Elephant butt

OK, now that I have your attention.... I am embarassed by the way I look naked. My breasts are sagging, my thighs are so stretched out, and have you seen National Geographic when the subject is elephants, look at their butts, mine resembles one. UGH!!!! I am walking around my office, I use a stair climber, I do the 8 minute Tae Bo workout or sweat to the oldies, I just can not seem to get my body to tone up. My body actually looks stretched out and wrinkled I am only 36, I should not look this bad at 86. Someone told me you do not get back any elasticity after a year, as we approach the year mark, I am afraid I will never look good. I am happy with my weight loss, I feel great, but even my once young looking face is looking rough. I liked that people thought I was 27 when I was 32. Any suggestions? I have tried the thighs/buns of steel video but I prefer to work out with Billy Blanks and Richard Simmons. Lori 258/166/148

Unfortunately I think the only answer is plastic surgery. Sorry, we are all going through this. Hang (no pun intended) in there! Dianne 340/202/150

Oh Lori, Skin elasticity depends on genetics more than anything else. It helps to exercise, it helps to keep your protein up and your water up and to use good lotion to moistureize - but only so much. For me - I've lost 192 lbs - considering that I've lost a LARGE person out of this skin I really don't look that bad. But it still is pretty bad. . . Bad enough that I'm going to strive towards plastics, but not so bad I hate my body. Huggles for you Lori, ~Lara 400+/208/190

Dear elephant butt, We're all hanging around, I think. Droopy arms, legs, boobs, butts and bellies! Other than exercise, water and eating well, it's reconstructive surgery, at least probably for me- if I can get it paid for. -Beth -155, 28 to go!

Swing loooooooowwwww, sweeettt buuutttt o'mine............ I, for one, am praying to the plastics gods.... I am going to use this opportunity to shape my body to the way it should have been before I discovered Ho Hos....If that doesn't work, then I am going to wear a very, very tight ponytail in a vain attempt to pull everything upwards. Janice 346/310/181/160 (OMG..scale is moving!!!)

JANICE!! THAT's why I should have let my hair grow!! -Beth 313/298/158/130

I am losing at a ridiculously slow rate, -76 so far. Still have 64 to go to hit my goal. Although I am VERY disappointed in the speed of my loss, I count my blessings.....I'm always praying!!! Praying that my skin will have a chance to keep up! For now I'm trying to see the sagging skin as a motivator and reminder of how far I've come!

OOOOHHH.... I forgot to add.... My WLS friends and I have a coffee get together every other week or so...one woman swears by Shapewear and Spanxx, both are strong spandex-ie things which suck and tuck from your ankles to your chin. Apparently, they sell different pieces (panties, bike short looking things, camisoles, etc) so that you can firm up whatever is jiggly. I am seriously thinking about looking into this stuff. J

Hi Lori, Gosh, you have a great work out routine. Good for you! It will keep you muscles toned and you will burn more fat!!! But, the truth is, that elasticity (or lack there of) is more in the lines of genetics. My support group leader recommends waiting at least six months after hitting 'goal' or after you stop losing to see if you want plastics. She says our skin will snap back a bit in that time and its worth the wait. Rachel

Yeah! Rolling my breast up to put in my bra every morning is not fun! Everything else seem to be falling into place. Just a little loser than I would like. Gotta get back to the gym SOON!