Loose skin and body fat %
 

So has anyone gotten their body fat % low enough to see their skin dramatically change? I just had my body fat % measured and I'm at 23%. It's lower than I expected it to be and that disappointing me a little bit. I thought the skin would start looking better at this point... My target body fat % is around 15%.

Is it hopeless at this point that it will tighten up on its own? Should I just start saving for a tummy tuck?

I'd love to know what my body fat % is, how do you find out?

I can say that I have an issue with a wobbly tummy and my upper arms and they seem to be getting worse and not better. I guess it depends on genetics. maybe wait until you reach target and then give it a while to see if your skin tightens up? That's what I'm planning on doing. :)

If you have an excessive amount of skin and they are measuring you with calipers, you may not get an accurate result. The most accurate method is hydrostatic weighing, which involves measuring the amount of water you displace in a tank. There is also something called the bodpod, which has the same premise, except with air. Although these cost more, they are far more accurate than calipers, as the caliper method is only as effective as the person using them. Some people suggest waiting to see if the skin tightens up after weight loss, as the skin has a bit of memory and it takes time to see the full improvement. Best wishes.

How long ago did you lose the weight? I see you're still in the process of losing so there is plenty of time for extra skin to shrink up.

There were times when I was losing that I would see extra skin and then a few weeks later it would shrink to match my body. It was almost as if the fat went away first and then the skin followed later.

Right now I have a bit of extra skin but time seems to be shrinking it, but I'm sure the heavy weight training I'm doing is helping.

I keep losing fat, and in all honesty it makes some of my loose skin look worse. I'm into heavy weight lifting now and I'm definitely gaining muscle, but without the fat to fill in some of the skin, it looks less like just a little extra pudge and more like loose skin (wrinkly crinkly). I like my size better now, but my skin honestly looked better when I was about 10-15 lb heavier and had more fat to fill it in.

I'm having a BodPod test done soon- it's only $35 at this place near where I live. You might try a google search to see if you can find one near you if you want a really accurate measurement.

I've had both the bod pod and calipers done. I've been taking classes to get certified as a personal trainer so I've had the calipers done a few times. They measured me anywhere from 26-29%. The bod pod is what gave me 23%.

You can go to just about any college that has an exercise science or kinesiology depratment to get a bod pod test. You just have to pay a fee.

I guess I just need to stop being impatient and give it time. I do have about 50 more lbs I want to drop so I'll stop worrying about it until I hit my goal. Then I'll see what happens.

Ok Wait... Are you male or female? Your goal is extremely low if you're a female.

My scale says I'm at 26%, but I'm sure it's innacurate... I'm not sure in which direction. I don't think body fat really correlates with loose skin. Mine tightened up a lot the last year in maintenance.

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm

I'm female. And nah, it's not extremely low. I mean it's really lean but it's not dangerously low. 12% or lower is usually where the problems start. Amennorhea usually starts around 10%. i mean, I'm gonna be sensible about it. If I start feeling or looking sickly, I'll adjust my goal.

As for your scale at home, it depends where you carry your weight for which direction it's wrong in. The current from the scale takes the shorest route through your body so it's basically only guaging your legs and hips. If youre more top heavy the % on the scale is low. If youre pair shaped it's high.

I'm female. And nah, it's not extremely low. I mean it's really lean but it's not dangerously low. 12% or lower is usually where the problems start. Amennorhea usually starts around 10%. i mean, I'm gonna be sensible about it. If I start feeling or looking sickly, I'll adjust my goal.

As for your scale at home, it depends where you carry your weight for which direction it's wrong in. The current from the scale takes the shorest route through your body so it's basically only guaging your legs and hips. If youre more top heavy the % on the scale is low. If youre pair shaped it's high.

Sorry about the double post. I'm doing this on my phone and am prone to errors. Lol

I agree with ValRock. 15% is really low for a female. And amennorhea can start as low as 18%, it depends on your genetics. Also, 15% is really, really hard to maintain, even fitness models and bodybuilders don't stay that low for very long. I'm about 18% and it's low enough but not too low that I have to kill myself to maintain it. Also, the lower your body fat is, it will take a lot longer to lower it even further still. Just my .02 cents.

I really do appreciate the insight. And like I said, I'm not gonna be stupid about it. I'll adjust my goals if I find them to seem unrealistic or dangerous. Abnd I'm not expecting these results overnight. It's a long term goal. We'll see what happens.

I just looked and bodpod testing anywhere near me (dc/Baltimore area) is $75 to $100. Might do it though when I get to goal as my goal bodyfat percentage is under 25%. My scale at home is reading anywhere from 25-30%.