 Saggy, excess, or extra skin after loosing lots of weight |
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=> I weigh 325 pounds, 5' 5", and I am 14. My doctor and school nurse says I am pretty much done growing (height-wise anyway) for my age. I was wondering, if I actually do end up losing weight, will I have a bunch of extra skin left over? (I have seen shows on TV where people have lost a lot of weight, and their skin is pretty loose.) If so, is their a way to get rid of it, without surgery?
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 It is hard to give a yes or no answer as to whether you will develop saggy skin after weight loss. However, certain factors seem influence the likelihood (or not) of developing saggy skin. Fortunately, as a teenager, several of these are working in your favor.
People in the reality TV shows usually lose a lot of weight very quickly, much quicker than 1-2 pounds per week. Skin takes time to resume its former level of tautness. This is one reason why losing weight at a healthier rate can avoid the formation of saggy skin. Even if excess skin forms, people should be patient. Some recommend waiting 1-2 years after reaching their healthy weight to see if the skin will assume a more normal appearance before considering drastic measures such as surgery.
Younger people (including you!) have the advantage of more elastic skin, which has an easier time of "springing" back to the contours of a body at a healthy weight. The amount of time skin has been “stretched” out may also influence it’s ability to retract after weight loss. Nutrition can play a role in how your skin responds as well. Some people report that changing to a more healthy diet with plenty of fluids can reduce the amount of excess skin.
There are not many scientific studies done on treatment options (except surgery) for excess skin after major weight loss. However, some believe that even if one reaches a “healthy weight” but still has excess skin, the problem may be too much body fat and not enough lean body tissue (muscle). This means including or increasing the amount of exercise to obtain a healthier looking body.
Here are two experiences about saggy skin from kids who have posted on the bulletin boards. More posts on saggy skin can be found in the “Kids Helping Kids” page on this website as well as searches through the pre-teen, teen, and 18+ bulletin boards.
Reply From Michelle, Age 11 - 07/02/03
You can also walk 1hour and eat more healthy food but no junk food. Im telling you it works. But I will just tell you one thing don't loose weight fast cause you might have extra skin, and stretch marks. Cause my friend she weighed 270 pounds and she lost weight soo fast that she has whole bunch of stretch marks and extra skin. Good luck!!!
From Trip, Age 16 - 02/19/05
Once i realized i wanted to lose the weight for myself.......not because of being teased, or society has portrayed thin as glamorous.....all it took was researching healthy eating on the net.My highest weight......14 and 325...and now im 16 and 135.Of course you have to also exercise, like cardiovascular, so as your body begins to shrink from the lost weight the skin remains tight and healthy.Simple cardiovascular activities helped me to avoid the 'loose skin' situation.
 
In these photos, Georgia Davis, dubbed UK's former heaviest teen, lost over 200 pounds through the assistance of a weight loss camp and while not at her goal yet, she looks healthier with no noticeable saggy skin. What an improvement! |
| Tempting, addictive food. How can I resist? |
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=> dear lucy i just wanted to talk to you about me being obese i weigh alot and i need tips on how to be around food an not be tempted to eat it when i dont need it please right back i girl that dearly need help
=> I am addicted to chips and pop, i can't stop eating them
=> I was wondering is there any tricks to help people not eat so much food like, me.
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Some foods can be so tempting, even addictive! Chips, pop, chocolate, cookies and many other sweet, salty, and fattening foods can be irresistible to some people. There are several ways to stop yourself from over-indulging in these foods.
1. Remove tempting food from the house. This isn’t always possible, but it’s worth a try to talk to your parents about not buying some of the foods that you can’t resist when it’s in the house. If you are the one buying them, then stop. This rule can also be applied to fast food. If you have a weakness for McDonald’s Big Macs, then try not to even go to any McDonald's restaurants.
2. Place tempting food out of sight. There is some truth to the saying “out of sight, out of mind”. If tempting food is in the house, it might help to place it in cabinets or areas that you usually don’t visit. Top shelves can be good places to store these foods because you aren't as likely to see them and it requires extra effort to get them out (unless you are really tall). If this method doesn’t work for you because the food is always on your mind, you remember where these odd places are, and you get the food anyway, then ask your parents or siblings for help. Ask them to move the food somewhere else where you won’t find it. If you can handle it, set a small portion of the food aside in baggies for you to eat each week. But if it prompts you to look for the rest of the food that is stashed, then you may need to deal with a food addiction. See #3.
3. Identify food addictions and remove them from your diet. Just like smoking or alcohol, some foods can be quite addictive for certain people. Kids (and adults) can get hooked on the pleasure of junk food. Unfortunately the good feeling is short lived and the side effect is excess weight gain. If it seems like you can never say “no” to certain foods, then consider “de-toxing” from it. For example, one of you said that you are addicted to chips and pop. Start picking at your weaknesses one at a time. Choose either pop or chips and cut it out of your diet completely. You may have intense cravings for it for several weeks, just as a smoker would crave a cigarette, but this should go away through time. Once you’ve successfully cut one of these foods out of your diet, try another that is giving you trouble. Just make sure to substitute your cravings for junk food with something more healthy or distracting activities. See these links for food ideas to get you through cravings and activities.
Visit “How Do I Lose Weight?” within the Healthy Weight School on our website to learn more about these strategies. |
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=> hi Lucy I'm only 12 I'm very overweight I lost 31 pounds
but i want 25 lost 100 pounds help (by the way i weight 257 lb.)
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Great job on losing 31 pounds already! Each pound is 3,500 calories so you’ve had a net loss of 108,500 calories! I understand you are still overweight but give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished so far. Sometimes kids will start to lose weight, but then get hung up at a certain number before reaching their goal. This is also called a plateau. In fact, “weight plateaus” are one of the categories within the Kids Helping Kids area. One can browse through the pre-teen, teen, and 18+ areas on that page to see how other kids have successfully tackled weight plateaus.
Weight plateaus can be frustrating. But one can break through them with persistence. A plateau occurs when your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories) slows as you lose weight. It simply takes less energy, and thus fewer calories, to move around a smaller body. At some point you will reach equilibrium where the calories consumed equals the calories burned. This may happen before you reach your weight loss goal. This means you’ll need to either increase your activity, decrease the calories you eat, or do both if you want to continue losing weight.
Most people tend to underestimate their calorie intake by 20 percent, and overestimate how much they exercise. Can you add another exercise session, exercise longer, or find other ways to increase your physical activity through daily tasks such as cleaning your room and walking to the store? Reassess your eating habits by writing down everything you eat for a day or two. You may be surprised by how much you eat throughout the whole day. Snacks can sometimes really add up!
Again, give yourself credit for the weight loss you’ve accomplished so far. Even if you haven’t reached your goal yet, you’ve already improved your health and reduced your risk for chronic health conditions related to being overweight. Focus on the positive and don’t give up. Don't reach for extra cookies just because you're frustrated about hitting a stubborn weight plateau. Lucy thinks you can reach your goal! |
| Lucy comments about "starving" and skipping meals. |
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=> my friends keep saying im going to end up straving myself to lose weight because i'll never get skinny. Whatshould i do?
=> I feel like the world is closing in around me. All I want to do is hide. I thought I was starting to lose weight, but then some boy made a nasty comment about it. I'm depressed about my weight - I have skipped meals in the past to become slimmer. How can I lose weigh easily without ending up on a dangerous diet?
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Skipping meals and “starving” oneself hardly ever produces long term weight loss. One may lose some weight temporarily, but usually people resume their old eating habits when they reach their goal weight. Then they regain what they’ve lost (and sometimes more) because they didn’t learn to make any lasting lifestyle changes.
Instead of skipping meals altogether, try eating less than what you might consider a full meal at these times. This is also called portion control. Even if one doesn’t normally eat breakfast, including this meal can help you avoid binging later in the day. At the minimum, grab a piece of fruit and drink some milk in the morning (which takes almost no time for those with tight schedules).  Eating breakfast also helps your body to use stored fat for energy. Click here for more breakfast ideas from Lucy.
It also helps to eat only at scheduled meal times and not in between meals, although if you get really hungry for a snack, try a piece of fruit. Many times, we just want a pleasurable distraction from stress of the day, so maybe try calling a friend or take a walk while you eat an apple, which is good for releasing nervous energy.
Both of you sound like you are under some peer pressure. If you are not eating AT ALL around your friends, then they may have reason to be concerned. Your friends may not feel comfortable if they know their presence means that you will not eat. Again, try eating at least a little something at meal times. Kids (and even adults) will sometimes make nasty comments about others when really they don’t feel too good about themselves. You are likely not the only person that this bully tries to belittle. If bullying continues to be a problem, consider these tips when dealing with mean kids so that you can keep your spirits up.
Teasing at School...ouch!
Dealing with Bullies
Just remember, losing weight and keeping it off has the best chance for success if you do it the healthy way. Visit "How do I lose weight?" to get started. |
| I need motivation and support to lose weight. |
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=> I'm 5'6" 214 pounds. I'm miserable...i pretty much cry every day over how i look. I'm young and have a very special day coming up Next summer. I can't face everyone looking the way i do, though i am smaller than what i used to be, i'm still fat. I have no support, and no motivation. My mom won't let me buy any fitness Dvd's to help me cause she said they don't help. We don't have much money for good food, and it snows here constantly so outside is not an option most the time. It sucks because track is a big thing here, and i am dieing to be on the track team..but can't cause i know i'd be laughed at cause i run too slow now. Please please please do you have any tips?? My mom isn't very supportive, she only complains bout her weight, and my dad is a complete bean pole. i weigh more than him! anything will help..
=> I usually eat and watch TV after school and that's pretty much all I do after school. I am approx. 275 lbs and I want to lose weight but I don't think I can do it! :( Any suggestions on how to get active, Wiz?
=> i am 14 years old and i am obese r extremly overweight. i weight 15stones 9lbs. i am 5ft 3. what should i do. i hate going to my doctor as he is concerned for my weight. i last went to him and i weighed 13 stone this was in june 09. i have a lot of stretch marks on mt tummy. all the weight seems to gain around my tummy, it hangs out of all my clothes. i am also very breathless and i hate doing exercise. i am unactive and have been for years now. what should i do apart from seeing my doctor because he will just weigh me and tell me off for my stetch marks. HELP!!
=> ok my question is that i really want to loose weight badly ..well i know alot of pre teens do to but now im rEALLY WORRIED some of my friends have belly's too like they got a round plump but they look just fine. i have ave a belly too and its just hanging low ..and its only at the bottom and one day i found 3 little stretch mark on my lower belly i dont want more thats just worse i need to loose weight fast before i get more stretch marks
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All of you describe a desire to lose weight. That is the first step - to recognize that you are overweight and that you want to do something about it. Next, if you really want to lose weight, you’ll have to start making changes in your relationship with food and exercise. Food must be looked at a something your body needs to run on, rather than something for pleasure or to comfort sadness or stress. Exercise is fun activities that you enjoy. However, none of you have explained any changes you’ve made so far in order to lose weight. Fill out this chart to see where you fall on the motivational scale.
While some kids may be motivated to start making changes on their own or perhaps have a great support network, none of you describe people in your lives that support your weight loss vision. Finding people who are enthusiastic about your decision to start losing weight can be extremely beneficial. Sometimes we all need someone to “believe in us” and our ability to accomplish goals. If there is no one in your family or circle of friends that you trust to be helpful, then there are resources you can use online through our website. First, there are bulletin boards for pre-teens, teens, and 18+ where you can post questions and recruit weight loss buddies, also known as motivational mates. Then there is the chat room where you can talk with other kids who are also trying to lose weight. The chat room is busiest from 5p-9p Eastern Time. Finally, you can stop by and chat, or even just observe others chatting with Lucy, Registered Dietician, any Wednesday from 7p-8p Eastern Time. We hope to see you there! |
| Exercise Programs Please? |
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=> I want to loose weight. I asked my gym teacher to make me an exersice program but she couldnt. What should I do???
=> I really want to lose weight but running and bike riding aren't helping. What is a good exercise schedule that fits with school and extra stuff?
=> i'm not sure i fully understand what excersiss i can do at home-inside either.
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The best types of exercises for you are activities that you like so that you will continue to do them. Some kids like being outside and the scenery they see while biking and walking makes the time go by quickly. Walking or biking to and from school can help fit in exercise during busy school days. If it’s too far, and you aren’t taking the school bus, then consider asking your parents to drop you off a few blocks from school so you can walk the rest of the way. If you get comfortable with a few blocks, then try walking a little further the next week.
 Besides biking and walking, outdoor activities can include playing basketball in your driveway (if you have one), throwing the ball for a willing dog, shoveling snow, and making snowmen or snow angels, just to name a few. Lucy has more ideas about physical activity on her tips page.
Other kids might not have a good place to outside for exercise. Don’t despair – there are many ways to get moving inside too. Some kids like going to a gym to exercise. Although this may be great for some kids, others can’t remain motivated to keep going. Before spending your money (or parents’ money) on gym memberships, ask to see if they have trial periods where you can try out their equipment free for a week, or just sign up for a limited 1 month membership to see how you like the gym.
If you’d rather start your exercise at home, below are several websites that have really great ideas on different movements you can do in your own room. You don’t need any special equipment, although sometimes hand weights help. Hand weights are usually inexpensive, but you can make your own with a small (1/2 gallon or less) milk jug filled with water, marbles, rice, or dry beans, etc. Another option is filling some old socks with dry beans. Just make sure the jugs or socks are secured at the top so you don't lose the contents while working out! If you feel especially weak in a certain body area, ToneTeen has an interactive body map for you to click on so that you can see exercises specific for those muscles.
ToneTeen
Kidnetic
KidzWorld
On this website, look at Exercise Ideas in the Kids Helping Kids section where other kids who visit this site describe exercises or activities that have helped them to lose weight. You will find many fresh ideas and inspiring stories there. |
| Hunger after exercising |
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=> Hey i have a question. When i work out or exercise after i just wanna eat and eat i get so hungry can you help me.
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You are not the only one to complain about feeling hungry right after exercise. Researchers in the UK have found that indeed exercise does indeed make you hungry - but their study indicates even when one eats after a workout, the overall result will still give most people a calorie deficit. For more about this study, read this BBC article.
Exercise can use up a fair amount of body fluids. One possible reason for feeling hungry after exercise is that the feeling of thirst can often be mistaken for hunger. It’s a good idea to replenish your body after exercise with water.
The other reason why you might feel hungry after exercise is because body is telling you that it wants to refuel. Just don’t overindulge. And some kids feel really tired or even exhausted after exercise and may comfort eat to make themselves feel better,  which is not true hunger. Some snack ideas for after exercise include the following:
• yogurt and fruit, separately or blended into a smoothie
• a sandwich with lean meat or tuna, plus milk
• a bagel with cheese or lean meat
• cereal with milk
• soup and crackers
• an energy or cereal bar |
| Excess Weight Causing Breathing Problems and Diabetes |
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=> im 14 years old and im 156 pounds i need to loose weight so im 120 lbs instead of 156 i dont like the way i look or how i am my thighs are huge i dont know what to do i eat healthy but i cant seem to loose weight what do i do to loose thigh fat belly fat arm fat and butt fat please help me im struggling badly and im starting to have breathing problems
=> I would like to ask you for tips about loseing weight. I am obese and am running into problems with my health (diabetes) PLEASE HELP!
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Excess body fat can cause obesity induced asthma and diabetes. The good news is that these medical problems are reversible with weight loss. It sounds like both of you are starting to experience these health problems, which may be motivating you to take the first steps in losing weight.
Most kids (and adults) tend to eat lots of foods that are high in fat, sugar, or salt. But people who eat healthy foods can also overeat and gain weight. The key is to eating in moderation. Learn how to break the habit of overeating by visiting our “How Do I Lose Weight” in our Healthy Weight School section. Then visit the bulletin boards (teens) or (pre-teens) and chat rooms on our site for support as you start making lifestyle changes that will help you lose the excess weight. |
| Am I overweight? and How much should I weigh? |
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=> Hi, I am 13 years old in about 2 weeks and i think i am really overweight =(
I am 5 ft 2 inches/ 5 ft 3 inches and i weigh 52kg or 116 lbs.
Am i overweight?
=> how much should a 9 year old approximatly weigh
=> How many pounds should i weight if im 5'4 and 17 years of age ?
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 Please use the weight calculator on the homepage to find out which weight category you currently fall in: underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. You will need to know your height (feet and inches, or centimeters), weight (pounds, kilograms, or stone (British)), age and sex. Here is the direct link. Otherwise, look for the "Weight Calculator" button on the homepage. |
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Ask your parents to meet with her if you’d like them to be involved in your weight loss quest. Pictured at left are Ashlie and Lawrence when they first met.