Loose Skin Becoming a Worry

Casually over the past 2 years, I've lost 60 lbs down from 300 lbs. Most of my weight lost has been in quick periods of time where I was confident about losing weight. Now I'm down to 240 lbs and feeling the confidence once again to try to push for another 20-40 over the following year.

I'm 20 years old 5'7", Male, I'll be 21 this Fall. I've started to worry about loose skin coming to the point in weight loss where it seems to begin to become apparent. Some areas I'm worried I might already notice some loose skin like under my thighs, however I know skin often appears loose just from being obese. I'm wondering how much at my age, pace, and lifestyle do I need to worry about loose skin?

I try to stay well hydrated, I don't drink anything other than water, I don't eat sweets, I don't smoke, and I don't drink alcohol. I normally walk just under 2 miles a day, but I almost always have since I've never had a form of transportation. I always intermittent fast because it's just how my eating habits developed. However, I've been obese almost my whole life, and my weight has always shifted between being up and down around 15 lbs(I'm worried that alone could play a big role in me having excess loose skin in the future).

If there are any creams/oils I should use, I'd like to look further into that. I haven't found anything regarding how much of any cream should be applied to skin, how often, or what really matters between brands. I'd gladly dry brush, but I haven't found much online to convince me it's worthwhile.

Kinda Personal Beyond This Point:

I understand I'll always have my wagyu beef stretchmarks, but I at least want my skin to stick to my body once I lose weight. It's very important to me because, a big part of why I'm losing weight in the first place is because my real personality is pretty feminine, and I'm a gay guy who is preferably a bottom. Coming from a fat dude, that's pretty embarrassing for me to admit and display socially, even online, so I've lived my life with a fake generic white serious nice guy personality and very few of my close friends even know that I'm gay.

I'd rather spend 5 years agonizingly putting on muscle as I lose weight to eventually avoid loose skin than spend 1 year losing the fat and be stuck with loose skin my whole life and never be happy with myself. The idea that it's better to lose it than keep it regardless to loose skin doesn't help me here. I know simply losing weight isn't enough to make me look great, my entire endeavor here is just to lose weight while ensuring my skin still sticks to my body, everything else I'll work towards after I've accomplished that.

I'd also rather not hear the sympathetic "it's okay to be an obese bottom" coming from people who would never be interested in that sort of thing unless it's their kink, I'd never be interested in being a bottom while I'm obese and I wouldn't want to be with someone just because I'm their fetish. I've avoided any meaningful relationships, and I don't intend to ever enter one until I feel ready.

In all sincerity, if someone has read this all, thank you very much.
I'd love any advice, or tips for avoiding loose skin, even if certain factors make it likely I won't have loose skin. If I progress, I'll eventually post pictures, but I'm currently not comfortable with that.

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I'm lost within my weight loss identity

This is a long one - just need to get this off my chest and didn't know where else to go.

I first started losing weight in approx 2015-16 after being told by a partner that I stopped breathing in my sleep. I got a medical done and was informed that I was morbidly obese at 127kg for a 164cm woman. I heard this and instantly acted and took on a whole new healthy life. Before i knew it i was under 100kg by eating approx 1600cal per day and working out 5 times a week. Over the next year i'd bounce between 97-102kg, mostly because my good food days were very strict and my bad days were shocking.

Then at the start of 2018 that partner and I split, one of the reasons being that my strict weight loss had sucked the fun out of social situations. I moved 1000km away and all i had to focus on was me. I didn't drive so i walked EVERYWHERE, ate like a champion and was slowly making a social circle.

I finally hit 84kg! I had confidence. I was proud of myself. I can buy any clothing i want and it'll fit. This was my biggest accomplishment as an adult. My social life was strong and I had found like-minded people who enjoyed a healthy lifestyle. But something happened. I injured my knee by going to hard and not stretching, nothing life changing long term but annoying enough I couldn't walk for a while. I stopped eating well. I stopped going to the gym. I stopped prioritising myself. Now I'm back at 92kg. That turns into 96. Then 99.

in 2020 I found a new amazing partner. We met online and before we met I was crazy scared of meeting as I'm ashamed of this body. It doesn't reflect the biggest accomplishment of my adult life. But we meet and she is just as amazing face to face as she was online. She always tells me I'm beautiful, holds me tight and wants me to meet her family. I put off meeting who I know to be the judgy part of her family. This week she bought me tickets to see a band I love for our anniversary and I know none of what i currently own fits me. So i went into the shops knowing I'm going to hate it, and i do. Nothing feels right.

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As of this morning, I'm 107.2 kg. My partner and I had a chat about how unhappy I am with my body and she was genuinely shocked at what i had to stay.

Every time I get dressed i think about my weight.

Every time someone takes a photo of me, I think about my weight.

Every time I'm on Instagram, I think about my weight.

Every time someone at work talks about their body or the gym, I think about my weight.

Every time we talk about my partners' upcoming wedding, I think about my weight.

Every tune I have a shower, I think about my weight.

Every time we eat dessert, I think about my weight.

Every time I'm at the gym and can't do something, I think about my weight.

Every time I'm at the physio I know what we are treating is caused by my weight.

Every time I drop something at work and someone else picks it up, we both know it's because of my weight.

Every time she mentions meeting her sister, I think about my weight.

And that isn't even the start of it.

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Before you say it, yes I am seeing a psychologist and I'm constantly told to be kind to myself. But that doesn't help me feel like I'm finding myself again. I know I've accomplished other things but that weight loss gave me so much and nothing else has given so much. The freedom to walk into the shops and feel like I can buy clothes i like, I miss it. I want to buy something nice for her friends' wedding, but I'm scared. I don't want to feel like a blob.

That knee injury turned into a shoulder injury. I get scared to exercise as anything will make one of the two flare-up.

I struggle to eat well as my conviction is nowhere near where it used to be. I'm constantly asking myself, what do i want more. I know the answer, but I'm struggling to act on it.

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Tomorrow is a new day and I'll be ok. I need to be kind to myself.

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Did anyone choose not to weigh themselves?

Would love to hear some experiences from those who chose either to not weigh themselves or to do it very infrequently (i.e. once a month or every 2 weeks). Will share my experience below in case anyone can relate.

I'm starting to wonder if weighing myself might be sabotaging my attempts at weight loss. I've been doing it daily for years and it tends to eventually lead to me crunching all sorts of numbers (how much will I weigh by this date if my deficit is x amount of calories) and stressing out. I've also noticed that if my weight fluctuates upwards, even though I know it's normal, it takes a lot of mental energy for me to trust the process and not panic over it, which often leads to comfort eating or a binge.

My weight loss attempts have been sporadic over the years, but I realised yesterday that the times I was happiest about it were when it happened almost by accident. Like I would have a stressful few months at school and not weigh in but when I eventually did, I had maintained my loss perfectly. Or just choosing to eat better in the run up to taking weight loss more seriously and finding I'd lost 7lbs.

I'm now thinking of putting my scales away and just consciously trying to move more and eat cleaner/still track calories for a few months and see where I end up.

What do you think?

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You know who you are

I know there's people who are members to this sub and who have gained back their losses or have lost motivation. You may have dropped in and just decided not to read too many posts. Or you've written and discarded posts about your struggles.

I'd like you to know that it's OK. Its normal. Each one of the successes you read about in this sub were preceeded by multiple attempts or years of futility. That's what makes it so satisfying when it goes right.

Fact is that most of our weight loss is modest, not ground breaking. Maybe we don't feel like it's a big enough deal to share but it feels so good to get a win now and then. We want that for you too. You don't have to share the struggle and you don't have to post pics. Please do if you feel compelled, but it's all good if you don't. Just stick around. Join the conversation, ask for advice or share yours. We'd love to hear from you. More than you know.

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Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Sunday, 25 April 2021? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

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Welcome to r/Loseit!

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So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

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Why you’re overweight

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Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

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Before You Start

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The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

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Tracking

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Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

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Creating Your Deficit

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How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

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The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

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Exercise

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Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

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It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel *awesome* and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

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Crawl, Walk, Run

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It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

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Acceptance

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You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

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Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

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Additional resources

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Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

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• Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!

* Lose It Compendium - Frame it out!

* FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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FAT LOSS JOURNEY ADVICE NEEDED!

Hello all, first and foremost if you're reading this I would like to say thank you for clicking on this. Showing some consideration always helps.

I am 16, 5'9, 180lbs(Goal is probably around 160lbs), workout 5-6 times a week in weightlifting/resistance and 2-3 days cardio, and desire to lose body fat. This is the first time I tried to lose weight and eat healthier so I'm quite new. One thing that I've noticed about myself, is I am very good at disciplining myself. I never have sugar cravings or any types of urges to eat throughout the day, even if I am eating at a deficit. For example, I completely cut out sodas, and sugary drinks, and it's been about a year since I did that, I did not once drink them(maybe over the top but those have 0 benefits to me so why drink them right?) My point here is, I have good self-control so I believe I got that part of the process done. Now that you have some backstory, I would like to start throwing some numbers at you. Also, deleting all forms of social media is worth it, especially if you're trying to reach a goal, there're too many distractions(I don't plan on going back lol).

I started to track my calories on March 28th, 2021 and I was around 194lbs then(Apr. 24 now), most of the weight that I lost was most definitely water weight. The first 2 weeks of me tracking my calories(in which I lost that weight) I was eating quite less than what I should've, around 1200 calories a day but now I am eating around 1900 - 2100 calories a day while doing the workouts which is ~500 - 600 calories less than what my maintenance is. One question that I have is will those lessened calories eaten in the first few weeks affect my metabolism adjusting to my deficit? I am worried about metabolic adaptation. I've heard taking diet breaks can help get around those weight loss plateaus, and I'm thinking of taking a 12-day diet break every 1.5 months of dieting. I just need some bare-bones FACTS and tips, I would appreciate that. I know I can do it, I am confident in myself, but I am truly ready to take feedback and tips from others. Once again this is the first time I am putting my all into nutrition and fitness, I want to make this a lifestyle but I just need the correct guidance, that's all.

Once again I appreciate you taking your time reading this, anything that might be helpful towards my fat loss journey would be AWESOME! Fuck yeah. If I left anything out, let me know I will respond asap. Thanks!!

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P.S. I am eating healthy, high protein, no added sugar(only natural sugars in fruits and such).

No cookies, donuts, fast food, chips I simply cut those out and it was easy to stay off of them.

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Inherting my Dad's anxiety and Mom's emotional eating: the beginning of my weight loss journey

I'll admit that I have always at least been a healthy weight range and slightly anorexic at one point (post parents divorce when I was 13). My dad got custody and put me on a strict diet of whatever he was doing to lose weight for running. I stayed on the skinny mini (118-126) side of things till I started working at 16. If I had something I was craving I would buy it. If I was depressed, I would buy chocolate. If my dad didn't make dinner for me, I would eat some greasy garbage i could find at 11 at night..

Snacking became a problem with me. Chips. Sour candy. Chocolate. Cheese galore. It only got worse in college. I would eat fast food or make super heavy meals (spaghetti, oven roasted sausage and veggies). It got even worse when I started working full time and got married. As my cooking got more complex, the more calories appeared (pad thai, spaghetti with sausage and meat sauce, tuscan butter salmon and much more). If I had down day, we get takeout. If I was stressed, I snacked on sweets. I was trying to calm myself down while I was anxious by baking and cooking.

My dad's anxiety was inherited and not till two months ago did I finally get treated for it. My Mom's emotional eatting is less of a problem for that. I stopped play games as much and started working out 5 days a week and I finally weighed myself after years of not and I was 157lbs. I felt embarrassed but unlike many times before I didn't spiral with my anxiety. I came up with a plan: exercise is a MUST, counting calories is necessary and I need a reasonable free day once a week.

I am 23 year old women who is 5 foot 6 inches and I am currently 152lbs (took 3 weeks to lose 5lbs) and want to be 120 lbs and finally have confidence to really begin my weight loss journey and weigh my self regularly.

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