Weight loss and loose skin

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Hi Everyone!! Yesterday was my birthday. I had a goal set for my birthday that I failed to meet. But I got pretty close to that goal so I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. What was that goal? On January 1st of this year - I weighed 264 lbs. My goal was to weigh less than 200 lbs by my birthday. I didn't make it. I missed that goal by 7 lbs. A bit frustrating - but still - a 57 lbs weight loss isn't too bad - I guess. What's most disappointing is that I still - obviously - have more to lose. I thought that at 200 lbs I'd be more impressed by the guy I see in the mirror - but I'm not. I'm also a bit worried. I'm not exactly 'Extreme Makeover' material - but I can't help but be concerned about my SKIN. If I lose another 20 lbs [Which is what I think I still need to lose] I can't help but wonder if I'll just look like a deflated balloon. I'm exercising and doing 'crunches, etc., which helps - but I'm not sure how 'things' are going to turn out. Parts of my body [My stomach and my chest - especially] are very soft to the touch - almost puffy. I'm hoping that's a good sign and - in time - my skin will tighten up around the 'new me'. So I was wondering....Can any of you empathize?! Have any of you lost a significant amount of weight sometime in your life and gone through what I am now going through? Did any of you have what you thought was going to turn out to be a 'loose skin' problem but things turned out OK? OR maybe they didn't turn out OK. Anyone willing to share with me what they went through [Or what a friend or family member went through] I'd really appreciate it. You can even PM me in confidence if you would rather. Thanks, GREAT BIG HUGCraig!!

It's great to see you again, Craig. Happy Birthday! And congratulations on your achievement, which is truly impressive! Concentrate on the positives!

Hi Ineligible!! I hope you're OK. Thanks for the pat on the back. I really appreciate it. Focus on the positive?! How does someone do that?! lol [SEMI-JOKING]GREAT BIG HUGCraig!!

Congrats on the weight loss, that is a huge achievement! Don't worry about your skin, it is elastic, and unless you're fifty years old, or dropped the weight in a fortnight, it'll eventually tighten up.

Hi kmrobins!! I hope you're OK. Thanks for the reply. "Unless I'm fifty years old?" Oh oh... I'm 44. And is losing 60 lbs 6 months too quick?GREAT BIG HUGCraig!!

10lb per month is pretty much perfect, any more I'd be worried you were using unhealthy methods. As for your age, it's hard to say. Some people age quicker than others. Your skin will not be as elastic as it was when you were 20, and may never fully tighten. I suggest you eat a good healthy diet, if you aren't already, and get some sunlight, but not too much! Wait a bit after you reach your desired weight, and if you still aren't happy with your skin you can always consider surgery. I'd imagine it would be pretty risk free, and not overly expensive.I'm no expert on skin, I'm just going off what I've heard. You might benefit from doing some of your own research into it. Just make sure they're from credable sources.

Went ahead and did a bit of research for you, 'cause I was curious too.The foods and nutrients that maintain skin strength and enhance its healing include: Proteins: Foods like lean meats, eggs, dairy foods, and beans and legumes help maintain skin elasticity, and help in wound healing. Carbohydrates: Starches like breads and cereals provide the calories you need for energy and nourishment. Without enough carbohydrates, your body will use proteins instead – which will make them unavailable for their wound-healing job.Zinc: Found in foods like fish, red meats, shellfish, whole grains, and beans, zinc is crucial for skin repair because it helps metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins. But, check with your doc before you use zinc supplements – it’s possible to take too much zinc and cause yourself significant damage.Vitamins A and C: Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits and many vegetables. Vitamin A is in dark green and orange vegetables, apricots, cantaloupe, and fortified milk. Both of these vitamins increase your skin’s strength. It’s probably safe to take extra vitamin C in the form of capsules or tablets, but check with your doctor before taking extra Vitamin A; it can be toxic, and over-dosing is possible!WaterDon’t forget about fluids: You need lots of water. If you’ve got a wound or sore, you can lose more than a liter of water each day, just as part of the healing process. So, while 6-8 cups may be what’s recommended for someone on an intermittent catheterization program, other SCI survivors would do well to drink quite a bit more than that – 8-12 cups a day would not be too much! And, if you’re losing fluids from an open sore – or for any other reason – you’ll need to increase your water intake even more. Beer does NOT count! Alcohol actually causes you to lose water or become dehydrated! And, it can prevent your body from effectively using the food and vitamins you do eat, causing what seems like a balanced diet to become an unbalanced one.This was all taken from the website: http://www.craighospital.org/SCI/METS/skin.aspThere's more info there if you want to look at it, and if you want to look for more information, your best bet is to find websites that end in gov, org or edu. They can easily be found by googling; "skin elasticity .org" etc.Good luck.

Hi kmrobins!! Thank you VERY much for all of the info. I really appreciate it. And thanks for the link - too!! My other concern is that I most likely [so it seems] have gynecomastia. SIGH. I hope not. I'll guess I'll find out once I get down to my goal weight. [Which has been lowered from the original 200 lbs to about 180 lbs] Thanks again,GREAT BIG HUGCraig!!

Hi HelmsmaN!! I hope you're OK. Thanks for the tip. I'll see if any place near me sells those wraps. Take care of yourself.GREAT BIG HUGCraig!!

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but it seemed more appropriate than posting a new one.I've lost 120lbs now and I now weight about 200lbs. I'm still shooting for another 20-30lbs of weight loss. I've been noticing that my skin is getting more and more loose and I'm wondering if it will retract that much or if it is going to stay loose? I'm 21 years old and I'm 5'10''.