Monday, September 06, 2010

The Loose Skin Issue

I know one of the things that a lot of overweight people are fearful of when they think about losing weight is loose skin. I personally couldn't give a shit if I am left with loose skin because it means that the fat is gone. It still astounds me a little when some people say they don't want to get a lap band or lose weight because they are scared of having loose skin. Whether you are fat or thin, you still have the same amount of skin, it's just whether it is filled with fat or not that is the difference.

Us lucky apple shaped girls are more likely to have a problem with loose skin and I am finding that it is starting to become a bit of an issue for me. My skin is certainly not 'loose' yet (still too much fat in it), but it is very floppy and soft and there is NO way it is going back into place. I always knew this would be the case for me because of my body shape and if I ever get to a healthy weight I will probably have a tummy tuck, but that is a long way away.

The reason it is impacting me now is because it is making exercise difficult. Be prepared to spit your coffee out at your computer screen in laughter when I tell you the following embarrassing stories...

I recently decided to try and jog on the treadmill at the gym and not once, but twice in a 5 minute period, as I was jogging my stomach flopped up and hit the emergency stop button on the treadmill and I almost went over the top of the treadmill. So I decided to put my running career on hold.

Then just last week, the weather was bad and I didn't want to leave the house to go to the gym, so I decided to finally try the 30 day shred DVD I bought ages ago and AJ did it with me (well what else is he going to do when my fat arse is jumping about in front of the TV?). So AJ notices that I am doing squats when we are supposed to be doing star jumps (or jumping jacks as Jillian calls them) and he calls me out for cheating. So I explain that when I try to do a star jump my stomach is almost hitting me in the face, so I have to do squats instead. Of course when we realised how hilarious/gross that was we went into fits of giggles and couldn't even move for ages.

I am finding that this issue is holding me back from moving ahead with my exercise so I knew I had to come up with something. Luckily I remembered what a blogger friend (Cinders I think?) had told me what ex-Biggest Loser host, Ajay Rochester, did while she exercised (before she had the tummy tuck). She wore her bathers while exercising. Brilliant. So on Sunday morning I put on my brand new sports bra, my bathers and my gym gear and decided to give jogging another try.

It worked perfectly, it was almost like I had no excess stomach at all and it all held perfectly in place. I was able to give running a proper try and my fat stomach didn't hold me back at all. I was able to run about 1/4 of the 4.2 km track and I plan to be able to jog the entire track by the time I turn 30 in December. OK, that doesn't even sound real to me that I could jog 4.2 kms... I havea lot of work to do between now and then!

19 comments:

  1. Hey Tully. Fellow apple shape so know exactly what you mean. Those compression tights work a treat also (skins, 2xu etc). They make you feel all nice and pulled in too. Expensive, but definietly worth it! Mine are skins and they don't have a waist band that creates too much baloonage out the top either.

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  2. What can you do? When I bitched about my loose skin to come to my hubby he said, "No one else needs to see it." LOL. I'm sure I'm not going to like it, but I'm not going to not lose weight because of it.

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  3. I was going to suggest skins too. I wear them when running and got one of the cheapo K-Mart versions of the tops to try as well (cos I'm not spending $100+ on a "compression" running top). Same idea as bathers I guess but more supportive - also good for the boobs.

    Did Ajay have a tummy tuck? i didn't know that. My friend's sister had a body lift or something... they basically cut about 15cm of skin off all around. I'm sure it's more sophisticated than that, but that was the general idea. I swear she was shorter after that!!! LOL.

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  4. Oh the joys of weight loss ... lol ... I too am apple shaped and not looking forward to the excess skin, but it's a lot healthier than the alternative! Great idea about the bathers, and that's definitely a good goal to aim for, look forward to reading that you've completed that 4.2km jog.

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  5. I think that is an awesome idea. I do not want to do running because of my big boobs, THey would knock me out.. LOL.. Congrats on the running..

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  6. HAHA to cute. I hope both my comments don't show or you will have a double comment.. For me I would have to worry about my big boobs, THat is why I do not run... LOL

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  7. the positive thing here is that you tried and succeded at jogging! winner!!

    And i see collar bones in your pic and you look smashing!

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  8. That is absolutely fantastic, although excess skin is nothing to laugh at, the whole idea of wearing bathers is fabulous, I will keep that in mind. That was a well written blog entry today, did have a good giggle. Martine x

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  9. I hate running around the house in my pjs (for example - in the middle of the night in massive earthquakes) and the loose skin smacks into my thighs. So not a good sound. Not sexy at all.

    I have come back to look at blogs after many many months not being able to due to crappy dial up internet. An upside of the recent earthquake is that most of the internet traffic is very low which is giving me a much high kps rate and therefore I can finally see everyone's blogs!! Yay.

    Missed you.

    Julesxx

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  10. Thanks for the fantastic (and funny) post. While just starting out, I know that I will have extra skin and worry about how it will effect just about everything. If only Lululemon made tights for the big girls my exercise worries would go down.

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  11. Ah the elusive tummy tuck conversation! I always had this idea in the back of my mind when I first had the surgery and thought...no I wouldn't do it...I would be happy with my health and new thinness, but after 50kg's I can already see the massive changes and I definitely need a TT. My surgeon suggested seeing someone in December (when I have lost more weight) and start the process. I am in Dubai and it's so much cheaper than Oz and I am in the centre of Nip and Tuck world over here! Plus, the excess skin/fat will be an extra drop of 5-6kg worth of weight! LOL...I think I am going to have my arms done too...because I don't wear batwings well! For me, a TT would be the culmination of a journey. See it to the end!

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  12. HI Tully I have jsut came across your blgo from Candid Bandit you have done amazing. I have lost 30 kgs with another 40 to go. I have no intention of gettingmy skin removed either. I am a big sook, so going under if I don't have to isn't an option.

    I like the idea of cossies whilst exercising.

    Jill

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  13. I love your post, I'm going to have to try the swim suit idea:)

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  14. I'd rather have loose skin than skin filled with fat! I hate my bat wings and belly apron but eventually it will just be skin...no fat!

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  15. Yes...the visuals made me laugh but that's a very inventive solution. Thanks for tip...I hope (kinda - I mean I don't want to loose skin but I don't want fat-filled skin either) to use this tip later!

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  16. Awesome post. As always.

    I have loose skin like it's going out of style.... but... one thing I have found is that when I started running I tightened up quite a bit. So use your bather for now, but be prepared, you won't need it for too much longer ;-)

    Pretty soon you'll be able to run without it.

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  17. Great post! And thanks for the tip. I've hated running around after my son in public cos I can feel my tummy (apple too), thighs and arse wobble all over the place. Will defo wear some cossies next time I go to the gym, once I've finally healed from the op. Vanessa

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  18. Thanks for the giggle. And the tip! My issue is more about my boobs hitting me in the face, but the tight layering seems to work for that too - lol. And I don't do jumping jacks either. Having kids kind of changed that area of the body for me that no skins can fix. Way tooooo much info lol. Way to go on the exercise. x

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Awww thanks so much for the comment!