[Paulitens]

Good for her and her cause! It is true, not all of us are going to have perfect bodies when we shed all our weight. It's great not to create false expectations and to be proud of the journey we go through.

[IanG]

I find loose skin fascinating. I swear there is a break-point for it. I have lost 115lbs without any. But those that have lost more, especially 150lbs+ seem to have to deal with it. There is definitely a story to tell, whether it be genes, amount of weightloss, age, diet or all or the above.

My advice to avoid it would be: lose weight young, eat fish, exercise a lot.

[jiffypop]

hoo boy. i consider myself somewhat of an authority on loose skin, as it looks like i've MELTED!!!!! I haven't had the $$$ to get a lower body lift, even though I have something like 30 pounds of extra skin.

I'm here to tell you, though, that it's still metabolically active, in some respects. The problems go beyond the rashes, discomfort, clothes, and so on. it seems to retain fluid!!! i was recently in the hospital for some surprise surgery, and they hooked me up to an IV [nothing by mouth because i was going into surgery ANY MINUTE, even though it took two days].

I swelled up like a TICK!!!! all around my middle. every bit of saggy skin filled out. Pants that I could get on WITHOUT UNDOING THE ZIPPER before surgery wouldn't even zip afterwards.

I know I need to have surgery, just as soon as I have the money for all the copays and such [it'll probably be covered because i had WLS, but that's no guarantee]

I think Ms B is very courageous for standing up to SHAPE, in a bid for reality.

But even more important, fear of loose skin is A BAD REASON to not lose weight. Even though I look awful naked, I'm a whole lot healthier!!!!

[PinkPowerRanger71]

A few years ago I probably would have been put off by that photo because I was motivated by wanting to look better-now though I am motivated by wanting to FEEL better, to be healthy-and I would rather be slim with loose skin than fat.I am pretty sure I'll end up with even more loose skin than the lady pictured as I have more weight to lose, but that's not going to stop me.I'm not going to be wearing a bikini any time soon anyway and I don't have a partner who will see me naked so it's not a concern for me. However I don't think the bikini photo is inspirational for me-yes it's real and yes people should be aware and I think she has done amazingly well-I just don't want to see her stomach-in my opinion it's unnecessary.

[Lecomtes]

I friggin love her and that the lame-o mag caved and used the pic, maybe seeing a picture like this when I was 22 and rapidly gaining would have motivated me to turn things around sooner. I'm totally going to wear a bikini when I reach my goal, and I know I will have loose skin, as I already feel quite deflated. Reality is not something to hide. More brave women like this, please!

[MauiKai]

I think the people in the comments who said that they don't "want to look at that" are gross themselves. What, what is it you don't want to look at? A happy young woman who worked hard to get healthy? Reality? Confidence?

Big flippin' deal that she has loose skin. She isn't here to decorate anyone's world! She has 1 life to live and she isn't going to live it cowering in an oversized teeshirt just because some shallow, vain people think she should hide her battle scars. What, does he have to therefore wear a mask in public because you don't want to look at his face now? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._Martinez

Those people need to get over themselves and stop being so judgmental. It doesn't matter what you want to look at! These are people, not things, not idols. If she wants to strut down the beach with her skin flapping in the breeze then I say go for it baby! Shake that! No one has the right to act as though should hide herself away under clothes because she isn't their version of perfect. All the better that it's in a magazine so that women can start seeing "the other reality." She is the perfect version of her and she's not ashamed and THAT is awesome.

[BeachBreeze2010]

As someone struggling with body acceptance anyway, now that I have loose skin, it's even worse. To see the negative comments towards her skin is impossible not to internalize and "hear" them coming at me. And it's bathing suit season. Yay. Yuck. I wear my bikini (with a higher waisted bottom) and hate the skin I see. I've lost almost 70lbs and maintained it for almost 3 years. My skin is not going to tighten up.

It's hard to accept that because of what I did to my body, I'll never get to be like those other girls that seem to effortlessly be thin. I work WAY harder for my body now than they do. But still nope.

When I was first starting out, I had this fantasy that my body would just go back to what it was. If I had seen her, I would have been proud of what she accomplished and immediately made excuses as to why I won't end up that way. I don't think the reality of it would have really hit me.

I admire her courage to post the picture. It seems like there are so few of us that have successfully lost weight and now have excess skin. I don't know anyone else IRL. Seeing someone with her stomach standing proudly helps. The world is full of mean people ready to hurt with words when we are overweight as well as afterwards. I think her story, shown in a positive light is a first step in getting people everywhere to be more exposed to what this is so that the rest of us who have extra skin can feel more free as well.

Is that Shape's primary market - no. I think they ran the story for PR. It is a better fit for other outlets - like the Today Show that she came on - and hope that when those other outlets do stories of large weight loss that they include realistic images also.

[PatPat]

She is really someone inspiring! Self confidence is the sexiest thing ever