Well, I joined this forum a longlong time ago, but have since then lost my password and all that fancy stuff. But, I have mucked around all the time and am so inspired by the weight losses on this site! <3 I'm all like, 'woot! go them', if that doesn't sound dorkish or anything. Anyways, I finally have my own success story-- started in July, when I started coming here, and up until now I have lost 82 pounds, which is pretty cool, and have gone from size 26ish pants to size 18. But I still have lots and lots to lose, sadly.
While I'm excited about my weight loss and everything, I am really confused over one thing. I know I'll eventually have loose skin, considering I've been overweight since I was five (so, about eleven years now, even though I was only at my highest weight for about a month), but I'm really confounded over the difference between loose skin and fat. I cant' tell which part of my body is 'loose' and which is just still fat? Are there any ways to tell the difference? Thanks in advance! <3 (Note: Being what I consider a 'seasoned veteran' at this side, I already saw that one fabulous post on loose skin that everyone loves. ;D But I don’t' think I ever saw it specify which is which? If one of the posts on here really does explain the difference, I’ll be beyond embarrassed )

Hi Shannon and yay for you on the fabulous weight loss!

You raise an interesting question - when we have weight left to lose, how do we tell what's fat and what's excess skin? Hmmm, in all that I've ever read about weight loss and skin (lots!), I've never seen an answer to that question.

Our bodies go through such huge changes as we lose weight and even for months afterwards ... I'm don't know if there's any way to tell what's fat and what's excess skin until you're at goal. You're right - where you are now in the process makes it really hard to figure out what the end result is going to be.

I think that, unfortunately, you're just going to have to be patient as those last pounds disappear. You're so young - 16, right? - that you've got a really good shot at having elastic skin that tightens up nicely. I wish we had a crystal ball to see ourselves at goal - wouldn't that be motivating?! - but just try to be patient a little bit longer.

Are you exercising, especially lifting weights? That will definitely help you firm up everything that can be tightened up as you're losing.

Keep up the good work, Shannon!

How interesting...I was just wondering the same thing last night. I was playing with my "bat wings" and was wondering how much of it was still fat and how much of it was loose skin. I know there's probably quite a lot of both there. Like Meg says, I'll just have to wait and see.

~Dee

Just a note to say CONGRATS! You doing this so young is so amazing. You are fighting for your life and that's worth it! You might not have much loose skin at your age. But you can't know until you reach goal. Good luck! You're an inspiration!

Karma

I'm sorry io don't have the answers but I'd like to congratulate you on the 80 lbs loss you go girl!!! woot woot for you! Keep up the great work!

I read one article awhile back that suggested pinching the back of your hand. You aren't going to have a lot of fat in this area, so it's a good way to get an idea of how thin skin actually is.

I've lost 80 lbs so far and I have a little bit of loose skin, but the only place that I really notice it is my breasts. When I pinch the skin on my breasts (gently, now!) as I did the back of my hand, I can tell that I do have loose skin there. I can pull up the thin layer of skin and see how much excess there is. Also, it feels different to me. Meanwhile, when I pinch the skin on my lower stomach, there's hardly any "loose skin" (but I still have another 40 lbs to lose, so it might become more noticeable as I slim down).

You guys are so nice and helpful! <3 Thanks so much, everyone, for such speedy and kind responses! I have to say, I almost got a bit choked up when I read that I was an inspiration, because that's definitely not something I hear on a daily basis!
:] It would be awesome to have some sort of 'sixth sense' and see into the future to see how I would look at the end of my weight loss journey! I do try to work out as much as possible, and have a set of five lb free-hand weights (I don't know if that's the right term? xD I'm such an exercise-novice, it's almost sad!) that I use daily in exercises that I find in the internet and in seventeen/cosmogirl magazine (they do give awfully helpful exercise-sheets). Then, afterwards, I usually bounce around from Pilates to the 'boot camp' DVD'S that Billy Banks put out. Walk away the pounds is another nice DVD that I use, but I swear that by the end of the workout I want to tape Leslie's mouth shut! It's a nice change to hear encouragement when you workout, but sometimes she just is overly happy (I do not have 'small little feet', thank you very much Leslie!) I think they equally do a good part in kicking my butt, but I always make sure to give myself as much rest as needed in-between daily workout routines! Half the time, after the 'Ultimate Boot Camp' workout, I have to support myself when I sit down. Thigh muscles are very mean little things when you exercise them for too long.
And to killingjanni, that's a nice idea! I definitely have jiggly little arms, and am pleased to announce that it would appear to be all just fat but, like many people said, I have much more to lose and will have to see myself at my goal weight before making any conclusions. ;D

You are doing so great!

About the possible excess skin - I'm 56 and have lost 33 lbs. I started working out (at Curves) 2 years ago, but didn't really change my way of eating until six months ago. I thought I could just exercise the weight off - NOT!

My arms were quite "flappy" when I started and even though I could feel the muscles gradually growing under the fat, I couldn't actually see any definition until lately - now that I've lost some weight.

I'm pleased that my skin seems to be fairly elastic and my arms now look a LOT less flabby. I know that it is mainly because I've been working out and now it's paying off.

Everyone's skin is different, but you have the advantage of being young, so your arms probably won't have too much loose skin - especially if you do some arm exercises. Good luck

I think heredity plays a part....I have seen some women friends who have had one or more kids whose stomachs and breast seem to snap right back as far as skin. But, I have also seen skinny women with loose skin that was stretched beyond going back. Age doesn't seem to matter, within reason.

I don't have any loose skin, but I have fat under the skin in my stomach that I didn't have before I had a baby. As I have lost weight, my skin has not gotten looser. Don't lose weight to quickly, and you have to lower you body fat to see how loose your skin will be.