A question for those who have lost a lot of weight

**JacobAlthea&Tatum** · 03-03-2008, 09:06 PM

How do you get rid of the flabby skin left over when a lot of weight is lost?

Thank you.

**Chester B. Dickens** · 03-04-2008, 09:04 AM

Weight training. Crunches. Etc. To tighten and tone.

In extreme cases, people have turned to surgery to get rid of all the excess skin (xref - See "Jon & Kate + Eight," where Kate, after having carried sextuplets, gets her postpartum belly 'erased').

**JacobAlthea&Tatum** · 03-05-2008, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by dweck

Weight training. Crunches. Etc. To tighten and tone.

Okay, so do the new muscles fill in the void created by the missing fat, or does the skin actually shrink?

Sorry if this is a totally dumb question!

**Chester B. Dickens** · 03-05-2008, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by Momma to J and A

Originally Posted by dweck

Weight training. Crunches. Etc. To tighten and tone.

Okay, so do the new muscles fill in the void created by the missing fat, or does the skin actually shrink?

Sorry if this is a totally dumb question!

I'm a little over my head here, from a bio standpoint, but yes, I believe the muscle takes the place of former fat, and then the skin tightens/tones down to cover it.

But don't quote me on that......

**Dani** · 03-06-2008, 11:10 AM

Well, I am still working on losing weight...but I have noticed that it's coming together through toning and muscle building.

**JacobAlthea&Tatum** · 03-07-2008, 02:18 PM

Thank you both!

Dani, I hope we can make it to the picnic next year - I can't wait to see your progress!

**Jinx** · 03-07-2008, 02:36 PM

i think it depends a lot on your age, too. the older you get, the more difficult it gets for that extra skin to spring back as it were.

**Buddy and Bailey** · 03-07-2008, 04:56 PM

Toning does help. I notice mine firming up and since I haven't worked on it in 4 months I notice it saging more. Toning I think plays a roll as well age as Jinx says and I also think it's how much weight you have lost and how long you were big.

**theoconbrio** · 03-08-2008, 06:45 PM

My understanding is that with skin, time and genetics are the two biggest factors. If it's going to tighten up, it will do so in its own sweet time. Some people's skin never tightens up, and they either come to accept it or get it cut out (which I have heard is not a huge issue if you're not having it done all over your body).

**BillieIsMyKid** · 03-11-2008, 01:42 PM

Jenn, my dad and step-mom both had gastric bypass a year ago. They've both lost well over 100 pounds. I don't think they're excess skin problem is terribly noticeable and my dad is sooo skinny now that it would be. I'm guessing that because the weight loss was fairly gradual it gave their skin time to shrink with them. That may be the key (well that and exercise, which they did NOT do but seem to show no ill effects from).