WEight loss and hanging skin for middle aged women?

[Shmoopie]

So I'm trying to tell my Mom all about raw. She really needs it for health reasons, and I know she's really interested. One thing she's been worrying about for a while is the fact that she's gained a lot of weight over the last few years, and she's worried about what'll happen to her skin when she loses that weight. She's 5'8" and probably somewhere between 180-200 pounds. She's worried about hanging skin from weight loss moreso than age. Can any of the women here who have lost a considerable amount of weight tell me your experiences with weight loss and what happened to your skin? Does it hang, or does it go back to where it belongs? She's 50, by the way, so I'm sure age plays some role in all of this.

Thanks!

[rawredbone]

Being a 44yr old myself I find that Skin brushing every nite and every morning along with Birkram Yoga has help me a lot. I know there are several people on the fourm that Skin brush that have notice a great difference as I have.

OTH

rawredbone

[Conscious Midwife]

At 5 ft 8 your mom has height as an advantage, with respect to probably not "looking her weight". My guess is that she would be a lot healthier and probably content at anywhere betwen 140 - 150lbs.

With that said i've not met anyone ( in the 40-60 lb weight loss range) who wasn't able to overcome the saggy baggy skin syndrome (sbss) thru a natural rate of weight loss (this is relative), exercise, toning and moderate strength training. Skin brushing and masage will also aid in skin rejuvenation. Skin is a living compromised of regenerated cells, elasticity returns with every new layer of cells. I'd also recommend moisturizing the entire body with unrefined cocoa or shea butter a few times each week and lots of water.

If mom incorporates RAW let her know its for the long haul as a lifestyle not as a quick fix.

GOOD LUCK

[juliebove]

I'm 47 and about your mom's height and weight. At my heaviest I was about 240. This was following a pregnancy. Oddly I didn't gain weight throughout the pregnancy, putting on only 12 pounds at the end, seemingly all swelling, and then gained the weight after the pregnancy.

Do I have hanging skin? Oh yeah! It's nasty. I have what I call "bat wings" under my arms. I do workout with weights. Heavy weights. You can see the muscles. But that doesn't do a thing for toning up the excess skin.

The other bad part is my tummy. Apparently the pregnancy (I had the baby when I was 39) really stretched out that area and it isn't going back much at all.

Now I have noticed an odd thing. My weight loss has not been steady. I do have a variety of health problems that make it super tough for me to lose weight so it has been in fits and starts, sometimes losing 10 pounds then putting it back on overnight. But the last time I lost weight, my size seemed not to change. The scale showed me as lighter but my clothes fit the same. Then a few weeks went by and suddenly the clothes were too big. My measurements were smaller. So apparently there was a bit of skin shrinkage, but not very much.

Now on me, those are the only parts that have loose skin. I think everyone is different. One person I know has flapping hanging skin under the neck from weight loss.

[rawpriestess]

Hi, I am 53, and I've lost 85 pounds in 7 months, (so far)

I do have a bit of bat wings, and a little bit of tummy droop, but very minor, and way better than it all puffed up with those gross fat cells.

I am starting massage soonly, and I do skin brushing too.

I also sauna in a dry sauna, and I like to walk, although I do no exercise at all, I suppose I could think about it. LOL, but that's about as far as I will ever get, as I hate exercise for exercise sake, dancing, gardening, walking hither and yon, those are exercises I can do.

But just jumping around or picking up weights, doesn't work for me. so..............

but all in all, I'd rather be flappin in the breeze, than have all that extra weight, and like someone once said, look at the consentration camp survivors, they have no loose skin, when you loose all the weight the excess skin goes away.

When you diet on SAD diets you have alot of excess skin, it goes with the territory, your skin is way more elastic on raw, take a look at my before and afters, it may help her make her decision.

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/sho...8&page=1&pp=25

[Shmoopie]

LifeAGift, thanks for that advice; I'll let her know. The funny part is that she's not actually in it for the weight loss, and hesitates to diet at all because she doesn't want to lose all kinds of weight and have her skin start hanging and make her look older. I think turning 50 has made her a tad nervous. It shouldn't. She looks amazing and everyone always guesses her to be around 38. She's not good to her body at all, though, and she's taken a huge interest in nutrition and natural health lately. I think she's just nervous about taking that step. I'm trying to nudge her along.

Thanks everyone for your advice and responses :)

[Shmoopie]

Yeah RP, I was really hoping to hear from you cuz it's true you've lost a lot of weight and you look just amazing! So thank you for that. I'll show her the pics next time I see her for sure.

[sport]

According to Doug Graham, the best exercises for sagging skin is any exercise that makes you reverse your direction such as skipping, rebounding and tennis.

[Conscious Midwife]

Do I have hanging skin? Oh yeah! It's nasty. I have what I call "bat wings" under my arms. I do workout with weights. Heavy weights. You can see the muscles. But that doesn't do a thing for toning up the excess skin.

The other bad part is my tummy. Apparently the pregnancy (I had the baby when I was 39) really stretched out that area and it isn't going back much at all.

I think everyone is different. One person I know has flapping hanging skin under the neck from weight loss.

I forgot to mention that the literally dozens of folks, actually over 100, that I am refferring to were at their best overall apperance 6 months to 1 year after maintaining there weight at the new goal. With fluctuations no greater than 3-7lbs above or below their goal duing the time frame.

[raven]

I'm 53. I lost 20 lbs. over the past year. I don't have sagging skin anywhere on my body (I'm been an avid exerciser for my entire adult life) but my neck looks saggy and isn't responding to any of my anti-sagging measures (skin brushing, copper peptides, face masks). I'm taking MSM and Camu and increasing my mineral intake and hope this combination of things will help restore my facial contours.

Suzy

[Conscious Midwife]

Congrats on the loss RAVEN.

Have you had substantial dental work over the years???

Bone loss in the jaw gives skin nothing to hand on to. Just wondered cause I had this discussion with my dentist today, I need a root canal