I was just wondering...after a lifetime of being seriously overweight, is it even really possible to be normal? I was doing some thinking about my weight issues and while I desperately want to be thin or at least "normal", I'm also very afraid. I'm sorta comfortable being uncomfortable. Does anybody else feel this way or even understand? Am I just crazy?
Then I think that if I am at some time successful and I hit and maintain goal, I'm going to have all this skin hanging with no hope of ever having plastic surgery and so is there really a point?
Don't think I'm going to use this as an excuse to cheat, I'm not; I'm completely serious and motivated to succeed this time, I just don't want my hang ups from the past sabotage me again. I guess I have some serious demons just like some others, I hope.
Thanks.

Welcome to...

Hanging Skin 101

Factors which will impact how fast your skin shrinks:
1) genetics
2) age
3) speed of weightloss
4) diet
5) exercise (or lack thereof)

While you can't do anything much about #1 & #2, the other factors are entirely in your hands.

Strategies to help your skin shrink along with the rest of you:
1) Toning exercises such as rebounding (bouncing on a mini-trampoline ) and pilates (I do both. ) not to mention that doing some serious exercising will help build/tone the muscles BELOW the skin which will help give a smooth appearance. Let's face it, if you flush some fat but don't do anything to improve muscle tone, you're going to look like a deflated balloon.
2) Skin stimulation - dry skin brushing is wonderful - it feels fantastic, turns your skin silky smooth, helps diminish cellulite AND stimulates the skin, keeps it shrinking along with the rest of you.
3) A diet rich in lovely omegas - especially omega 3 will keep the skin glowing and elastic and healthy - all of which will help prevent the extra skin thing. Hydration is also very important. Make it a goal to drink at least 64 oz of plain water daily - dehydrated skin has very little elasticity.
4) Patience, grasshopper! As your largest organ, the skin has a lot of area and therefore may be the last to arrive at goal. As long as you continue with #1-3 above, it WILL get there! Especially if you are a twenty or thirty-something.

I shed 80+ pounds at age 49 when I did NOT have the collagen I used to. However, I am proud to say I have no hanging skin and while some of that is undoubtedly due to genetics (thanks, mom!), it's in large part because I stuck to the the above regimen.

As to how you will deal with being a fat person inside a slender body - I recommend reading some lovely helpful books on the subject, starting with Life is Hard, Food is Easy, by Linda Spangle.

Support is key. Hang out here with us and we'll help. Laugh outloud every day - life is too short to spend any other way but laughing. Besides, laughter releases endorphins and burns fat - so think of it as an adjunct weightloss strategy!

good luck!

Nancy.. I think I understand what you mean. Being big has been "normal" for so long, I sometimes wonder if I can MAKE a "new normal".

I think that's where I've hung up before when I finally get aaallllmmmoosstttt under 200 lbs. It's like going forward gets too uncomfortable, because it might shake me out of my rut. I've learned to accept being fat, and it's like I don't know HOW to be thin. I'm the type who likes to know how to do something before I jump in, and even though I used to BE thin years and years ago, I forget how.

Does that make sense?

I was going to recommend “Life Is Hard, Food Is Easy” as well It really helped me to wrap my brain around some things…

And while I myself will most likely have to have some surgery to get rid of the extra skin (it’s bad already because I didn’t do the above and lost too quickly in the beginning), I know for a lot of people, the easiest way to make sure you don’t have a bunch of extra skin like me is drink a ton of water, make sure you get your Omega 3’s, and EXERCISE… You can lose weight and look good in clothes with just diet, but exercise will make you look good naked

csoar2004, I soo agree with you...Very good points!...Thanks

Hi Nancy-
I think you have gotten some very good replies. I'll take a different tack- you say 'why do this if I will have loose skin?'
I think it would be helpful for you to actually answer that question. Take some time to discover some reasons to eat in such a way as to heal your body/lose weight in a positive way that are not about appearance. I'd stop focusing on 'being thin' and take one day at a time- just focusing on YOU. Some of the most compelling issues facing us are health, energy, comfort, and simply quality of life issues. Take some time to read other people's stories and posts. Re-read the book(s) that explain the plan you are on and focus on the health consequences of losing. Change is scary, but having goals other than a number on a scale or a size on a hangtag makes a difference.We don't have to be "thin" to get some of the health goodies- even small amounts of weight loss when achieved by improving our eating can be really good for our bodies.I hope this will help you-
E

I'd like to thank you all for your input and suggestions. Thank you.

If you define NORMAL as abiding by
the eating requirements of the FDA
food pyramid, the admonition to
eat 5 a day and the expectations
of what we see people eat on TV
everyday, I would say no. No it isn't
possible to eat NORMALLY in our society.

The NORMAL eaters are all obese pigs.
They are eating what corporate america
offers them and they are slopping it up
like PIGS.

But there is life beyond junk and crap
food that is highly processed. Likewise
there is life beyond sugar and white flour
products. I can testify to that.

But if you intend to go back to eating
crap food if you attain your goal weight
it will most likely lead you back to obesity.

I was going to suggest that with NO PAIN,
there is NO GAIN, but frankly, if you do this
LC WOE right you won't have to suffer or feel
deprived. Getting past sugar is easier than
cigarettes or alcohol. You CAN DO THIS!

Keep the faith, and learn to visualize a new you!

If you keep your eye on the prize and DON'T
cheat, your dream can come true.

Best wishes,