How can I keep my skin taut while loosing weight?
Over the last few years I ballooned from (a healthy) 200lbs to near enough 300. I'm finally starting to claw my way back down, but I'm worried about having loose skin when I get back to my ideal weight. Is there anything i can do while losing the weight to keep my skin taut?
The key to this is simple. Your weight loss plans, eating right (don't call it a diet) and exercise, must also consist of weight/resistance training. This will keep your skin taut and less loose when you get to your target weight. This is proven.
5 Answers
Two issues: 1) speed at which you lose your weight. If you lose one to two pounds per week, you will have the best chance of not having too much saggy skin. 2) age - skin becomes less elastic as you age, so even if you lose weight slowly, but you are age 50, you are much more likely to have lose skin, as compared to losing the same amount of weight at age 25.
The key to this is simple. Your weight loss plans, eating right (don't call it a diet) and exercise, must also consist of weight/resistance training. This will keep your skin taut and less loose when you get to your target weight. This is proven.
I've gone from 300 to 260 over the course of 2 years, and sorry to say that if you have lots of stretchmarks, your skin is damaged and it will result in perma-sag. I guess the best non-surgical thing you can do is apply something like cocoa butter to keep your skin hydrated. If that doesn't get results then go see a dermatologist to see what they got. Good luck.
Apply anti-aging lotion with skin firming properties to the trouble areas (love handles, around the armpits) during the process of slimming down. I would recommend Nivea for Men's DNAge Anti-Age Moisturizer.
Also, I agree with what Paul said: don't try losing the weight quickly with fad diets and the like. Let it be a gradual process and give your skin a chance to shrink with your body. Weightlifting is also a good way to prevent shrink marks by replacing fat with muscle and avoiding shrinkage while doing it.
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I'm no expert, or trainer. I've come from 270lbs to 200lbs, and don't have "saggy skin" - the trick for me is to do it slowly, and use both diet and exercise. Don't fad diet, don't crash diet. Just eat right, work out right. Find a workout hobby (I've gotten into running this summer), and a good food routine that works for you.
For example - we make everything for breakfast, lunch and dinner in one shot on the weekends. Sure, we lose an afternoon or more in the kitchen (and that hurts when it's nice outside), but we don't have to make a single food related choice during the week. It's done, measured and controlled.