Question:
Calling all lightweights near or at goal
As a lightweight, have you found that you do need skin removed? I am a 33 y/o lightweight half way to goal. So far, so good. Is it possible that I won't need any work done? I would like to hear your stories. Thanks! — [Anonymous] (posted on February 1, 2002)
February 1, 2002
I was a "light weight" weighing in at 254 pounds day of surgery.
I was usually around the 230's but I had way too many last meals hehehe...
I need a tummy tuck because most of my concentrated fat was in the abdomen.
My upper thighs are not so great either but tolerable. My sister had a
smaller belly; but she had a baby 2.5 years ago and her belly is also
flabby. I think it depends are where you carry it, how much you exercise,
how long you carried the weight and genetics... I am now a size 6 but I'd
probably be a 4 if it weren't for my flabby belly. I am 29 years old.
— Jeannet
February 1, 2002
Today 02/01/02 is my 1 year anniversary of my surgery. I was 469lbs and am
now at 220. I am at about my goal weight and feel like a new man. I have
some loose skin in the belly and my arms and legs. Much of it is going down
with exercise but I will need surgery to get the rest.
— Randy Childers
February 1, 2002
I was also a 'lightweight'.. 228 on surgery day. While I find that I'm
taking it off slower than many of those with more to lose (34 lbs in 8
weeks).. I think most of the skin is going to shrink with me. I'm no
spring chicken (44), so I realise that some of my skin 'tone &
elasticity' may be gone forever.. but I didn't get any stretch marks from
my weight gain, only my children (reminder to self: they ARE worth it..
LOL). I look at it this way.. If I get into a size 6 and it LOOKS GOOD..
I'm not going to worry about a little bit of a 'droopy' tummy.. although I
AM going to DEFINITELY have a breast reduction/lift after I've reached my
goal...I just can't stand 'The Girls' looking SOOO sad..ROFL Good Luck...
— Diane E.
February 1, 2002
I am 5'7 1/2" and 40 years old... I was 278 and now I am 167 just 7
months later. My arms and legs are not flabby at all and my tummy is going
to be pretty tight when I am done. I exercised the first two months and
now I have started lifting weights the past month and my stomach muscles
are really making a difference in my tummy appearance. At first I thought I
would need a tummy tuck for sure but it seems that the last 30 pounds are
mostly in my stomach and will be the last to go.
It is genetics more than anything. If you look at your mom and grandma you
can tell the most about how your skin will look. If these ladies have
hanging or saggy or thin skin chances are you will to when you lose your
weight. I have a 90 year old grandma who doesnt have a wrinkle... I am
Italian though and have that good mediterranean skin.
— SusanMaria
February 1, 2002
I am 5'7" and started at 278. Now I am 138. I am 52 yrs old. Baggy
upper thighs in the back only , sort of shar-peish! But the stomach that
was big enough to carry in a wheel barrel is gone ! And my arms are good.
The face is unlined and not saggy. I look pretty darn good !! No plastic
surgery needed. But if I needed it I'd do it.
— Rose A.
February 1, 2002
I lost 100 pounds rapidly when I was 33 years old (Diet Center) and much to
my surprise, my thighs hind-end and arms were tight enough. A surpise
because I am somewhat loose-skinned even when I am heavy. I believe it was
my young age and walking eveyday that snapped my skin into place. (16
years older now, I don't hold out for the same skin reaction!)
— Sandra E.
February 3, 2002
I guess I was what you consider a "lightweight" I am 31 years
old, I started at 260 am down to 174. I want to lose about 30 pounds more.
My arms are horrible. The scar from plastic surgery though seems worse. My
upper thighs are verrry flabby and my butt looks like an old mans! Guess
what? I could care less! Maybe I will have plastic surgery maybe I won't.
Doesn't seem real important at all. I know I need to do more toning
excercises and that would help so my advice to you is to definitely plan on
working with some weights to tone up the problem areas. Hope your more
disciplined than I am! I seem to find a million reasons to put it off!
(haha) Good Luck..Kristen
— kristen H.
June 4, 2003
If I understand your question you are not asking for people to respond who
were not very heavy when they started out, you are looking for respondents
who are now "light weights" because they are at or near goal
weight. If so, then I can reply to you: I had my open BP/DS 11/29/00. I
have lost all the weight I am going to lose and at 5'11" am about 220
lbs. The skin is a funny thing. It contains elastic fibers that stretch
and contract when you gain and lose weight. However, those fibers can snap
if you gain a lot of weight. That is what stretch marks are, the trail of
broken elastic fibers. Once they snap, they are gone for good they don't
heal or repair themselves. This doesn't mean all the ones around them have
snapped, but if you have a lot of stretch marks as I did, you have lost a
lot of the elastic fibers. My arms and thighs and stomach were covered in
stretch marks, and none of them have tightened up and I don't care what
anyone tells you about exercise, they never will because they can't.
Exercise only helps to tone the muscle beneath the skin. You can have the
most taut, toned muscles, but the skin will always be draped over them. I
had to have the hanging apron of skin that hung halfway to my knees)
removed surgically. I still need to have the upper arms done before I
knock someone out waving goodbye some day. I also need to have my
'supplemental breasts' removed (hanging skin under my arms) but I
understand that this cannot be done in conjunction with the upper arms
because a plastic surgeon will not operate across a joint. This means two
separate surgeries. And my inner thighs resemble a Shar Pei. I hate it,
but to tell you the truth, the thought of having three more surgeries has
stymied me. I feel poleaxed by the enormity of subjecting myself to that
much trauma, and so I have not done anything about these remaining sources
of embarassment as yet. It is possible you will have a completely
different experience, but this was mine and I only share it with you to
give you someone else's viewpoint. (PS, my double chin completely shrunk
back, you can see it in my pictures, if you care to look, but I didn't have
any stretch marks on my face or neck, so I consider that to be the
explanation for that!!) Anyway, I don't know who you are as you don't give
your name I can't look at your profile. So I don't know how you were when
you started out. A lot depends on HOW you were fat. I had the hanging
stomach thing before I ever lost a pound, and after I lost it all, if just
hund lower because then it was empty! Good luck. If you want, you can
email me. [email protected]
— Janice D.
December 20, 2004
I was 23 years old, 5'9" and 257 Pounds... I had Open RnY and a total
loss of 101 pounds after 11 months.... It took another 9 months after that
for my skin to catch-up a bit... For the most part I deal with the same
stretch marks and issues any woman that had triplets would have... ha ha
I current weigh 140 and I wear a size 6 pants and small tops. My arms are
tones; my belly is flat, and my legs sort-of Jiggles.... I exercise with
Weight training and cardio alternating 5 days a week for45 minutes a
day....
The key is to exchange muscle mass and weight for the fat masses and skin
after surgery... I would make sure to start at least 1 year post-op on a
good fitness program to tone and trim to the best of your ability.
I was lucky enough to have no plastic surgery concerns... but my body is
not perfect.... My breasts are a lot smaller and could benefit from
implants if I choose too... but it's hardly medically neccessary...
All in all, I am very happy with my body and treat it with care and respect
it deserves. ;-)
— Laurie Faith G.
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