[slubu]

So back in 2000, I was pretty fat. 200lbs and 0 muscle at 5'11. I started taking Xenadrine, eating egg whites, grapefruit and chicken breast almost exclusively, and running 20-25 miles a week. I went down to 155 in 3 months. Pretty quick weight loss, but I was a maniac back then.

After people started saying I looked sick I went the opposite way, lifting weights for 2+ hours a day, taking creatine and protein and eating about 4000 calories a day. I got up to 175 or so with some decent muscle.

Now I've settled in around 165 or so and have been there give or take for years. The negative side effects of the loose skin that comes with such rapid weight loss from 2000 is still with me. It's not terrible by any means, but it's there around my belly, chest and love handles. I know it's loose skin because I can stretch it, etc.

I've been working out ever since and really nothing has totally got it to go away. The closest I've come is when I backpacked Europe for 5 weeks, walked a ton and didn't really eat much. That's the best I've ever looked in my eyes. I've also been down to 10% bodyfat (caliper testing) and still have the loose skin obviously.

So are there any nonsurgical solutions? Is it low impact cardio like walking 5 miles a day plus calorie restriction? I've thought about bulking up to fill in the loose skin area so to speak, but I have a very small frame and it's hard for me to hold a lot of muscle. Supplement wise I've heard of collagen and Vitamin E but have not experimented too much with this.

[reaper23]

in for answers

[KingCokeSnorter]

I think there are a series of things from the top of my head, I never tried any but they should work in theory at least
-alpocreame, is a cream that boxers use to sweat out the water below the skin, this should tighten up your skin a bit
-I think vitamin E and another kind of serum or cream (they will know what it is at body shop that tightens up skin and helps the vitamin E and C work)
-Vitamin C-far more effective than E in tightening skin
-Collodial silver is also good for the skin as is cocoa butter
-There is an episode of doctor oz where he basically goes through the creamsé vitamins that are suppose to tightens one skin
-Gain weight é muscle wherever it is you have excess skin so you can fill it in better.
-If you lost weight to quickly there may be little you can do
-Get a full body massage, it is believed to increase blood flow to skin and tighten, as well a sea salt baths
-Collagen creams also tighten skin
-Sea weed spaw wraps are alleged to tighten skin, every 8 weeks. Never tried so I don`t know for certain
-Avoid soda, high salts, sugars, drinklots of water
-Avoid creatine
-keep your skin moist, avoid chlorine and excess sun,
-É Age may be a factor as well how long you were fat for É

[Giovonny]

I wish I had an answer for you. They only thing I know how to do is eat right and workout. I know you will not give up drinking.

Just get lipo. Fuck it!

[Teedub]

I have to say I guess surgery would be the quickest and easiest way to go, as Gio said. I'm not sure the cost though, and I'm sure you've looked into it. Its a shame that after hard work and force of will, you were rewarded with being in great shape, but then have this to deal with. I'm sure you'll work it out though!

[Giovonny]

Liposuction surgery. Learn Russian. Move to Europe.

[DVY]

+1- heard some stuff about tightening cream kinda similar to what pregnant women use after child-birth. Vitamin E cream and moisturizers wont hurt either.

[kenny_powers]

This might sound stupid but I'm serious - how about wearing full length spandex under your clothes? It might compress the skin. I think there is a line of that for clothing women with "flab"

[mikeymike]

if it is indeed loose skin...you have 2 options, wait it out and see how much tightens over time, some will bounce back especially if you're young...once it's done what it will then live with it...or get it hacked off...lipo doesn't fix loose skin...a tummy tuck does, or in the case of chest idk what the surgery is called but theyll cut off the offending skin...and it's a nasty gnarly scar that extends across your waist for tummy tuck, and i dont imagine it'll be prettier with chest etc so unless its really bad live with it. Filling it in with muscle helps somewhat but it's not gonna ever sit right completely, don't trust calipers, mine tell me I'm at 0 percent lol, I'm at 7 as of a dexa scan last week. Creams don't work, at best they remove the water giving it a more tight appearance but then you don't need to spend a shit load of money to do that, a cheap bottle of preperation h, the real version not the american lighter version, canadians have the real version here...that'll do the same thing as an expensive cream. Thiomucase cream is another one that does it, more expensive and harder to find the original formula but old lifter trick to use the thiomucase. Works well before shows, so when you wanna hit the beach and look tight you could slap some on for example.

[Every10GivesMeA10]

Had the same issue but it was on my chest. Had to get it removed surgically. It left me with a nasty scar though.

[reaper23]

(02-05-2013 05:14 PM)Every10GivesMeA10 Wrote:  

Had the same issue but it was on my chest. Had to get it removed surgically. It left me with a nasty scar though.

What was the surgery like? Recovery?

[Virtus]

you need to get to sub 10 % bf

[Every10GivesMeA10]

(02-05-2013 05:37 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 05:14 PM)Every10GivesMeA10 Wrote:  

Had the same issue but it was on my chest. Had to get it removed surgically. It left me with a nasty scar though.

What was the surgery like? Recovery?

I was very anxious pre-op. Had to sleep in the hospital as well.

Recovery takes a LONG time. No lifting/sports for 6-8 weeks and the final result can only be see after 4-8 months.

I made the mistake of doing this when I was still at a high bodyfat percentage. I should've done it when I was at least 14% or lower

[mikeymike]

(02-05-2013 05:46 PM)calihunter Wrote:  

you need to get to sub 10 % bf

bf and skin are 2 entirely different issues...he can have abs poking thru with saggy skin hanging underneath it.

[mikeymike]

(02-05-2013 05:52 PM)Every10GivesMeA10 Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 05:37 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 05:14 PM)Every10GivesMeA10 Wrote:  

Had the same issue but it was on my chest. Had to get it removed surgically. It left me with a nasty scar though.

What was the surgery like? Recovery?

I was very anxious pre-op. Had to sleep in the hospital as well.

Recovery takes a LONG time. No lifting/sports for 6-8 weeks and the final result can only be see after 4-8 months.

I made the mistake of doing this when I was still at a high bodyfat percentage. I should've done it when I was at least 14% or lower

I know the procedure exists but what's it called? how gnarly was the scar, were they able to mask it all or is it totally visible...i know with tummy tuck they try to push it down to the pubic bone to mask it as much as possible, curious what they try to do with chest.

[slubu]

Thanks for all the tips guys. Lipo is not necessary as I'm not fighting fat here. Trying to avoid any surgery as it's not that bad at all, so was wondering if there are other solutions.

[Every10GivesMeA10]

(02-05-2013 06:57 PM)mikeymike Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 05:52 PM)Every10GivesMeA10 Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 05:37 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 05:14 PM)Every10GivesMeA10 Wrote:  

Had the same issue but it was on my chest. Had to get it removed surgically. It left me with a nasty scar though.

What was the surgery like? Recovery?

I was very anxious pre-op. Had to sleep in the hospital as well.

Recovery takes a LONG time. No lifting/sports for 6-8 weeks and the final result can only be see after 4-8 months.

I made the mistake of doing this when I was still at a high bodyfat percentage. I should've done it when I was at least 14% or lower

I know the procedure exists but what's it called? how gnarly was the scar, were they able to mask it all or is it totally visible...i know with tummy tuck they try to push it down to the pubic bone to mask it as much as possible, curious what they try to do with chest.

If you need to have skin + tissue removed from your chest you will have a visible scar (which is the procedure I had). If you only suffer from puffy nipples and the likes you will have a scarless chest since the incision will be very small and directly under the nipple, you will only have tissue removed.

But at the end of the day you can tattoo over the scars so its all good.

[relo]

(02-05-2013 04:21 PM)KingCokeSnorter Wrote:  

-If you lost weight to quickly there may be little you can do

So if you lose weight too quickly your skins fucked for life? Can anyone clarify now I'm afraid to lose anymore

[relo]

Did some research and I found some guys claiming wrinkle removing/firming shit that girls use helps give guys squarer jaws and tightens loose skin. My cheeks seem so lose for losing 30 lbs I'm gonna try it only 10$

[Wreckingball]

(02-08-2013 01:50 AM)relo Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 04:21 PM)KingCokeSnorter Wrote:  

-If you lost weight to quickly there may be little you can do

So if you lose weight too quickly your skins fucked for life? Can anyone clarify now I'm afraid to lose anymore

The problem is really fast loss of weight.
Your skin is like a balloon. you can strech and strech and strech, but then it will be hard for it to go back to the original form.
I have seen it in the gym to lots of people that had lypo done. My suggestion, avoid broscience and spend a few bucks on a meeting with a good dermatologist/doctor.
Better to spend 100$ on a meeting and know what to do than spend half of it in stuff that does not work.

[Giovonny]

I feel bad for people that were obese as kids. Their bodies will never recover fully.

But, we all have our problems. I was born poor but into an athletic family with no fatties. Other guys are born rich but into a family of fatties. No one has it all I guess. We all have work to do.

The best way to get in shape is to stay in shape.

[juice]

I'm 5'11 and was at 260 at one point but have dropped down to 180 at about 14.5% bodyfat. My skin is a little loose and bothers me mostly when I sit and slouch or lean forward. So, I like to stand or sit straight most of the time. I'd like to get to 10% body fat and hopefully it's not too loose then.

I've also heard that adding muscle helps but I think it's kinda hard/weird to have big abs to fill space in your mid section.

In for more suggestions.

[relo]

(02-08-2013 06:46 AM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

(02-08-2013 01:50 AM)relo Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 04:21 PM)KingCokeSnorter Wrote:  

-If you lost weight to quickly there may be little you can do

Cannot find an answer to that after hours of searching internet but its a pretty fuckin important question if you ask me.
So if you lose weight too quickly your skins fucked for life? Can anyone clarify now I'm afraid to lose anymore

The problem is really fast loss of weight.
Your skin is like a balloon. you can strech and strech and strech, but then it will be hard for it to go back to the original form.
I have seen it in the gym to lots of people that had lypo done. My suggestion, avoid broscience and spend a few bucks on a meeting with a good dermatologist/doctor.
Better to spend 100$ on a meeting and know what to do than spend half of it in stuff that does not work.

If you lose weight fast of course it will stretch more but the question is, Will it be more stretched 5 Years from now if you had lost it faster?


Cannot find an answer to that after hours of searching internet but its a pretty fuckin important question if you ask me.

[mikeymike]

(02-08-2013 03:00 PM)relo Wrote:  

(02-08-2013 06:46 AM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

(02-08-2013 01:50 AM)relo Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 04:21 PM)KingCokeSnorter Wrote:  

-If you lost weight to quickly there may be little you can do

Cannot find an answer to that after hours of searching internet but its a pretty fuckin important question if you ask me.
So if you lose weight too quickly your skins fucked for life? Can anyone clarify now I'm afraid to lose anymore

The problem is really fast loss of weight.
Your skin is like a balloon. you can strech and strech and strech, but then it will be hard for it to go back to the original form.
I have seen it in the gym to lots of people that had lypo done. My suggestion, avoid broscience and spend a few bucks on a meeting with a good dermatologist/doctor.
Better to spend 100$ on a meeting and know what to do than spend half of it in stuff that does not work.

If you lose weight fast of course it will stretch more but the question is, Will it be more stretched 5 Years from now if you had lost it faster?


Cannot find an answer to that after hours of searching internet but its a pretty fuckin important question if you ask me.

You cant get answer because there is no set answer. The younger you are the more elastic your skin is, as you age you lose collagen, thus
you are more likely to have your skin bounce back...but its entirely individual. 2 guys can lose the same weight in the same amount of time and be the same age, in 5 years one guy will look like he never had any loose skin and the other will have skin hanging.

[relo]

Another way of saying it is, is loosing weight FAST going to effect the looseness of your skin IN THE LONG TERM. Everyone keeps implying it will but I just can't fathom how