Question:
Will exercise reduce the amount of extra skin later?
I'm curious as to whether arm, ab and leg exercises will really help lessen the amount of extra skin I'll have after I lose 140 pounds. I'm one week post op. (I intend to exercise either way.) I've heard that it does, I've heard that it doesn't. What has been your experience with this? -E Crayne. Lap RNY 6/1/04 — ecrayne (posted on June 8, 2004)
June 8, 2004
I have a lot of extra skin, so sometimes I think no. Then I don't exercise
for 2 weeks and I realize-- Holy SHIPPPP! It is so much better with
exercise, my friend.
— mrsmyranow
June 8, 2004
Exercise will IS the best thing for that extra skin. Believe me, been
there, done that.
— Gene F.
June 8, 2004
Exercise will help you lose the weight and keep it off but as far as
helping with loose skin...nooo :( your muscle tone underneath will look
better then if you dont.
I am 29 (fairly young still :) I excercise regularly as in running
(training for the Honolulu marathon, my personal goal) lifting weights and
pilates and I am counting down the days until I can see a plastic surgeon.
Tara
257/138/125
— Vegas_ T.
June 8, 2004
How I wish it did!!! I wouldn't be spending so much money on getting
excess skin removed from my body!!! Exercise does help in getting your
body thin and toned. It certainly helped my with outer thigh saddlebags.
Thank God that was the one area that I haven't had to have fixed!!
However, I did have excess skin removed from my stomach, arms and inner
thighs.
— Patty H.
June 8, 2004
Not really. Exercize does nothing to "shrink" the skin. Whether
it shrinks is based entirely on genetics, your age, how long you've been
MO, how MO you were. However, lifting weights has helped my arms since
adding muscle mass "fills out" the skin so it's not so flappy.
— mom2jtx3
June 9, 2004
I am really into exercising.....running, weight training, cardio, BodyPump,
etc. I have rock hard abs! Unfortunately they are under a yucky layer of
extra skin!!! I'm not sure whether the exercise has helped with the excess
skin or not (cause it could always be wores) but it has definitely improved
the appearance of my body in general. I have become pretty muscular in the
last few mos and I know it looks much better than just plain ole flab.
When I firt started exercising, I was hoping it would help with the extra
skin. However, at this point, I would love a LBL, inner thigh lift, upper
arms reduced and breast implants. But I will say that I would much rather
have this extra skin instead of the extra 124 lbs!!! Michelle :)
270/144/135
— Michelle_S
June 9, 2004
It will not help reduce the amount of skin. What happens is...as you build
muscle it 'fills out' what skin you have. Thing is, most of us never
intend on building as much muscle as we had fat. So the skin will never
'fill in'. Does this make sense? Your body will look better with the
exercise, but it will not cure the skin issue.
— RebeccaP
June 9, 2004
I am 47 and had surgery in 2/03. I am 5'7" and 135 as a post op. I
started at 255. I lost most of my weight in the 1st 12 months. I go to
the gym 3x a week and do a 1/2 hour on the treadmill and then an upper and
lower body workout on machines. I am really happy with my arms, back and
chest. My breasts are flat and I can see my rib cage through the skin when
my bra is off. My under arms and legs could be worse, I guess, and I am
just waiting til August to get my abdominoplasty done. As some have
mentioned, exercise can help with areas that may not have had a lot of
extra skin to begin with. I think alot of it has to do with age and the
other factors that have been mentioned in the other posts. If your skin is
stretched out, not a darn thing except for a little PS to get rid of it
will help. Boy, I wish there was a magic pill to get rid of it!!!
— Fixnmyself
June 9, 2004
Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm 21 years old and pre-op weight was
296, I'm 5'9". I gained the last fifty or so pounds during the last
three years. I know I'll have some flappiness to deal with later, but
thats okay. I started lifting hand weights yesterday.
— ecrayne
June 10, 2004
Michelle S, I am laughing my butt of here. I say the same thing to my
wife. I have a six pack set of abs, but theyre under blanket right now.
Keep up the cardio and then when you can weight train. Best thing I ever
did. Heavy lifting intended to build muscle, really does replace some
muscle we lose when we can't eat and then does began to firm your body.
Muscle keeps your metabolism at a higher rate. My weight loss slowed,
though now with more cardio it is moving again, but in the meantime, I was
dropping pant sizes without the weight loss. Good luck
Gary Visco
www.obesitylawyers.com
— gary viscio
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