It's weigh-in day for my facebook group. I will admit to being classified as ‘obese’ before embarking on my weight-loss journey. Now I am merely ‘very overweight’. Soon I will be simply ‘overweight’ and then, hopefully by the end of this year, within the ‘normal’ range. Having only put the weight on while I was pregnant with YD, I have always known that there is a skinny person inside me, screaming, desperate to get out… I just wasn’t listening before. I hated the way I looked but after a complete lifestyle change, I am now I am shrinking, slowly and steadily. I am finally beginning to recognise the face that looks out at me from the bathroom mirror. It has a vague jaw-line and cheekbones. It’s still attached to someone else’s fat body though.
I have lost best part of 40lbs in six and a half months and my ‘fat’ clothes are too baggy to wear. I feel fitter and have more energy than I have had for years. The NHS propaganda tells me that I am healthier and will therefore live longer as a result.
However, I have just noticed that my skin is not shrinking at the same rate as the padding underneath. Nor is the padding shrinking evenly. Following a close physical inspection, I can categorically state that I am in fact becoming lumpy and no amount of massaging with body lotion, skin tightening cream or anti-cellulite treatments is helping. My stomach is beginning to resemble a partly deflated balloon, and my skin is generally becoming a bit slack all over. Even on my wrists and ankles. Parts of me are drooping far more than they did before (although I do admit that this could be attributed to middle age). As I poke myself, I can feel bone in places that were previously well lagged, but the remaining flabby bits are overly soft and pappy. My backside looks like a pair of saggy, wrinkled jeans.
I have come to the realisation that already, at this point, I am carrying a size 22 skin on a size 16 frame. I have researched this phenomenon on the internet and to my horror I have discovered that the skin may NEVER shrink back to its original size. I could have the excess surgically excised, but this is neither offered on the NHS nor covered by any health plan and is likely to be an incredibly costly exercise if undertaken privately.
I am extremely concerned that by the time I have reached my ‘goal-weight’ in another 50lbs-60lbs time, I will resemble a Shar Pei dog, with rolls of loose skin hanging from every extremity. The difference being that they are bred to look that way. So, what exactly is the point in losing all this weight if I still hate the way I look and are forced to wear ‘old lady’ clothes to cover up a wobbly, crinkly and unappealing body?
Thankfully there are lots of handy tips around for disguising ‘loose skin following weight loss’ with appropriately flattering clothing. I’m thinking that a burka might end up being the only way to go.
I have lost best part of 40lbs in six and a half months and my ‘fat’ clothes are too baggy to wear. I feel fitter and have more energy than I have had for years. The NHS propaganda tells me that I am healthier and will therefore live longer as a result.
However, I have just noticed that my skin is not shrinking at the same rate as the padding underneath. Nor is the padding shrinking evenly. Following a close physical inspection, I can categorically state that I am in fact becoming lumpy and no amount of massaging with body lotion, skin tightening cream or anti-cellulite treatments is helping. My stomach is beginning to resemble a partly deflated balloon, and my skin is generally becoming a bit slack all over. Even on my wrists and ankles. Parts of me are drooping far more than they did before (although I do admit that this could be attributed to middle age). As I poke myself, I can feel bone in places that were previously well lagged, but the remaining flabby bits are overly soft and pappy. My backside looks like a pair of saggy, wrinkled jeans.
I have come to the realisation that already, at this point, I am carrying a size 22 skin on a size 16 frame. I have researched this phenomenon on the internet and to my horror I have discovered that the skin may NEVER shrink back to its original size. I could have the excess surgically excised, but this is neither offered on the NHS nor covered by any health plan and is likely to be an incredibly costly exercise if undertaken privately.
I am extremely concerned that by the time I have reached my ‘goal-weight’ in another 50lbs-60lbs time, I will resemble a Shar Pei dog, with rolls of loose skin hanging from every extremity. The difference being that they are bred to look that way. So, what exactly is the point in losing all this weight if I still hate the way I look and are forced to wear ‘old lady’ clothes to cover up a wobbly, crinkly and unappealing body?
Thankfully there are lots of handy tips around for disguising ‘loose skin following weight loss’ with appropriately flattering clothing. I’m thinking that a burka might end up being the only way to go.
I have the same worry! I'm sure any loose skin we have wont matter as much as being fat feels so Im trying not to worry about it too much xxx
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