Atkins Diet Questions: Loose Skin
** Graphic Display of loose skin around my stomach near the end — Viewers may want to ensure a bag is available **
Today’s episode I deal with the one of the most common questions people ask me after hearing of my 200 pound weight loss. That is, “do you have much problems with loose skin?” In the end, I have to admit that I do have a bit of loose skin (I affectionately & sometime not so affectionately my “SharPei”) around my torso and legs, but it could be much worse. I could have the sheets of skin some dieters (more often low Calorie big losers) have or even worse be my original weight still living in fear of loose skin. There are times that I actually like my stretchmarks as they server as reminders of what might be if I think I can lax up. It also serves as a talking point like my pathetic driver’s license does for people looking for hope, but most days I am just thankful for shirts.
There are other things that are claimed to help, but I have not tried. Cocoa Butter and Mederma are both used by pregnant women to ease the appearance of stretchmarks. Additionally, I believe the content of this Diet helps in maintaining the elasticity due to protein and fat being featured. The body does not cannibalize its own resources like on other diets, and many report their skin looks as good and clear as it ever had. Good skin health implies good skin elasticity to respond to the weight loss as well.
One final theory about loose skin:
http://www.bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm
To summarize the above link, there is no problem with loose skin, just a body fat percentage problem. I am at 11-12% body fat, so maybe I need to drop another 2-3 percent yet too. In either case, plastic surgery may be for some people, but it’s not for me.
Duration : 0:3:52
Tags: atkins, Bowulf, Carb, diet, loose, Low, Obesity, skin, weightloss
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Congrats on the …
Congrats on the success you’ve had. I can very much relate. If you want to chat sometimes, you can reach me on my jabber account: bowulf at gmail dot c om.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Thanks for this …
Thanks for this video.
I am 19 years old ..
All of my life I was severely overweight … I went from like 250kg (Like 450 pounds) to 71kg (actually) in very short time .. like … 1 year and a half .. and I have this lose skin on my belly … I’m very frustrated about it, I look at you and I thought I was the only one, and I see other videos, and mine isn’t that bad (Its toning with crunches) ..
But its better than being 450 pounds …
I’d like to chat with you if you have any spare time! n.n
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
You should not have …
You should not have any issue…
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
heya im 15 and …
heya im 15 and recently gained a stone like really fast in like 3 weeks (yes its possible!..), like im not overweight i have a healthy bmi and stuff but i just think Id be happier if i lost 14-20lbs, by healthy eating and exercise. It wouldnt be likely that id get loose skin would it?
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
thanks. we are so …
thanks. we are so vain and dont think about the big picture. the weight loss is such a huge acomplishment that we shouldnt stress about the skin. but you know we always will.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Keep up with the …
Keep up with the exercise to work on the muscles under the skin, and you will indeed “rock in a bikini.” You are doing phenomenal work dropping 50 pounds already. Good job!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
You are welcome!
You are welcome!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
haha, your awesome …
haha, your awesome and incredibly inspiring.
thanks.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
very inspirational! …
very inspirational! im an 18yo female and I currently weigh 190lbs, starting my diet on feb 24th at the starting weight of 240. i dont really have that lose skin problem yet with the exception of a bit when i suck my stomach in obv lmao, but when i leave my stomach out i can tell its still mostly fat. but im still very scared of that loose skin since i do want 2 eventually rock in a bikini… and surgery isnt really an option for me (ugly scars + expensive)
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
You should be fine …
You should be fine with your age and workouts. It might only take a few months before you wouldn’t even notice your skin.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
im 17 years old, i …
im 17 years old, i went from 190 to 140 in 2 months, and i got loose skin, im pretty young so should i have nothing to fear? will it go away in a year or so, im dont ab workouts also daily
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
That is the reason …
That is the reason I emphasize exercise in the Atkins Diet. You can lose weight just by diet, but you won’t look good naked without exercise. I lift, but I also think cardio has as important in fitness as resistance training. You won’t be as fit if all you do is cardio nor the opposite is true.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
One thing I think …
One thing I think we forget is that after major weight loss you will need to then focus on your percentage of body. Say you lose 100 or 200 pounds and are at your goal weight but still are still at 20%+ body fat. You will have the “skinny fat” look. To tighten skin % body fat will likely need to be 10% and under. Even then there may be some loose skin. It is a process and weight loss is the 1st step. That is why weight lifting is so important because it changes body composition.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I know — so I lose …
I know — so I lose all this weight and THEN I get stretch marks, go figure. Yes if you starve yourself, you’ll damage all your organs skin included. But when was eating donuts, pasta, and white bread necessary for good looking skin?
Thanks for watching and commenting…
Keep spreading the gospel of what can be and healthy living on Low Carb.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
:::scratching head: …
:::scratching head:::: I’m thinking that perhaps Dr.Vanessa has her wires crossed about how stretch marks occur. Then again, I’m only a fat lady who’s been fat all her life…and never had a rapid weight loss untill now and had the stretch marks all my adult life…but what do I know.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
thanks for your …
thanks for your honesty, do u think that exercise would have made a big difference. i too have a large weight loss ahead of me and am so nervous about this……..
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I will look into …
I will look into the dry brushing this time.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Also, when you are …
Also, when you are really big, your connective tissue in the skin breaks down and that contributes to the looseness. I had twins in 91, who weighed 13+ pounds. I lost sixty+ pounds in ‘99 on Protein Power and I was not prepared for how my skin would look, so I was vulnerable to discouragement and I went off my plan gaining it all back. I am now doing the plan again for various reasons.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Agreed! I have …
Agreed! I have loose skin too. I think of it as my scar from the war on fatloss. I am proud of it.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I think it is …
I think it is really healthy – not healthy is the junk we keep putting in our bodies, the whites. As for energetic, I have since ran 9 marathons and half marathons. I think that would classify as being energetic. It works just as well on females; it just requires the motivation to start and commit to at least doing 14 days cheat-free. THen let the results help make your decision from there.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
i think what you …
i think what you have done is remarkable… your honest about skin and by the way you look great- so much younger than before… its hard to beleive its you!! also how healthy is atkins?x? do you feel energetic?x? do you reccomend it to females….. will it work for me?x?
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
You are awesome. …
You are awesome. Ignore the holes and muscle heads, people love you and they are jealous. You are helping others to archive what you already have and you rock!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Very brave. And …
Very brave. And very informative. Thanks.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I’m just going to …
I’m just going to throw this out there, it means nothing.
But I saw a news clip of a lady who needed a 100,000 dollar heart operation. Instead she went to India and had it done for 10,000 including air fair.
The news program went on to say how safe it is over there.
Tummy tuck?
June 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I am thinking that …
I am thinking that going back up to a 40+” from a 34-36″ waist just to fill out the loose skin probably isn’t advisable. Bulking up legs and arms might be possible, but having that musculature on your core just isn’t realistic at least for me.