself or someone else who has lost weight, dealt with loose skin and tightened it? Please, do tell!

    Edit: As something I just considered after writing the above, I wonder if this hypothetical is accurate...

    Person A and Person B have identical genetics.

    Person A slowly loses 100 pounds over the course of two years, and so their skin keeps up and completely tightens gradually, giving the appearance of responding to the slow weight loss.

    Person B loses 100 pounds instantly, and their skin completely tightens over the course of two years, at the same rate of Person A, only it appears looser at first due to the lack of mass beneath it.

    This seems more likely than slow weight = less loose skin, but I could be wrong. Just looking for evidence, anecdotes or discussion.
    Lifting will definitely help fill in the areas where the fat used to be
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    Han shot first! TolerantLactose's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by jasonzimmer64 View Post
    Lifting will definitely help fill in the areas where the fat used to be
    Why would anybody want anything where the fat used to be?
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    Registered User Luclin999's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by TolerantLactose View Post
    Why would anybody want anything where the fat used to be?
    Muscle.

    Example: Flabby butt - lose the fat = scrawny butt w/loose skin + Build muscle = Muscular butt w/less loose skin.

    Same applies to almost any area of the body as related to a fat person with no lifting experience who loses the fat then gains some muscle. Depending upon just how bad the loose skin is, the new muscle may not completely eliminate the loose skin issues but it can reduce the overall saggy appearance a bit.
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