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

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Old 07-10-2012, 02:27 PM   #1  
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Default Flabby Arms

Does anyone have flabby arms and is self conscious about it? Well, I am. My arms are sooooooooo big. I use to wear sundresses, tank tops, etc when I was in college but now I only wear them inside the house and in the yard. I would love to put on the sleeveless dresses or tops but I'm self conscious. My arms are so flabby. I remember how I got my arms in shape when I was able to wear the sleeveless clothes and that is A LOT of work. No pain no gain, I guess.

Anyone else self conscious about wearing sleeveless dresses or tops?
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Old 07-10-2012, 04:24 PM   #2  
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...'cause I already have the bat wings! I always tell my friends that one of the first things I do when my lotto dream comes true (hey that rhymes ) is find an excellent plastic surgeon to remove my excess belly skin and my bat wings. Of course I don't play the lotto so there goes that idea!

All kidding aside, while cosmetically I could look so much better, I take great comfort that I have regained my health and have a body that can do so many things, from the little things we all take for granted, to things like running and playing comfortably with my nieces and nephews.

To answer your question, I rarely go sleeveless. Cardigans and shrugs are my good friends.
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Old 07-12-2012, 02:33 PM   #3  
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In previous summers, I'd sweat my bum off wearing 3/4 length sleeves because my arms were so bad. I still have tons of excess skin, but they're toned enough that I don't have to worry about it anymore. It's certainly liberating. Put in the hard work--you know you'll enjoy the results!
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Old 07-12-2012, 02:44 PM   #4  
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Lol.. I'd have to say no, not really. I'm at the point where I don't care. I wear shrugs/cardi's generally because I'm cold (I'm wearing a hoodie and its 85 here today, lol. Thanks weightloss! ) but when I swim or if I'm at a wedding or something in a sleevless top/dress.. meh. I've come this far and I have other things to think and worry about. Besides, no one is as critical of you than you are.

I've lost a few inches off each arm, and they are a little flabby, but the farther I go the more defined they get. One day..
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Old 07-16-2012, 03:37 PM   #5  
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When I was heavier, I was extremely self-conscious about my arms. Now that I"m lighter, I'm . . . still extremely self-conscious about my arms. It's a thing. I like turtle necks, and I hatehatehate sleeveless shirts. I have a couple of really cute short-sleeved shirts, and I'll wear a 3/4 length undershirt underneath them.
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Old 07-16-2012, 03:43 PM   #6  
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I'm working on getting the flab from my arms.
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Old 07-17-2012, 12:28 PM   #7  
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Default Flabby Arms

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Originally Posted by LAgreeneyes View Post
Does anyone have flabby arms and is self conscious about it? Well, I am. My arms are sooooooooo big. I use to wear sundresses, tank tops, etc when I was in college but now I only wear them inside the house and in the yard. I would love to put on the sleeveless dresses or tops but I'm self conscious. My arms are so flabby. I remember how I got my arms in shape when I was able to wear the sleeveless clothes and that is A LOT of work. No pain no gain, I guess.

Anyone else self conscious about wearing sleeveless dresses or tops?
It was my flabby arms that got me stated with weight lifting. I went from 235to 136 now, but started lifting heavy at around 175. My trainer said we could try to fill them in and fill them in we have! My shoulders rock! My triceps rival some guys, my biceps are full (but not bulky) and cut and my chest/pecs are tight. Filling in and pulling in different directions helps and some of that "flab" was still fat so continue with cardio, especially HIIT. I wouldn't have arm surgery now and living in South Florida, I go sleeveless at every opportunity.
Alas, now it's just the tummy and that will likely need surgery.
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Old 07-18-2012, 12:43 AM   #8  
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msrubi good job! could you let us flappers in on some of your techniques please?
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Old 07-18-2012, 11:34 AM   #9  
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I do a ton of weight lifting. Now I have biceps, triceps, delts.... and flabby arms It's very dependent on how much weight you've gained and lost over your life, genetics, age, etc. It doesn't bother me for some reason, I wear sleeveless shirts all the time. I actually feel short sleeves make my arms look bigger, so I usually either do no sleeves or 3/4 length or longer.
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Old 07-18-2012, 11:51 AM   #10  
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I'm experiencing the same problem and am tackling it by weight training. I have no idea what I am doing (can't afford a personal trainer or the gym), so have started off with some 3LB weights and while I watch TV I sit on my exercise ball and work those arms out.

I doubt my arms will be as toned as I would like them to be, but I feel as though they could look better than they do, and with hard work, I'm sure that I will get there.

Try not to be selfconscious. A recent trip to the beach made me realize that there is no shame in your game as long as you are confident with yourself
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Old 07-18-2012, 02:34 PM   #11  
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*raises hand, batwings flap in the wind* With the exception of swimsuits, I haven't worn anything sleeveless in public since I was in my early 30s. I just don't like the way my upper arms look and I haven't for a very long time.
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Old 07-18-2012, 10:20 PM   #12  
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I lift moderately heavy (curls at 20 pounds) but my upper arms are very flabby. And my shoulders are much paler than my forearms, since I never go sleeveless outside. So I've got a lot of shrugs and short-sleeved sweaters. It's disappointing but them's the breaks.
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Old 07-19-2012, 07:49 AM   #13  
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Hey! I was just planning a post on this on my blog. So I do have an image about arms:



First picture is my arms at around ~200lbs, second picture is 136lbs and the last is as of a week or so ago.

I lift HEAVY weights. No little dumbbells, but when I do use them in my group fitness classes I never go lighter than 15lbs. I also do some intense bodyweight exercises

Thing is, you can lift all you want and still have flab. I was lifting heavy at 136lbs and I was lifting at 200lbs too (not as heavy though). The fat was covering up my muscle! Dieting gets you the arms, weight training makes sure you KEEP your muscle and end up with some nice defined arms.

It's hard to see in the picture and unless I point it out to you, but I do have loose skin on my upper arms. It doesn't really make an appearance unless I'm waving my arms violently or something and it's not enough for me to NOT go sleeveless. I've been LIVING in tank tops this summer when I would have NEVER worn them unless it was 100+ degrees outside before (which is why it's difficult for me to find a picture of my arms at my SW).
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Old 07-19-2012, 10:09 AM   #14  
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Welcome to my world. I don't think I've ever known what it is to NOT have flabby arms. Even in H.S. when I was at my goal weight of 135lb, I had awful arms. I remember boys teasing me about it when I wore sleeveless tops. It was awful! I thought it was genetic but then again NO ONE in my family is overweight or has these flabby arms. I did start for the first time ever doing weights recently, let's see what happens.
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Old 07-19-2012, 07:16 PM   #15  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sontaikle View Post
Hey! I was just planning a post on this on my blog. So I do have an image about arms:



First picture is my arms at around ~200lbs, second picture is 136lbs and the last is as of a week or so ago.

I lift HEAVY weights. No little dumbbells, but when I do use them in my group fitness classes I never go lighter than 15lbs. I also do some intense bodyweight exercises

Thing is, you can lift all you want and still have flab. I was lifting heavy at 136lbs and I was lifting at 200lbs too (not as heavy though). The fat was covering up my muscle! Dieting gets you the arms, weight training makes sure you KEEP your muscle and end up with some nice defined arms..
Awesome work! My arms currently look like your middle picture (see my avatar) but I never imagined I could get them to look any smaller...guess you proved me wrong.
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