I'm new to this weight loss thing and I've been really torn lately about what I want out of this.
Yes, I'm totally unhappy with my body right now. I would even say that I'm disgusted every time I look in the mirror clothed, let alone naked. So these motivations are kinda sorta keeping me on track.
BUT, my goal has always been to be able to wear a bikini without shame. And from what I've been reading in various posts on the site about excess skin after weight-loss, that doesn't seem likely after what I want to lose (close to 80 lbs). I mean, is a saggy and flabby belly more attractive than fat rolling over?
So, how do you guys reconcile these two completely different feelings?
I'm young (25), I'm moving to a beach town in 6 months for work, and I don't want to have to hide my stomach for entirely different reasons, even though I'm thin.
I'm almost starting to think that being slightly overweight (not my weight right now, but not 140 either) is more desirable than being flabby since it'll just look more "right".
Fundamentally -- is saggy skin better than fat rolls? To me, yes, absolutely! You can *hide* saggy skin under clothing, but you can never hide the fat rolls! Also, you don't know how much sagginess you'll have until you get there. You are young, and your skin may tighten up better than you think. It's hard to control saggy skin, but you can work on the flabby belly now with core exercises. If your core muscles are tight and toned, that will help a whole lot.
Why not just take things one step at a time and see how it goes?
Since you are young (like I am) your skin may snap back pretty well. It may take some time, but you won't know until you get there.
Aesthetically, I don't know if one look is really worse than the other... but being thinner is certainly healthier, and that in itself would make it an easy decision for me, personally. But, it's all up to what you want for your body- and whatever you feel is best for YOU.
It's also important to remember that saggy skin can be corrected with plastic surgery. I don't know what your financial standing is, but it's an option if you feel you need it.
I'd say the best approach would be to lose at a slow and comfortable pace, do lots of weight/resistance exercises, and see what happens. Your body may surprise you.
*Edit* MBN, you beat me to it, lol.
Last edited by LittleMoonRabbit; 11-12-2009 at 06:03 AM.
I have lost a lot of weight, and I am in my early 40s, and yeah, I have saggy skin. I would not consider trading my saggy skin for my formerly fat-filled taut skin, not for a moment. Wearing a bikini was never one of my goals, but wearing short skirts and more fitted clothing were, and other than still having a chunk of weight yet to lose, I look fine. Good foundation garments and tights with lycra hide a multitude of flaws, and while I might cringe at the idea of exposing my saggy skin in a bathing suit, it's still considerably less embarrassing than exposing my fat.
There is so much that goes into whether you will have flabby skin so it is hard to predict but what we do know is the longer you wait and the longer your skin is stretched out, the more likely you will have saggy skin. So if you lose the weight now, your chances of having saggy skin are less likely than if you wait 5 or 10 years.
Don't ya hate it? That nagging loose skin question, if we had only thought about that while we were in the drive thru waiting for our cheeseburgers and fries. Sadly the loose case scenario doesn't enter our minds as we are eating ourselves to obesity. Like Catherine, I never felt the desire to wear a bikini, even in my slimmer youth, in my case I am a very modest person, but I do feel for all the chickie who have the hopes of a bikini as their weight loss goal. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones who will successfully wear a bikini by summer, but if you find your flabby skin worse than bloated skin, you can always eat yourself back to obesity....but the trick is to get there and find out first...and maintain it for at least a year and see if the skin tones up...
Worrying about it now is like counting your chickens before they hatch.
Don't worry about saggy skin or use it as an excuse not to lose. I'm 50 years old and have carried around an extra 100 lbs for 20 years. I'm losing fairly slowly and nothing sagging yet. Every body gains weight different places and is going to slim down differerntly as well.
I like Lori's comment. If you really hate your body's appearance once you reach goal, you can always regain it. But I suspect even if you don't have a bikini-bod you won't want to go back.
I qualify as a senior citizen, have a total of 83 lbs off, and don't have too much in the way of sagging skin. Some. I regard it as a badge of honor - proves to me I can take off weight and keep it off. What I've underlined is what is most important to me.
Like a lot have said, everyone's different. I lost 80 pounds and have a ton of saggy skin on my backside, inner thighs, under arms and belly. Others I know lost more and have less saggy skin.
You won't know until you do it! Don't let the unknown stop you, though.
The best thing to do is get to your goal and then evaluate from there. Even once at your goal strive to keep lowering your body fat percentage. After a year or so, you'll know how your skin is going to react. Then consider plastic surgery if you have to. I was absolutely amazed at the results of modern body contouring and am close to having it myself.
Thats one thing im worried about too, but im only 21 so i think i wont have that much of a problem as long as i go about things slowly, I can be that if you would lose (for instance) 100 lbs in a year, rather then 100 lbs in 2 years, your may have more excess skin...If you work your weight down slowly, your skin will be able to tighten itself naturally.
I actually had a friend who, from between the ages of 21-23 has lost over 120lbs, she does have the excess skin on her arms and stomach, but its slowly going away. She still wears short skirts and lower cut tops, but she doesn't expose her stomach or lower arms, basically ever. But she said that slowly over time, with the help of cocoa butter, her skin is slowly going back to normal.
Everything will take time i guess...Im hoping for the best myself, and i hope everything works out for you!
Lose it now and you may not have to deal with it. I am 45 and have had 4 babies, the only saggy skin I deal with is on my belly and thighs (it used to be my butt, but now its just skin at the top of my legs, LOL). When I was younger (25) I lost 90 lbs and didn't have any saggy skin. It seems that age changes our skins ability to bounce back some.
Try using the firming lotion it actually helped me for awhile till I stop using it I guess plain lazyness caught up to me but I am going straight to the store and buying some today it really helps you wont see an instant overnight change but gradually after awhile it will help...just dont give up on losing weight just because you think you will have lose skin you wont know what is ahead of you till you get there... I am sure you will have a wonderful bikini body...think of that yellow polka dotted bikini...
I agree with the others above - don't worry about it now. Just commit to your plan, and move forward.
This "old" chickie has found that
1. Our goals and desires change as we grow/change.
2. The journey is an important part of weight loss
I found that things that were important to me at the start of the journey, were not necessarily important at the end.
I also found that things I didn't think would be important, were VERY important.
No one can predict how much saggy skin you will or will not have. And, even you can't predict how that will affect you. Why not cross that bridge when you come to it? Devote your time/attention/attitude/energy/motivation/perseverance/determination to losing the weight and becoming fit.
Let the future take care of itself.
Last edited by CountingDown; 11-14-2009 at 02:50 PM.
Fat body or flabby skin?
I am sure you will have a wonderful bikini body...think of that yellow polka dotted bikini...
