Skin changes with weight loss (I might actually look worse?)

Hi All,

I have been on a long and slow weight loss journey after slowly gaining weight over the past few years. I am 30M, and currently weigh 15st 13lbs. I used to be around 12st and would like to get back closer to that.

The only thing I've found that has helped and fits easily into my lifestyle is going to the gym. I've been using the elliptical and rowing machine for ages, but have recently moved on to the treadmill too (I also do some work with weights)

I have only lost a few pounds but I can feel my muscles are firmer, particularly on my legs where you can see my muscles now, and my shoulders/chest area. So I hope something is happening under the surface, even if I can't quite tell at the moment.

However, when I look in the mirror, I somehow look worse than I did before I started the gym. I feel like my skin looks dimpled/mottled and uneven, and my muffin top now sags over my belt in a way it has never done before.

Although I've made limited progress, I have tried so so much to make a change and I'm feeling very downhearted and demotivated. Has anyone else had this experience? I am trying to convince myself it's all part of the process 🙏🏼

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Is consistency more important than perfect dieting?

I used to think weight loss required perfect execution, strict adherence, no mistakes, and restarting whenever I slipped. But over time, I started noticing that the real issue wasn’t the slip itself, but what happens after it. One off-plan meal would often turn into a full breakdown of structure for the rest of the day or week. What seems to matter more isn’t whether mistakes happen, but how quickly someone returns to their normal routine after them. The people who stay consistent don’t avoid errors and they just reduce how long they stay off track.

For people who’ve maintained weight loss, did you rely more on strict rules or on the ability to return to routine quickly after setbacks?

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I feel like I'm taking one step foward and two steps back

Hello, I (28 F) have been trying to get back in shape. Back in 2018-2019 I started my weight lost journey and got pretty far. However, a depressive epsiode and fall out with ex-friends cause me to gain my weight back. I was at my heaviest in 2023-2024. I want to get back to losing weight and hit my weight loss goal 140 by next year for my 30th birthday and I want to wear a pretty dress.

I current weight fluctuates bewteen 216-222. I've been working working out since January 12th of this year. I admit during May I had two weeks were I didn't workout at all. But, I made up for it by exercising for an hour rather than my thirty and forty-five minute workout.

The hard part of me lossing weight is eating while im on the road, out of boredom and stress. I'm also on like three types of medications for anxiety and depression so that could be a factor in my appetite. My therapist suggested to write like a monthly/weekly goal of how may pounds of weight I want to loose. My doctor suggested take the calorie I normally should eat at my size and subtract 500 from it. I am planing on doing a calorie deficit pretty soon. Idk whats my calorie intake if I want to loose 80 pounds. My doctor and therapist suggested those weight loss shots. Im still hesitant on taking them because of the side effects.

Another reason why I bringing up my weight is because of my mom. I know that she cares but the way she goes about it is condescending. I know there's history of diabetes on both sides of my family. My dad is currently diabetic but not to the point he has to take insulin. My mom despite being physically active and eating right has gallstones. I get it but also the harping about my weight has been getting old. She’s been like this since I was a kid. I checked my blood work and lab results and they were fine. My doctor pointed out that im still young, but I want to get my weight down so it wouldn't be a problem when I get older.

When it comes to my body type I think I'm midsize. This is not me humble braging I know Im top and bottom so probably most of my weight comes from there. Idk man, I need help.

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What are your low calorie comfort meals?

Hi everyone, I was hoping y'all could share some meal ideas. What works really well in my weight loss journey was having a couple quick and tasty, low calorie meals that are just so convenient that I would eat them on a daily basis. I'm therefore looking for more ideas of such meals.

For example, for breakfast I have sugar-free granola, fat free greek yogurt and fresh blueberries and for lunch I really like making wraps with chicken shawarma/beef mince and salad. I literally have these 80% of the days and never got bored of it, and they're both under 500kcal.

What are your preferate weight loss meals?

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5 things I recommend for reaching your weight loss goals

Everyone tries it where we only eat 1-2 times a day thinking it's going to be the way we reach our weight loss goals. We stay away from carbs, do some cardio and drink a protein shake but this is actually what will cause you to drop a few pounds and gain 5lbs instantly when you enjoy a dinner with friends or your family.

These are a few things that I recommend for losing weight a sustainable way.

1) Fix your sleep. Poor sleep habits can bring in unhealthy cravings throughout the day

2) Increase your step count. Don't shoot for 10k steps immediately but start off with walking at least 5k steps and try to increase it 1k steps every week or two till you get to 10k steps

3) Limit a cheat meal (Pizza,burger&fries,ect) for the weekend or a day off when you can truly enjoy it. Stick to eating clean throughout the week. Find meals that are tailored to your goals

4) Cut the sugar, diet or sugar free drinks are the way to go. Sugar free sodas can suppress your appetite and keep your mind away from food for a while.

5) Track your progress. Seeing progress is always a good feeling and keeps you motivated to keep going. Take those progress pictures, know your body weight and strive to make every day better than yesterday

Theres a few other things I can add or suggest to those who what to know more. Appreciate you reading this far and I hope this helps someone out there. I have a few people I coach to help reach their goals, if your interested message me or comment your questions below.

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What does lean body mass loss look like relative to protein intake?

(Skip to 3rd paragraph if TL;DR)

Right now I'm a 21M 6'0 @ 230lb looking to make some changes. I've been living off McDonalds, pizza, and other junk food during college and since ill be busy and living at home I decided to try to fix my diet to eat more organic foods to eventually cut to 200lb at some point of the year.

Throughout the years I've heard different figures for protein intake, most notably the 0.8-1g/lb figure. However, while trying to eat 190g+ of protein while eating 2000-2200cal is doable (I'd say my maintaince is around 2800-3000) I'd find it much easier to eat at <0.8g/lb (back when I tried eating high protein in high school while on a cut it was a pain in the ass that added more stress than need be)

My issue is that I don't know to *what extent* muscle loss is at below 0.8g/lb. If I eat for instance at 0.7g/lb will I lose a significant amount of lean mass compared to 0.8g or only a little? How about 0.6? Is there a point where lean mass significantly drops, or is it linear? Etc.

I'm asking this because im not trying to be "shredded" or "buff". Mostly just wanna rid of my current beer belly while gaining some definition while getting rid of my bad habits, so I don't care about losing some lean mass, but I also want to find a proper balance in perserving some of it while being able to be consistent and not stress so much about having EVERY dish be high in protein like I have with pervious weight loss.

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Loose Skin is Killing Me

Not literally killing me, but mentally it's exhausting. I've lost around 60 pounds so far and have another 30-40 to go. I'm proud of the weight loss, don't get me wrong, but the loose skin makes it hard for me to enjoy it. I very much have an apron belly, so it feels like nothing fits or sits the way it's supposed to. I know it can take a while for loose skin to "retract" (I don't know the exact term I'm looking for, sorry!), but for those who have lost a good amount of weight, is there a relative timeline I can expect? And is there something I can do to help? I've been working on my stretch marks, and I think they look a lot better, but at some point, being able to wear a two-piece without half of it disappearing under my stomach would be nice too lol

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