Body Image and Issues after Weight Loss Including discussions about excess skin and reconstructive surgery

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Old 03-18-2013, 08:48 AM   #1  
Melissa
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Default I have an idea involving loose skin - calling maintainers!

We get tons and tons and tons of posts about people worrying about loose skin. People wondering what they will look like after, etc. I know I did.

So, I have this hair-brained idea. How about we show our loose skin or find an image that looks similar to our bodies to give an idea to newbies and others about what they might look like at after loosing 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 pounds. (There are tons of plastic surgery before and after photos to search for body doubles if you don't want to take a picture of your body).

Now... I know some people might not want to have images of themselves associated with photos, so we can do this mostly anonymously. I would know, but that's it. I would be willing to take PMs of people's photos and then post them on your behalf.

I would need info like this:

How much have you lost?
How old were you when you lost the weight?
How long were you at your high weight?
Are you still losing weight?
How long did it take you to lose the weight?
Did you have weight loss surgery?
Do you have pregnancy stretch marks?
Do you have weight gain stretch marks?
If you are in maintenance, how long have you been maintaining?

Then, your posting would look like this:

Photo(s)

Lost: 100 pounds
Age at weight loss: 35
Number of years at high weight: 15
Weight loss surgery? No
Pregnancy stretch marks? No
Fat gain stretch marks? Yes
Still losing weight: No, in maintenance
How long did it take you to lose the weight: 3 years, but in starts and stops
Months/Years maintaining: 2 years

No one would know who it was. I could even be cryptic, so like if you lost 103 pounds, I would just say 100 so that people couldn't piece it together in other ways on the forum of finding your signature and seeing 103 and figuring out that a photo is yours. Same with age. Say you were 34, I would say 35, etc. (if you wish).

In progress photos are also great - we can get some before, during, at end of weight loss and after maintaining awhile (like 6 months or a year or so), so that people can see the rate of skin shrinkage.

Or, of course, you could just take photos of yourself and or find a body double and post those photos on your own, non-anonymously.

If any photos were sent with head shots, I would blur the faces. If any photos were sent with crotch shots or boob shots, I would crop those out/blur them so that we don't get into porno territory.

What do you think gals and guys?

And the more people who participate, the more we can see that we are all different and our bodies react/respond to weight loss differently too.

Last edited by berryblondeboys; 03-19-2013 at 11:08 AM.
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Old 03-18-2013, 10:42 AM   #2  
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I actually think this is a fantastic idea... it would really put things in perspective! I like the way you think, Melissa!
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Old 03-18-2013, 10:53 AM   #3  
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I think that is a GREAT idea. I had this idea in my head that loose skin was going to be really really bad - based on the internet pictures I could find. Then you (Melissa) showed your body double - and you lost about the same as I hope to, and it really wasn't so bad - you had a stomach I would love to have compared to my fat stomach!

So I think this is a good idea to show the reality - because there is a wide range of experiences/results. I also think that when you google it ,you tend to get the extreme bad ones which is demotivational to weight loss.
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Old 03-18-2013, 11:06 AM   #4  
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I think this is a fabulous idea. I would also like to see post weight loss stretch marks if anyone would like to anonymously submit that.
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Old 03-18-2013, 11:06 AM   #5  
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I think its a good idea. Is there any other information anybody thinks might be helpful besides (1) # of pounds lost and (2) age at weight loss? For example, I think an important factor may be the number of years at a particular weight. Personally, I was over 300 for about 20 years -- and over 400 pounds for some of that time. Loose skin might not be as much of a problem for someone who hasn't been at a high weight for as long. (Of course, the age of one's weight loss may reflect that, but not necessarily.) Also, the number of times we have lost and gained a significant amount of weight might also be a factor. Personally, I have lost and gained over 60 pounds a few times during the past 20 years. For women, the number of pregnancies might be a factor.

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Old 03-18-2013, 11:31 AM   #6  
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Not a good idea. Every body is different and it could actually discourage some people from losing weight. There are so many factors involved, age, rate of weight loss, genetics, height that it's impossible to predict for anyone based on someone else.
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Old 03-18-2013, 11:45 AM   #7  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuilterInVA View Post
Not a good idea. Every body is different and it could actually discourage some people from losing weight. There are so many factors involved, age, rate of weight loss, genetics, height that it's impossible to predict for anyone based on someone else.
I see your point. I suppose it could discourage somebody from losing weight, but that doesn't mean its a bad idea. All that the OP is suggesting is that we provide people with information. What people do with this information is up to them. Everybody here is a big girl / boy. I don't think its reasonable to deprive people who want the information from having it just because some may get discouraged by it.

And with all due respect, the people who may be discouraged from losing weight due to seeing pictures of excess skin would probably be either (1) people who do not have that much weight to lose (so health may not be the motivating factor for losing weight), or (2) are obese, but are more concerned with their appearance than the health ramifications of being obese, and would prefer to be obese rater than having the possibility of excess skin. I admit that it would be a shame to see somebody decide not to lose weight because they think they are going to have excess skin, but I'm sorry, if somebody is going to be so vain that they are more troubled by excess skin that being dangerously obese, then they have more serious issues than the obesity, and should be seeing a mental health professional.

Last edited by joefla70; 03-18-2013 at 11:47 AM.
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:05 PM   #8  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuilterInVA View Post
Not a good idea. Every body is different and it could actually discourage some people from losing weight. There are so many factors involved, age, rate of weight loss, genetics, height that it's impossible to predict for anyone based on someone else.
it could be seen this way, but I also think that if enough people do it, they can see, just like we all look different anyway, we will all look different AFTER losing weight too.

How I look at losing 100 pounds will be different from how X looks like at losing 100 pounds. I think people tend to focus on ONE image in their head because that's all they can find and then get all worried for no reason. I know a woman at my gym who is 10 years older than me, the same height, overweight for decades and she has like NO loose skin. You just can't know what will be and the more photos we have to compare, the more we can realize we will have to wait and see.
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:09 PM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joefla70 View Post
I think its a good idea. Is there any other information anybody thinks might be helpful besides (1) # of pounds lost and (2) age at weight loss? For example, I think an important factor may be the number of years at a particular weight. Personally, I was over 300 for about 20 years -- and over 400 pounds for some of that time. Loose skin might not be as much of a problem for someone who hasn't been at a high weight for as long. (Of course, the age of one's weight loss may reflect that, but not necessarily.) Also, the number of times we have lost and gained a significant amount of weight might also be a factor. Personally, I have lost and gained over 60 pounds a few times during the past 20 years. For women, the number of pregnancies might be a factor.
That's in interesting factor too.

And the pregnancy too - I can ask for that more info in PMs if I receive any (and I have received some emails saying people want to do this).

Like, for me, the stretch marks on my tummy are ALLLLL baby stretch marks. I was over 200, around 215 when I got pregnant, but didn't have stretch marks there until pregnancy. And it's the stretch marks inability to shrink back up that is causing the most problems on my tummy.

But I did get "fat" stretch marks on my thighs, butts, underarms and back of knees.

I've updated the original post to reflect these requests.

Last edited by berryblondeboys; 03-18-2013 at 12:22 PM.
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:19 PM   #10  
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Great Idea
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:23 PM   #11  
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I'm in, I'm not a maintainer, but after 40lbs lost, you can see a difference in my tummy
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Old 03-18-2013, 01:32 PM   #12  
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I'd like to reiterate that I think it is a good idea - just for the very reason Quilter said ..... googling images of "loose skin after weight loss" is really depresing - cause you find the EXTREME examples. I think showing the myriad of results - from some people really not having it so bad, gives you up. Plus seeing it sets you up for realistic expectations. I think its sad when people post about hating their body even more now that they've lost weight.
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Old 03-18-2013, 01:54 PM   #13  
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I like this idea, I do understand Quilter's point but I'm with Joe. I'm in as well although I'm not a maintainer yet!
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Old 03-18-2013, 02:37 PM   #14  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuilterInVA View Post
Not a good idea. Every body is different and it could actually discourage some people from losing weight. There are so many factors involved, age, rate of weight loss, genetics, height that it's impossible to predict for anyone based on someone else.
Exactly the point FOR the OP's suggestion, in my opinion . Showing many different types of bodies after various stages of weight loss could be motivating and helpful and inspiring, kind of like another posters link to what "real women's" breasts look like--the link showed many different ages and sizes of women and what breasts look like instead of what we are shown in the media-air brushed and (what they consider) perfect.

i for one am interested (dunno if i'll get the guts to post mine, maybe i'll get around to it) because i'd like to know especially what loose tummy skin looks like as i'm finding it difficult to ascertain where the stubborn fat ends and loose skin begins on me (having lost 100 lbs) and yes to quote someone else, i think we are all big girls and boys here.
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Old 03-18-2013, 02:38 PM   #15  
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I think its a great idea!!!
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