Weight Loss Worry

[Cerulean]

Having a positive body is a wonderful thing to have, but I am well aware of the risks of being obese into later years. A little exercise never hurt anyone. It's healthy to do, but I diegress.

I happened upon the Body Image video by Matt Diaz. While I love the video for what it is and message behind it, it terrified that this might be what I might be heading down this road. Even now, looking at images of people that have gone from obesity to a healthier weight....I am scared. Will my confidence be able to handle something like excess skin without destroying it? <<<Is the current question I have on my mind, but I am already running the risk of diabetes and all the other stuff by being 5'9 300+ lbs.

And I don't I can handle too much excess skin before such a downturn occurs. =(

What do I do?

 

[Space Cowboy]

What do you want:

Excess skin and health and a healthier body image;

OR
​

Obesity, high cholesterol, low self-esteem, poor health, the risk of diabetes, etc., etc..?

 

[Cerulean]

Honestly, Seiji, I don't know. That question is what is what I am batting around now.

Life is pretty odd hm? haha

 

[Kestrel]

You won't lose weight by the dozens per hour. It's something that will take some time. This isn't to demoralise you, but to tell you... You're not going to have flying squirrel syndrome tomorrow if you hit the gym for a couple hours.

If I may be brutally honest, I think that rather than fear of excess skin, I think this is a resistance to change. I mean let's be real here, you're admitting you run severe health risks and I can't believe anyone would feel comfortable in their own bodies at that weight without lying to their selves. Lying hard. You say you're afraid of excess skin, but is that really such a big deal versus what you're dealing with now? Looking at this rationally, what's really the bigger problem?

And if you're worried about what other people might think, give anyone three seconds of backstory as to why, in a worst-case-scenario you might have some visible excess skin after losing weight, and you would get mad props for determination and willpower. Hell, you could get some cut out and maybe even help people with it. People with nasty burns would appreciate it, maybe you can cut a deal? I don't know if it's a thing, but by that time you could check out if there's opportunities like that. Or what else. You can make a battlescar philosophy of it and wear it with pride. It would symbolise your victory over yourself; an achievement of a scale many people do not accomplish in their lifetime.

But honestly I really don't think it'll be that bad. In this case, my advice would be, deal with the problem when it actually becomes a problem. Right now it's just another tidbit fuelling the fear of change. If you let that go and start thinking positive instead of focusing in what-if's, you can start working on your goals a lot faster, achieve them a lot earlier and generally be more happy with yourself because you're doing something. Heck, you could be fist-pumping on the scales in a couple weeks if you start today. Think about how good that will feel.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

This is the video (I'm assuming) in question for those curious.

Edit: Had to replace the vid a week or so later, the guy apparently closed his account. :/

So yea, in case you people were thinking "It's just a tiny bit of skin".
No... It's more than that.

As for the OP.

@Cerulean my honest suggestion would be to see a Doctor or other Health Professional about this. Work closely with them, get a diet and work out routine going. Check in regularly to check on things, that way if signs of such a skin condition do pop up you can try to address it early and look for alternative ways to prevent it. I'm positive that if you do that you shouldn't be finding yourself slipping from over weight to skin issues.

Though if we are to take a second and assume the absolute worse, which is you have to make a choice of overweight or excess skin? Once again I suggest talking to a professional and perhaps a councilor/therapist about it. Get an idea of the health risks of both, and to sort out how comfortable you are with either situation. And work with them to determine where you might be happiest and most comfortable, may it be at either extreme or somewhere in the middle.

 

[Kestrel]

That's a guy who was 195 heavier. And even then. I'm looking at the video, and honestly the main thing I'm thinking is, mad fucking respect dude.

 

[AetherDream]

The thing about skin is, it's an organ and it will, in time, eventually reshape. Now if you've got an enormous amount of excess skin after losing weight, then it will take quite some time. Now, if you're really up for losing the weight, there are a few things that you can do to aid in the shrinkage of your skin along with your waistline. One thing you can do is can change your diet so that you incorporate more foods which aid in the production of Elastin: the proteins in your skin which help it regain shape after being stretched, pinched or otherwise deformed. The second thing you can do is lose weight at a very measure pace, that way your skin has more time to adjust to the weight loss. Some people say that losing as little as two pounds a week can help lessen the amount of sagging skin. That being said, not having any sagging skin by the time you lose the weight isn't possible (as far as I understand), but it will go away in time.

 

[Cerulean]

Thanks for the advice guys! =D

I am going to do more research and go from there.

 

[Zen]

If it helps, my husband has some of those concerns as well. He's severely overweight and we've talked about the whole problem of excess skin. Please see a doctor for some advice. It does suck to think about having all of that excess skin, but I'd rather know that my husband is healthy and has excess skin, versus having the worry that I might lose him.

I saw that video as well and I really respect Matt for showing the world what his body looks like. Yes, it's not pleasant, but down the line his body and mental health will be better.

Change is hard. It really, really is. Talk to people, talk to your doctor, your friends, your family. Make a support group for yourself so the change won't be as hard.