Paying the price for living large

shibaluvr · 04-17-2011, 03:21 PM

Hi everyone.

I'm 51 and weigh 260. I have lost 208 pounds and have 100 to go. I'm not ever going back, and fitness in my life has taken hold and become habit now. I know I cannot lose weight without staying active. This means walking miles on the treadmill and in my neighborhood and lifting weights at the ymca.

I feel good. There is fallout though from this. It's loose skin. I cannot avoid this because I was so very large and I have decided that it will not deter me from getting to what will finally be a healthy weight.

Instead of wishing for a bathing suit body, I am already gearing my mind towards that fact that I will have to dress for what will be left. I'm fine with this. I'll keep building muscle and keep losing fat. I look fine in my clothing now at my weight and will just be modest in how I let others see me.

I put this here because I know there are people like me out there. We won't be left with gorgeous bodies, but we WILL be left with years added to our lives to spend with our loved ones, bodies that can move and take us where we want to go to enjoy life. It's an exciting time for me. I wish all who can relate the very best success on your journey to health.

almeeker · 04-17-2011, 09:07 PM

I hear you on the skin issue. I do have some extra, it's getting a little better with time, but I suppose I'll still have some after I've hit my goal and maintained it for a while. I decided a long time ago, that I was going to have the skin no matter what, and that it was better to have it saggy than full of fat. One thing I've been doing with the worst areas is to build some muscle tone underneath so that my extra skin is not so noticeable. That was especially helpful with the flappy bits on my arms. It's still there if I hold my arm up, but much less so once I flex. The fanny is my next target for that strategy, I've been doing lots of squats and lunges. It's hard to tell if it's helped much, but it certainly hasn't hurt, oh wait that's not true some days those squats have hurt aplenty...

shibaluvr · 04-18-2011, 11:31 AM

Thanks for the response. The one thing for me to remind myself is that I cannot wear sleeveless or cap sleeves. I need coverage down to my elbows. I am a music director and when I put my arms up to do the job, what hangs is unsightly. So I'll camouflage with a pretty sleeved top and be happy.