Loose skin. Not a nice topic but I gotta ask.

[Ms.Jax]

Hi all,

Im new to this. I started my vlcd last week Friday and my main question is, I'm 18st and once I've lost my weight am I likely to have floppy skin?

 

[slim_and_happy]

Sadly yes. How much will depend on your age and how you look after your skin during the weight loss.
Using dry body brushing and firming body lotions help but also lots of toning exercises with weights.
I'm 35 and this time round (I've done this plan before) I find my skin far less flexible than a few years ago despite the exercise and body care but I rather have a bit of loose skin than rolls of fat under it to be honest

 

[Caz]

There are so many variables, really can't say! I know people who have gone from that size and had none, others a little, others quite a lot. Things like your age play a big part but also your genetics, some people have a higher level of skin elasticity than others. Your skin is a living organ just like pretty much the rest of your body so even if you have some sagging skin to start, give it time and the majority of people will find that theirs shrink back to completely normal. When you gain weight and your skin stretches it tears and breaks the collagen and elastin proteins in your skin, which are the two things which give your skin strength and elasticity. Some people are lucky enough to find that they don't do much damage and shrink back relatively quickly alongside the weight loss but others of us, myself included probably, aren't quite so lucky. To some extent there's not a lot you can do, if you're going to get loose skin you will but there are a few things you can do to help minimise it.

Drink lots of water to stay hydrated
Build in some resistence/weight training especially when you're closer to goal and working up to maintenance so have higher protein intake, having more defined muscle underneath will help your skin look tighter
This is a personal one but I think having the protein meal can help - high protein foods like cottage cheese, milk, chicken and fish contain things that form into collagen and elastin
Like slim_and_happy said, dry brushing and moisturising can help too as it gets rid of dead skin cells, encouraging new ones to grow.

I know it's hard not to worry about it but I'm sure that even with a bit of loose skin, you'll be far healthier, fitter and happier and that loose skin will soon be gone anyway.

 

[noodles1609]

Also, give it time, it does catch up. I know when I look baggy it's cause I've dropped more inches, I can see this particularly in my face - but a couple of weeks and the bagginess goes. I'm not happy with my stomach and thighs at the moment but I know they will catch up to some degree with time - and to be honest I'd much rather be a baggy size 12 than a full to the brim 22 any day of the week. There is a ton of great underwear out there to keep any sagging under control, so for much of the time nobody would ever know about it

 

[Cherry-Blossom]

I'm worried about sagging which is one of the reasons that after this initial 12 weeks I'm going to take a slower route for a bit, might then go back on to this depending how I go. Give my skin time to catch up with my body. I may only be young but I've been overweight for so long I don't know how easily my skin will keep up.

 

[Ms.Jax]

Thanks for your replies all x