Hi, everyone.

I've lost a bunch of weight (76+ pounds) and am about where I want to be.

However, I'm starting to really hate the extra skin on my lower stomach and upper thighs.

I'm hoping that over time some of it will go away, with continued maintenance and by keeping up my exercise routine.

Otherwise, I will just have to accept it.

I lost the weight s-l-o-w-l-y, for a few reasons.

1) so that my mind would have the chance to catch up with my body (no more being thin but feeling fat, like when I have lost quickly on crash diets in the past),
2) have time to really learn healthy habits that will last a lifetime, and
3) to avoid the loose skin.

I 100% succeeded with #1, the jury is still out for #2 (but I have a good feeling about it) and I only partly succeeded with #3. My upper arms, breasts, upper abdomen, and lower thighs all look great with no extra skin.

It's just the foot or so between my belly button and mid-thigh that looks gross to me.

Any words of wisdom? Do I just accept this skin and learn to love it?

You've done amazing!!! Congratulations!! We are the same height, similar weight, with similar problems. My problem area is lower tummy and upper thighs. I'm twice as old as you and have had 4 children so I am sure my excess skin is worse though. Having been pregnant with twins, I don't think a flat belly is in my future. Oh well. My feeling is this....no one is perfect. You have accomplished an amazing feat losing 76+ lbs. That is awesome!!!

All you can really do is keep working on toning/building muscle and like Mini says, remember nobody is perfect.
After 30 years of losing and gaining weight before I finally figured out I had to change my lifestyle, not just "go on a diet"- I'm sure I have some of the same issues as you. My "nemesis" is the little teeny pooch above my belly button. But it used to be a HUGE pooch, so we're making peace.
There are some things I know will never be "perfect". I have cellulitey thighs and always have. I will keep lunging and squatting, but I doubt there will ever come a day where I feel completely comfortable in shorts or a swimsuit. And let's not get started on stretchmarks and what happens to your breasts when you go from a DDD to a C cup.

But you know what? Those are parts of my history. I'm not trying to hide who I was and I accept that part of me is my "flawed" body that used to be obese. I just don't even see these things as flaws anymore, honestly. There are people who can't walk and others who have lost the use of their hands- and I'm going to worry about some cellulite?? I don't think so. I'm not one for surgery either- not for something so trivial.

I think we're told that having a "perfect" body is SO important... but it really isn't. It's just more media crap trying to make us feel bad about ourselves so we'll buy more products. Not sure HOW to get to a place of self-acceptance... but living proof, it can be done!

You've done awesome. I bet you will see major improvements as you continue to work out.

K8yK Thank you for your post! It struck a really good chord with me this morning that I needed- as I feel the same way as you (most days)