excess skin - when you loose weight

[misslideaway]

Following a new found healthy diet (which I hope to stick to) I am hoping to loose 2 stone in approx 5 months.

Will this amount to such a weight loss that I would have saggy excess skin? How would I protect myself against this- would something like bio-oil help?

[jkkerr]

Hey miss

You shouldn't have to worry - if you're losing between 1-2 pounds a week (maybe a little more at first) then your skin will have time to adjust.

[joannie10]

if you are encorporating excercise into your healthy diet then you should be ok too. Also find time to massage the skin with a moisturiser - this will help with the elasticity.

[Scarlett]

2 stone in 5 months sounds sensible. You only get saggy skin probs when you lose weight too quickly. By exercising and toning those areas (belly and upper arms) you can help avoid this.

[Velvetee]

2 stones isn't a great deal of weight to lose, so as jkkerr said 1-2 pounds per week is feasible. With exercise, you could probably lose 8-10 per month, in 5 months you would probably be at your target.

With gradual weightloss, skin should gradually shrink back, but exercise is important to help this, also massage the skin on a daily basis with Vitamin E oil, which will help to keep it supple.

[misslideaway]

Thanks everyone. I had seen horror storys of women who had a lot of saggy excess skin when they lost weight.

Thanks for putting my mind at ease

[888sally888]

Hi

I have gone from 11st 6lb to 9st 3lb in the last 5 months and I dont have any skin worse than before. My stomach had a few stretchmarks anyway from having kids but dont have any saggy bits!!

I did it slowly and do lots of walking and exercise and use a Champneys skin firming cream. Can I ask how old you are and have you had kids?

[misslideaway]

I'm 26 with no kids. I'm 5,4 and I've just tipped the scales at 13st :-( I remember being happy and healthy at 11st so thats what I'm aiming for. :-)

How did you loose weight Sally? Was it a specific diet or just healthy living?

[888sally888]

Hi

I am 44 and am 5'3". My daughters are 18 and 16 and I now have a 2 week old step grandson!!

I followed Slimming World at home - its way the best for me and def works.

I have been doing core stability (ball) classes at the gym as well as some aerobics and body combat. Also walk the dog every day.

Its been hard work but I feel so much better. I find it easy loosing it but really hard keeping it off.

What do you plan to do? Sal

[joggerjayne]

Cocoa Butter !!

Massage it into your skin. It makes the skin more elastic, so it can pull itself together as you lose weight.

Pregnant women rub it on their tummies so that their tums go back to normal after they give birth.

You can get it in big tubs in Body Shop.

[whiskeysheri]

Hi, missslideaway! Slowly and with exercise is the best way to do it. I've lost 5 stone since the start of Feb (half a stone per month), and I've been okay. I have gotten a bit lazier since it's gotten colder and need to tone up a bit, though. :(

You should be fine in that time. Good luck with it all! :)

[4getmenot]

what tips to you have whiskey apart from starting a cocaine binge :-)

[888sally888]

5 stone - thats amazing well done skinny!!

[misslideaway]

Well- I recently went to see a dietician at my local surgery. She told me that my diet in general was good but I just needed to cut back on portion size and up the excercise.

So I'm trying to save some extra cals by halving my portion size for tea and eating breakfast so I dont snack mid morning.

Also- I work 2 jobs- so sometimes I eat very late at night - this is the hard one to crack.

I'm going to the gym at least once a week (doesn't seem like much but its all I can fit in) and taking the stairs at work- parking further away from building etc.

The dietician was confident this would produce a healthy weightloss (I'm not very confident but will do my best)

[888sally888]

Miss - if you dont like feeling hungry, try Slimming World - I seem to eat lots and lose weight!!

[misslideaway]

I think I will invest in some of the palmers cocoa butter - a pregnant friend recently used that - Thanks Jayne!

Wow - Sheri - thats amazing! share the secret! Can you be my mentor ;-)

[joggerjayne]

Well done you for making the effort, misslideaway.

All these little things (that may seem small) will start to add up, and I'm sure you'll see results.

Keep doing bite of exercise where you can. It speeds up your metabolism, which helps you burn off what you eat.

[whiskeysheri]

LOL, 4get! :) A day off per week and low calorie, fruity ice lollies for sweet cravings. That was the only way I managed to stick to it for once. Oh, and weighing myself everyday, but only making a note of it once a week. That way I didn't tell myself I could eat something bad as I had another week until I was weighed again. :)

Ha, sally! Thanks! :) I'm still chubby in my head, can't get used to it. I'm dreading Christmas, though. I find the same as you: easy to lose, but so, so hard to keep off. :(

[joannie10]

dont concern yourself with eating late at night it is all down to what you are eating. I too do two jobs which affects when I get to eat that as long as you dont go mad eating too much cause perhaps on those nights you are hungrier then you will be fine. Good luck, you have been given good advice.