ok now that i have started losing some weight and plan to lose more - how do you/ what do you need to do - to firm up? not that i want to wear a bikini, but it would be nice to not have this lump of fat disguising the actual weight loss...
i am 45, so i know my skin is a little more stretched out - and i can't afford surgery to chop it off
so looking for some suggestions....

wouldn't it be funny that when i lose all this weight (that is my plan) - then all of the sudden i wouldn't qualify for a breast reduction anymore - then i have saggy boobs too...

wow I agree I have lost 80 pounds and my skin is all druppy so whenever you find out let me know.

I am in the same situation as you. I know that once all of my weight is gone, tht I will have that extra saggy skin (Yuck)... But as you said earlier. I can't afford it.

I receive Medicaid only and they will not pay for it because they consider it to be cosmedic surgery. In other words, surgery that is not needed.

But, here is how I feel and believe about that. When a person loses all that weight, do they really want to look in the mirror and see all that old ugly flabby skin left hanging around ? No! I know I wouldn't.

One reason is, I am loosing the weight for my health. I firmly believe in my heart that all the extra flab left to hang around is maybe just as dangerous as having all the weight on you and not doing anything about it.

But, lets get even more real about it. Who wants to lose all that weight, only to continue being fat after it is all gone ?

Medicaid will pay for a breast reduction. I know that for a fact because I have had to have one because of all the headaches etc... They do not consider that a cosmedic type surgery. So here is what I do not understand. Why would they consider having the extra flab removed as a cosmedic type thing ? I mean, does it not effect your health just as much as being top heavy does ?

I don't know, but that is my thoughts on this.

Michelle

bummer - no answers...
some other people have told me that if you exercise, the "core" exercises, then the saggy skin will tone up.
But I am 45, I don't think that my stretched out skin will shrink"

Anyone watch the show "The Biggest Loser"?
I just saw some of the contestants on Larry King Live, and they look great - and yes theirs was an intense program - but if they had saggy skin (and a few of them look good) you would be able to tell.

Doesn't bother me enough to stop what I am doing

Buddyslim.com free weight loss blog

I am only 21yrs old, but I have lost 25lbs in the last three months. And I too, am expriencing saggy skin. I have started doing pilates, which I have been doing this whole time I have been loosing the weight.... and I am seeing a difference. They make the DVDs you can do in home. And just get the bands. Weight lifting, even just a little bit can cause your weight to come right back on. I know- I was doing some weight lifting like core excercises when I first started on my diet- and I gained 6.5lbs in 2 weeks. Good Luck and keep up the good work.

The same people who make the stretch mark cream also make a firming butter. I haven't had a chance to try it lately, but I have a major problem with that in my stomach. I call it my deflated balloon. I had a baby who was 10 lbs, 14 oz. and even if I lose all the baby weight, my skin is extremely stretched out.

Originally Posted by 11516

I receive Medicaid only and they will not pay for it because they consider it to be cosmedic surgery. In other words, surgery that is not needed.

In Australia, Medicare will contribute some of costs if the sagging is bad enough and your Doctor recommends the surgery. If it's really bad it can cause infections from the chaffing between folds and always being a little bit damp - as I understand it anyway.

Saggy skin is my mortal fear! I hope to avoid it. My understanding is that you need to do strengthening exercises to tone the muscles underneath. You also need to make sure your body is burning fat and not muscle by making sure you eat the right foods and do the right exercises. Even though muscle weighs a little more than fat, it's a worthy investment as it also raises your metabolism. There are lots of creams on the market that supposedly help too, but I've yet to test any.

I too have the famous Mothers apron (thats what I call it) I have talked to my doctor on several occasions and he has said that no matter how much excercise you do its very hard to get rid of and almost always requires a tummy tuck ..it may shrink but it will never disappear.. and yes that sucks...but if anyone out there knows a secret please let me in on it...

Originally Posted by 10792

ok now that i have started losing some weight and plan to lose more - how do you/ what do you need to do - to firm up? not that i want to wear a bikini, but it would be nice to not have this lump of fat disguising the actual weight loss...
i am 45, so i know my skin is a little more stretched out - and i can't afford surgery to chop it off
so looking for some suggestions....

wouldn't it be funny that when i lose all this weight (that is my plan) - then all of the sudden i wouldn't qualify for a breast reduction anymore - then i have saggy boobs too...

I started weight training twice a week and it helped me.

Sorry I cannot help

Originally Posted by 12065

I was doing some weight lifting like core excercises when I first started on my diet- and I gained 6.5lbs in 2 weeks.

That's because when you lift weights you gain muscle which is heavier than fat. Thats why i'm not for people weighing themselves all the time. It's much better to measure so you can actually see the inches you have lost instead of getting on the scale and getting discouraged.


As for the main question. Anything that contains weight lifting (it doesn't have to be heavy weights but some weight lifting) or anything that gives your body a full workout, will firm your skin up, dont get me wrong it will take a little while to see the results but it works. Before I joined this web-site to loose these last few pounds I had lost 80 pounds and started to get that droopy skin. So I started doing the tae-bo dvds, the biggest loser dvd, and have even done some yoga and pilates (I would alternate which dvd i would workout to weekly). It really helps tighten that skin up. Hope this helps out some!