Will My Loose Skin Tighten Up After Weight Loss?

Many clients make amazing changes after following my personalized meal plans, fitness programs, and cardio regimens. Despite the fact that they’ve made amazing transformations, some are not as happy as they would like to be. One question I get frequently is whether or not the loose skin on their stomach will tighten up after reaching their fitness goals?

I didn’t realize just how common this issue was until I researched this topic. It’s apparent that many people worry about loose skin after their weight loss. In certain cases, there is a possibility that after losing a few pounds, loose skin could tighten up. On the contrary, a majority of us that do lose a considerable amount of weight won’t see our skin tighten up as much as we would it like to.

If you’re in the process of beginning a workout regimen, here are a few things to consider when it comes to tightening skin around your belly.

Loose Skin May Be Body Fat

Some loose skin could just be a small amount of excess subcutaneous body fat that is covered by skin. This usually occurs when you build muscles from resistance exercise. So even when you reach your goal, you could have a small amount of body fat that is still giving you a hard time.

Sometimes this excess fat could be confused with actual loose skin. This could be the last of the stubborn fat that you are working hard to get rid of. If the loose skin that is bothering you is very minimal, it’s probably just a small amount of residual body fat.

Losing Weight Too Fast May Cause Loose Skin

Whenever it comes to losing weight, I always advise my clients to lose weight slowly. My most common recommendation is to lose no more than two pounds a week, which is a reasonable amount that will help you have less loose skin once you reach your goal. In addition to weight loss, this will also keep you from losing muscle.

Being Overweight Or Pregnant Can Cause Loose Skin

Let’s say that your skin has been stretched from being overweight or pregnant. When this occurs, your skin can lose its ability to tighten back up.

Another key factor is the older we get, the harder it is for our skin to snap back. If you have been pregnant or have been overweight for years, you might have to surgery to tighten and lift that loose skin.

More muscle, hydration, and proper nutrition might not be enough. Surgery should be your last resort but it might be necessary.

Ways To Help You Tighten Loose Skin

Once you reach your goal, and you have a small amount of excess body fat that looks like loose skin, here are a few tips that could help tighten up  your skin.

Build More Learn Muscle

Building muscle where you have loose skin could give the appearance of tighter skin.

Stay Hydrated

Water is important when it comes to maintaining skin elasticity.

Eat Properly

Get a good amount of foods with collagen and elastin such as cottage cheese, legumes, seeds, nuts, and fish.

Take Care of Your Skin

Limit sun exposure; Try to avoid chlorinated water; Exfoliate daily with salts and minerals to help improve skin tone. You can also try skin creams and other over the counter remedies such as aloe vera, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin A to help increase collagen and elastin formation in the skin.

At Some Point Our Bodies Create Loose Skin

Aging is the number one factor when it comes to loose skin. This is because as we age, our skin loses elasticity. Skin tightening can be improved by losing weight slowly, staying hydrated, proper nutrition, and taking proper care of your skin.

During extreme cases, surgery could be required to help get rid of your loose skin but this should be your last resort.

If you haven’t been able to make the changes with your loose skin that you want because you have an extreme case, You may want to consider consulting with your healthcare provider for answers and guidance.