I finally found a healthy food plan that works and for the first time in my life am slowly losing weight and feel really optimistic that I am finally going to be able to get and stay healthy.

I have a question. I am a huge apple shape and have a huge belly. As my stomach shrinks, I am becoming concerned with droopiness both of the stomach area and of the skin. I think I read somewhere that wearing a compression garment can help as you lose weight and retrain your abs to support everything.

Anyone have any info on this? And if so, what kind of garment? I looked but all I can find are binders for hernias and binders that are supposed to get you to sweat weight off (which I'm not looking for). I'm really just looking for a way to not let my droopy tissue get damaged any more and to help keep everything "in" so to speak. The only idea I had was maybe a post-pregnancy garment of some sort - but those seem expensive.

Any advice, suggestions, information, help?

Thanks!

I think you are thinking about something like these: http://www.medicointernational.com/s...oduct_list&c=4

If you don't want something as thick as the abdominal binder, you could try something like a Spanx camisole or high waisted shorts/panties.

http://www.spanx.com/product/index.j...entPage=family

http://www.spanx.com/product/index.j...entPage=family

http://www.spanx.com/product/index.j...entPage=family

FWIW, I'm very apple-y, too, and I haven't noticed much of a problem with my abdominal skin yet. But I still like the Spanx stuff for smoothing, and for buying stuff slightly too small so I can extend its useful life.

Compression garments will help you look better with clothes on but they aren't going to "retrain your abs to support everything".

It doesn't work that way, unfortunately.

along with john, im going to have to say that this is sadly impossible with a garment.

i cant stand girdle/spanx type garments. i feel so uncomfortable in them. unfortunately, after weight gains and losses and/or pregnancies loose skin is just part of life sometimes. you can always have it surgically removed but for me personally it just doesnt seem worth the money and surgical risk. if its really getting to you buy some slimming high waist undies like spanx. ive chosen to just live with my slightly saggy belly, its better than tight skin thats packed with fat!

Your degree of droopiness is going to depend a lot on how much weight you have to lose and how old you are. Need to lose 100 pounds? You're going to have some droop, although it's nothing compared to having that skin filled with fat. Are you 45 and not 20? You're going to have more droop.

You can strengthen your core to help support things, and you should, but that doesn't tighten skin. Neither do restrictive garments.

Nooooooooooo......say it ain't so!!!

I've been thinking about this subject here lately and wondering if I'll fall in the "droopy skin" category. I guess it can also depend on how you carried your excess weight too, no? Maybe the places that stretch the most from excess fat will be the problem areas (just a guess). I know my belly has stretched quite a bit from two babies so I'm hoping to rebound nicely from that. Time will tell. I have a friend who's 5'4" and 270 and carries practically no weight in her stomach and has no belly stretch marks. It's mainly in her thighs and butt. Must be nice lol. We all pack it on differently.

All very true.

Also, how much loose skin you end up with depends on your age and your genetics.

Time plays a large role in tightening things up too.