Stubborn Belly Fat -- or Loose Skin?

[MrsPositive 5]

Hi! I am actually also a Physical Therapist and I would say to take a look at your total body fat percentage. Work on getting that down and you will see that tummy and skin start to disappear. Kind of the thinking is that if you do keep using fat to feed the body....it will go away. The skin will usually go mostly back to! The issue really is if we are all willing to work that hard to get there. Plastic surgery solves other issues too....stretch marks, areas that need lifting etc. Once you are doing great on your workouts...consider something really fun and that really is more hard core. P90X seems to rip people like nobody's business! Through the years I have seen some dramatic weight losses and body transformations. My advice is to always leave plastic surgery as your last ditch effort after all else has been done to do it with exercise!

PS. I think your pics are amazing. Congrats on your fantastic loss and health transformation already!!!

Joan

[Rev Me Up! 75]

I didn't look at the pics because I am at work, but I would also recommend that you wait at least 6 months after you reach your goal weight to see what the skin is going to do. I think another thing the moms on this board can attest to is that when you have a quick change in size, the skin takes quite a while to achieve its final shape. My stomach looks just as bad, if not worse than it did before VSG. Still hanging, but now it is getting all dimply because the fat is shirinking. As much as it bothers me, I am making a commitment to wait at least a year after I reach my goal to see what my body is going to do on its own. I really don't want to go into another surgery ever again if I can avoid it, it depends on how things come to rest after this wild and crazy journey.

Worth noting, though, that I haven't done any exercise. I am starting pilates reformer exercise again and that should help with muscle tightening.

Sorry to hear about your medical problems and I'm glad to hear you are working with your MD on it!

[myrori 55]

I thought your pictures are eye candy We are our own worst critics!

[TexasTeacher 7]

I'm just glad to hear that it isn't just ME!

[Browneyedsouljah 5]

Try wearing a compression shirt or vest when you start working your abs. I ahve been talking to alot of people who swears its all the difference. The problem is we loose weight and our skin strts to sag. Gravity takes over and any time we move we are jaring already loose skin away from the muscle that used to have a layer of fat on it. The compression wear will keep your skin tight to your body not allowing gravity or skin jarring to occur. So when you build muscle there is less space for the skin. I know twpo sisters who were older and lost over 150lbs each and they have no skin issues. I have also seen women who have lost over 200lbs who have no sagging skin either. I am getting sleeved at the end of summer. I have been working out and I am using a compression shirt and will soon get the body suit. I am a bit scarred of ploastic surgery. Good luck and congrats on your success