I feel really bad asking this question, as I have read stories that seem a bit worse than what I'm currently fearing but I'd still like to ask...
I've been at my heaviest, a little over 200 pounds, for about a year now. Four years ago I was thinner, in the 160s. I'm 20 years old and 5'2. I'm starting a workout/diet but I'm so scared for what my body will look like after. Instead of assuming that because I'm young my skin will bounce back, I'm now dreading losing the weight. Does anyone have any advice on how to let go of that fear? I know that surgery is not an option for me if I have excess skin, so I'm going on faith here hoping that it doesn't come down to that...
Hi there =) I'm 20 as well. & I've lost over 100 pounds. (still got a way to go) My skin definitely.. isn't what I want it to be. I Look like i've had babies in the tummy area, and my thighs.. oh ew..
I hate!! Hate hate when people tell me I'm young and my skin will bounce back.. cause.. looking at it.. I don't think that will ever happen, =(
It frustrates me, cause I work so hard, and even when i lose all the weight, i really will never have the body I want..
This is how I deal: Ill still look ALOT better with clothes on after I lose weight. Theres nothing I can do to change it. And surgery really is always an option.
But I've been looking into other things like.. dry brushing is suppose to help, firming lotion, body wraps (did it once but was way too expensive).
Luckily for you, your highest weight isn't too bad, and if you focus on weight training it will HELP ALOT. and you may just weasle out of any lose skin/wrinkles! You'll know in the next 30-40 pounds. But I'd definitely keep with that.
I wish I would of known that.. when I lost 140 (originally) it was from diet/walking.. so everything sagged.. i gained 40 pounds back.. now I weight train at least 3 days a week on top of cardio. and my body does look alot better. I still have hope
I'm a bit older than you and I've had babies that did AWFUL things to my midsection but in low light you can't even tell anymore! I will say that it wasn't instant. I've maintained my current weight for about a year. I'm working on the last few lbs now, with a lot of exercise and I'm noticing things are firming up and moving around still. It's a process. I never thought my stomach would be flat, but it is. The thigh situation was scary for a while but they look fine now.
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Even a bit of hangy skin and stretch marks looks a billion times better than 100 extra pounds. I can hide that stuff... can't hide the weight quite so easily .
Your skin will probably not look so great the day you reach goal, but in a year, 2 years...5 years AT MAINTENANCE it WILL improve. All the better reason to keep it off this time around. I am finding that even at the ripe old age of 45 things are still improving, way better than they did in my 20's when I went up and down...up and down!
In a week I'll be at my 2 year anniversary of keeping off a near 200 pound weight loss, and even though things are not perfect by any means, they are WAYYYY better than the day I hit goal back in 2009.
I'm worried about that too. I'm 18, a little over 200, and looking to lose about 80 pounds. Hopefully it won't be too bad, but I guess I won't know until I get there.
I'm 23 and I've lost 60 pounds so far from my starting weight of 200 (possibly higher in hs). I won't lie to you, I've definitely got extra skin and it's not pretty.
But it's slowly going away! I had some horrid extra skin on my arms and it slowly disappeared and I can now see the muscle definition that I always knew was hidden underneath.
My stomach has quite a bit now, but I'm hoping that with time my stomach skin will snap back. I've been at weight loss for a pretty short period of time though, so I'm hoping that time is what my skin needs.
One thing I have to say though is DONT let concerns of extra skin stop you! I do not regret losing the weight one bit and I'm glad I didn't let extra skin worries stop me.
hey guys,
i'm 23, started at nearly 270, im about 85lbs down, and it's not so bad. yes i have stretch marks, yes i have a BIT of skin, but you CAN tighten it up.
just remember, one for every breath you take, one for every lb you lose, one for every fight you fought. they tell the story of your life, and exactly how hard you've worked
<3
That was me! Honest to goodness, one of the biggest reasons I didn't want to lose was my fear of getting saggy, wrinkly skin. I am covered in stretchmarks like a European road map (LOL), and I was afraid that my thighs in particular would never "go back" skin-wise.
It seemed better to be bigger and "fill them out" than to be thin and have saggy thighs in my 20s. BUT....they aren't saggy! Or even wrinkly! If I sit funny, then, yes, of course, you can see them and they wrinkle up. But throughout all of my weight loss, my stretchmarks have been surprisingly compliant. And you WILL feel better smaller, even if you have a belly pooch, etc. There is no "perfect", even if you get to your magic number. Continue to love yourself on the way down.
Lose the weight slowly and don't forget to exercise. I am no where near goal yet, but I'm 10 years older than you and have lost over 50lbs without any issues with excess skin (that's not still full of fat!) or stretch marks (other than the ones I got during puberty growth spurts).
There's only one way to find out - lose the weight. This will be completely different for each person. Losing weight isn't just about appearance, it's also about your health and being able to live life to the fullest. If you lose the weight and really truly can't stand the way you look, you can always gain it back. But I'm pretty sure you won't want to, no matter what your thighs look like
we regenerate our skin every so often, im 18 and im scared im going to be stuck with these bingo wings no matter how much weight I lose, but gaining muscle/toning the loose skin area should improve it
Young, nervous...
You'll know in the next 30-40 pounds. But I'd definitely keep with that.
you're not alone <3
.
BUT....they aren't saggy! Or even wrinkly! If I sit funny, then, yes, of course, you can see them and they wrinkle up. But throughout all of my weight loss, my stretchmarks have been surprisingly compliant. And you WILL feel better smaller, even if you have a belly pooch, etc. There is no "perfect", even if you get to your magic number. Continue to love yourself on the way down. 
