I have "apron fat"- basically fat that hangs near my hip/pelvic area. It is shrinking in size but I was told that it may never go away completely. I already hit my goal weight but I changed it to 140 instead of 150 because I want my stomach to go away. If it doesn't look better at 140 I will be disappointed
Thanks for sharing your tummy-pics. It is very encouraging for me, because I am rather ashamed of my own tummy. It hangs a bit in the pelvic area, I have got stretch makrs (2 pregnancies and 2 cesarians) and I have got regions on the skin, where it is numb. This is probably due to the c-sections?
My biggest issue/worry is, will this belly actually shrink at all at some point?
Oh my gosh ladies. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
How come we never see real-life pictures like these anywhere else? All of the media we're attacked with on a daily basis is photoshopped and altered, it's so incredibly discouraging. I always think that even if I do lose the weight I want to, I will never look like them. (Maybe unless I go under the knife, and I don't think I'm willing to do that.)
It's just so motivating to see you all. You're all so beautiful. We all have our imperfections, but... I think that adds to the beauty of it all.
I will go home after work and post my hidden pictures- my before pictures I took in my underwear last year. I love this forum.
Mine looks like I had twins that weighed over 6 pounds each. The stretch marks and saggy skin used to bother me, but they don't anymore, especially since I don't have any plans on running about naked in public or taking up pole dancing for a living.
The boys were worth every one and wouldn't change a thing.
I'm brand new here, so I've been poking around for a couple days. I'm still at the "starting" end of my weight loss, but am already concerned about the issues of how my stomach will look when it's all over. But I love these perspectives:
"I’m gonna be totally honest with you: Stretch marks will not completely go away...Instead of worrying about stretch marks, though, try to change your perspective on them. I see mine as a badge of honor. They are from a time in my life when I was heavy, unhealthy, and unhappy. They now serve as a reminder to me that I can change anything I put my mind to. Nobody’s perfect, sweetie — perfect is boring." - Jillian Michaels (Article in Everyday Health)
"I have lots of skin in lots of areas.. I don’t worry about it much really, I see it as 'battle wounds'. I may have it removed one day but for now I am just enjoying having loose skin instead of full skin." - Shay Sorrells (from NBC's Biggest Loser in response to a reader question)
Here is mine after 2 huge pregnancies losing almost 90 lbs (actually a lot more if I count the pregnancy weight). It's not pretty but it sure is prettier than it was when it was part of obese me! Nothing some spanx can't cure . I'll probably look into some cosmetic surgery if another 25 lbs. doesn't improve the situation. I've got this ring of stuff around my hips that kind of sits there. I smoosh it and it feels empty... it's gross. I hope it goes away! The stretch marks on my back/side used to be all in the front! Crazy.
Val, you look good! At almost 100 lbs lost, that is fantastic!
Thanks for sharing I still haven't gotten around to doing a 'tummy update' yet.
I wish we just had a portfolio of all our photos and at our different weights so we could just flip through them when we need a reality check on what real women look like.
Here is mine after 2 huge pregnancies losing almost 90 lbs (actually a lot more if I count the pregnancy weight). It's not pretty but it sure is prettier than it was when it was part of obese me! Nothing some spanx can't cure . I'll probably look into some cosmetic surgery if another 25 lbs. doesn't improve the situation. I've got this ring of stuff around my hips that kind of sits there. I smoosh it and it feels empty... it's gross. I hope it goes away! The stretch marks on my back/side used to be all in the front! Crazy.
Thanks for posting these pictures. I think you look great . I have also lost 100 pounds and had two nine pound babies. I am noticing the "wrinkled" look on my stomach as well but I still have a lot more abdominal fat than you do. I feared that I would look hideous after losing the last 10 pounds lol. I feel better after seeing your pics because I think that is what I will look like when my stomach gets as flat as your. I think would be happy with that look. As you say, its much better than being obese. Thanks for sharing
Thank you ladies! You both look great as well! My skin has tightened up a lot in the last 20 lbs. It used to be hangy but things are improving. I ordered some BioOil... not hoping for a miracle but maybe it'll fade things out a bit more. There is hope! My stomach used to be huge... Ugh I don't even want to think about it.
I'm using bio oil too! I'm just not good at being consistent. Sitting there and rubbing oil into my stomach once a day just seems to slip my mind with everything else going on, haha.
I said I'd do it and I forgot, so took some pic's this morning. I'm almost 20 lbs lighter than the original pics I posted and I can see it in my stomach. It's just hard to capture what I'm seeing with my phone! I'll repost the 166 lb stomach photos as well so people don't have to dig.
(Sorry I'm in my bra and panties, I just woke up and I figured it's the same thing as taking a swimsuit photo haha)
I can see my ribs but I still have a mini pooch (which isn't that bad now!). The first photos the extremeness of my pooch is hidden by my sweats. I have these weird dents in my stomach, I'm not sure if they would be considered loose skin or just uneven fat loss. Stretch marks are getting better.
Last edited by StephanieM; 10-27-2010 at 11:54 AM.
thank you thank you thank you everyone who posted pictures. I have to say there was not one of you that I thought no way could I live with that.
I have to say I am terrified of what my belly and boobs are going to look like after. To the point where I think it has actually stopped me from losing weight in the past.
I have lost about 55 pounds. I have two kids and the last one was nearly 9 pounds. I am now at 120 pounds and I have a saggy area to my lower stomach ...it is concealed by my underwear though. It is so much better than when I had all the weight! I have accepted this and am thankfully that it appears to be getting tighter with the last few pounds lost. Society has us believe these imperfections are "bad" but reality is many of have this. I am thankful I made it this far...that sagging is my battle scar!
Demi
Oh I am so glad I found this thread! I love seeing all of these real life pics! A smooth flat stomach is something I have always dreamed about.
I am 5'6 157 this morning. I started out at 190 but have no pics from then. I do have some pics at 180 so I will post before and afters. I will also add I am about 20 days into the 30 day shred and it has reeeeally toned my tummy area. I will continue with Jillian Michaels, and can not wait for her abs dvd to come out. I think I will be pretty happy with my tummy area when I get to goal.
