I don't want gobs of loose skin - Exercise 9 days out?

I am really excited about this weight loss - 12 lbs already. I don't want to have saggy droopy skin - I know a bit is unavoidable - and my dr said to just wal****il 1 month out, use light weight resistence with my arms and legs...but is that all I NEED to do? I want to lose weight and I want to become this runner and dancer and athlete I always dreamed of being and I know this is a slow journey (albeit relatively fast for weight loss), but I want to make the most of every day.

Those of you who didn't have gobs of loose skin when you lost weight , did you do something differently than those who did or is it really just a matter of genetics? Did you consume more protein, did you exercise more early on, did you do strenuous exercise or moderate? Please help. I want to be in the best shape I can possibly be in, but I don't want to push too fast or hard.

Thank you!

There are some genetics involved, but the truth is, it depends on how much you had to lose, your age, and how many yo-yos you've had.  I was 425 at my highest, "gobs of loose skin" were unavoidable no matter how much exercise I did.

Exercise and protein will build muscle, but they will do nothing for the elasticity of your skin.  That is the genetic/age/amount of weight lost component.  They are both important, but the won't do much, if anything, to keep you from saggy bottom syndrome.

Take care.
Ellen

Whatever you do, do NOT exercise early on more than your doc allows.   When I was 12 days out, i decided i was going to trim some bushes.  I took the manual hedge trimmers out and after going to town for about 10 minutes, i felt very sick.  I laid on the couch and it only got worse.  I then had excruciating double over pain and vomiting and a cold sweat.  That lasted for about 5 hours.  Mind you i originally didn't have a lot of pain and was shopping the day after i got out of the hospital.  When i was in the throes of pain after the first hour or two, I called my surgeon and then said to remember while the outsides were healing, your body has been through a lot of trauma with your liver moved up and tissue moved around.  I was told nothing but walking for 6 weeks.  You can bet your first born that after that i followed orders and was fine. 

I have now lost about 108 lbs with 70 more to go and yes, I have droopy, hanging skin.  I am 53 years old and can now walk a 17 minute mile and work out at curves.   Genetics, age and the elasticity in your skin have a lot to do with it.  I try to keep my protein at at least 70g a day.  

 After I reach my goal and my son is done with college (2 1/2 more years), i will have skin reduction surgery.  In the meantime, if i wear something form fitting, I will use a body slimmer.  I am just greatful to be more active and a heck of a lot healthier!

Take care and good luck!

Pam

Well here goes...I just had surgery 8/1/08 and I'm down 75 lbs. from my highest weight of 259 on July 15, 2008.  I walk when I can (2-3 times per week)...Other than that I can't fit much else in.  I have almost no "droppy" skin.  Could my inner thighs be tighter...sure, but nothing flops or wiggles.  LOL   I must admit I wasn't overweight my whole life.  I was pretty much 145 until 2004 when I had my first baby.  I've always had really good skin...so I would say I'm pretty lucky.  I currently weigh 184 lbs. and my doctor picked a goal of 128 (I think 145 would be a better weight).  So, I'm not done losing yet...I guess things could all change and start to head south.  Oh if age matters, I'm 38.
Hope this helps!!!!

Hi Sara,

I have to say that Ellen hit the nail on the head regarding genetics, start weights, length of time being obese, etc... If it helps at all, you can look at my photos... You'll see some of me in a sundress where I'm shoing off my 'batwings.' I'm 50 and was somewhere between heavy, fat and morbidly obese all of my teen through adult life... if you start calculating you'll see that it's been a lonnggg time. Many people tell me that I 'look great' and that they 'would never guess' that I used to be morbidly obese. They say that they I'm so lucky that I don't have issues with excess skin. Well, they are probably right to some degree and definitely wrong to some degree. I guess what I'm saying is that my perception of my excess skin issues is different that 'Joe on the street' and it's also different from someone who has gained and lost much more than I have. So, from my perspective, I have significant excess skin issues, but others look at me and they don't see it. Does that make sense?

My program didn't allow me to go to the gym and work out until after I had my follow up appointment at about 4 weeks. Until that time, I was limited to walking and I did exactly as I was told. I now to resistance training several times a week and alternate with cardio. At my largest, I was wearing a size 24 and now I wear somewhere between a 4 and 6, sometimes 8 in jackets and dresses. So, as you can see, I trimmed down quite a bit. I have nice, tight biceps and abs, but if you look at the batwing photo you will see that despite the underlying muscle-tone, there is still excess skin to deal with.

Please follow your Dr's instructions. Exercise is a necessary component to ensuring that you not only make the most of the 'losing opportunity', but that you also keep it off in the long run. It also will go a long way toward helping you to resculpt your newly developing body, but do so in moderation and under medical supervision.

Wishing you all the best,

Barb

Sara,  You and I could have quite a chat on this topic.  lol  I am sooo paranoid about the skin issue.  Enough that it is the one issue that makes me NOT want to have WLS.  But, hubby has sworn we will figure out how to pay for plastics eventually if it comes to that.  hehehe  In the meantime, I plan on battling it with everything I have once I am post-op.  Like the others said, do NOT exercise before you get your surgeon's specific approval.  You don't want to be set back to not being able to exercise even longer because you started too soon and hurt yourself!  When you can, strength training along with cardio will build muscle to burn fat which "pulls" on your skin.  (I love this article.)  I've also been researching massaging with various essential oils and carrier oils that help with anti-aging, toning, etc. and I plan on using them as often as possible!  Other tips I've found are drink lots of water, always use sunscreen, eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (antioxidants) as well as salmon, olive oil, etc. (EFA's), use soy protein, take your supplements (vitamins A, E, C, zinc, EFA's, collagen, lecithin are goodies), exfoliation, skin brushing, hot baths in sea salt, alternate hot/cold water in shower, deep massages...and remember that it takes 1-2 years AFTER you've reached and maintained your goal weight for your skin to tighten back as much as it will naturally.  A smart reason to wait for plastics.  (See?  I told ya this was an issue with me...I had to refer to my notes!  lol)  Good luck!

Shauna, you are soooo funny. I think I got so much info from just your post that it will take a day or two to completely process it all! LOL You are funny.

Good luck on your surgery. With this much research, you shall do extremely well, I just know it!

Sara

   <---  Me.  ROTFL 

Like others have said, genetics, how long you were obese, how much you've gone up and down, etc will have a lot more to do with it.

I am 35 years old and have been overweight as long as I can remember...obese since college.  I've gone up & down a million times.  I feel that I have a lot of extra skin.  But...I see it so much more than others around me.  My husband and I joke all the time about how good I look in clothes.  You can't see it unless I get naked in front of you and there's really only a few people I'm willing to do that for (DH and Drs.)  :)

Once your Dr clears you for more strenuous exercise, I do recommend weight lifting.  No, this probably won't help your skin.  But it will allow you to see some serious muscle tone underneath and around the lose skin (if you're plaqued with it.)  This will do a lot for your peace of mind.  Once it is safe to do so (and not before) definitely maintain a vaired workout program, including cardio and weight training.    The combo is what our bodies need and will help you get to your athlete goals efficiently and effectively.

Good luck!

Sadly you cannot exercise away lose skin - doing a combo of cardio and weight training will help - especially the weight training because muscles will 'fill out' your skin and give the appearance of less sag.
Basically eating properly, staying hydrated and keeping your skin moisturized (I reccomend palmers cocoa butter, no use investing in skin tightening creams they just dont work for MWL) is all you can really do.

Either way you can run and dance with excess skin... I am looking at 30-40K worth of plastic surgery and do everything I want when I want... its more for cosemtic reasons than medical reasons to hae it removed.