Another question for our maintainers. . .

Did your body continue to change for awhile after you hit goal weight? I'm thinking in terms of change in shape (fat distribution,) skin firming up, stretch marks diminishing/healing, etc.?

If so, was this a fairly spontaneous process (an outcome of continuing to do what you were doing) or did you have to work at it?

Any of you chose surgery for skin issues?

Thanks very much for input . . .

I am ten pounds from goal and finally my body has been making noticeable changes in the skin and fat department! It gives me hope that I won't have to have surgery! Now, my husband keeps telling me to do as he tells me and the skin and fat won't be a problem...I guess I need to stop fighting him and get to the gym! Stretch marks???? I've had them since giving birth almost 21 years ago and although they aren't angry red anymore...well they will always be there since, and I could be wrong, stretch marks are rips in the skin! Does anyone have better info on them????? I know they look better when I use a good lotion. I don't know if someday I will choose a tummy tuck and breast lift, but right now I am pretty happy with how my skin is doing! But then, it all depends on how much weight one loses and how old they are! I am 44 years old and have lost 157 pounds so the effects on me will be different than someone who has lost 40 pounds.

My body continues to change. What was sort of lumpy and bumpy has smoothed out. I have firmed up some, and my breasts also feel better. My skin is pretty good, but I only lost about 55lbs. I do have stretch marks and a pooch in my belly- I wear good panties and just consider it part of life. I do work out and lift weights, and think that made a big difference.
E

My weight redistributed after I had finished loosing. When I was first finished loosing, my shoulders and chest from my armpits up looked too thin, and I had lost some cup size. Then rest of me looked ok though. Over time, by body brought some weight from downstairs and re distributed. I now have a fuller cupsize and my clavicals and chest bones don't poke out so much. I look pretty even now. I havent gained any, so it had to come from somewhere.

I seem to be smoothing out, too -- particularly my face. I noticed some fairly heavy wrinkling along the sides of my face when I first lost the weight this past May -- looking much better (now the wrinkles are around the eyes, which at my age isn't all that bad!). I use a variety of stuff on my face to help...

However, I have noticed that when I lay on my back and put my legs in the air -- my legs kind of sag down towards my waist and look pretty yucky -- I know they didn't used to do that!

Guess losing weight has made my body look more wrinkled, less "filled out" -- but I'll take the wrinkles over the fat any day! A very-overweight co-worker really likes to point out how losing weight has made me look older -- and how she thinks that as we age we need to have more weight on our bodies -- I find this rationalization for not doing anything about yur excess weight!

Hey bonnie-
If someone said that to me I'd say "thanks". When someone says something nasty like that it is very disarming to thank them. She is obviously very jealous and threatened by your success. All I can tell you is that I have been told I look at least 15 years younger!
E