[IHave3JellyBeans]

HELP!!
I have just spent well over an hour looking at success stories. ALL of you look wonderful!
Great Job. I wish I could e-mail a few of you personally but I'm not sure if we are aloud or I am not sure how to do it. I would love to hear from
(mom2hunt, Rhapsody, or Crystal) after loosing the weight what did you do about your sagging skin?????
Mine just hangs there. YUCK!!!I am only 36 years old, is it to late to get back the elasticity in my skin?? I have already lost 40lbs but have another 35 or so to go. I don't think I can handle much more droopy skin.
Thanks for any info......( from anyone) , Terri

[tasi]

Hi I use to be 298 lbs in April and now I am 209.What you have to do about the sagging is to do LIGHT WEIGHT TRAINING and 30 minutes of cardio or aerobics.For us women ALWAYS use no more than 20 lbs on whatever machine that you are using and do more repetitions.Some machine that you work on you do not need to use any weights at all because you can already feel the resistance,but if you do not than increase it to 20 lbs.You have to use your own judgement according to the machine that you are working on.I work out for 2-3 hrs and I HAVE to do MORE weight training now and less cardio because my skin was starting to sag!!!! I work on my triceps,biceps,leg curls,hamstings,calve uplifts,rowing machine(which works all the sags around under your arms and all in your back),leg bench press,inner and outer thigh machine,and most defintely the squat machine ( to help get rid of some of my big but) .When you are a beginner start out with doing only 2sets of 10 on whatever machine that you are working with until your muscles get use to it.Do not over do it.Only weight train 3 times a week and let your muscles relax.This is very important.You can do as much cardio as you want to.But not weight training.When I am finished with my weight training than I do 30 minutes on the treadmill or the elliptical machine or I will do 15 minutes of each.I make doing cardio my LAST workout before I leave the spa.Doing weight training is what helps to tighten and firm up the sags.It is going to take time.But you must start doing this soon because exercising itself will help you to loose the weight but you have to weight train in order to help MOLD your body.It is kinda like sculpting your body into a work of art so to speak.I am not trying to look like no model.But I do know where you are comming from.You have to do both in order to get the results that you want and keep your skin from sagging as you loose weight.I also work on machine too for my stomach.Everything is done in LIGHT weights and more repetitions.I hope I am making sense.LOL! Trust me it works!! It is working for me.This makes my 3rd month weight training.And also remember that muscle weighs more than fat so do not get upset if you get on the scale and it says that you weigh more.You do not weigh more.It is the muscles that are developing underneath.The main important thing is that you lose inches.You can tell that you are losing weight by your clothes more than relying on the scale.I really do not weigh myself that much anymore.Some people say that I look like that I weigh about 180lbs instead of 209lbs.That is because I have more muscle than fat underneath.If you want to ask someone for there email address look at the icons that are next to your date on your post.The TWO people that are holding hands with a letter is what you click on.That is the private message button.You can privately send a message to the people that you want to and ask them anymore questions.You have to ask people privately for their email address.I hope that I have helped in answering your question and good luck!!

[Bama Belle]

Tasi,
Why do you say no more than 20 lb? If you are worried about big muscles you shouldn't be. Most women would have to work out many hours per day like body builders to become bulky!! You should put enough weight on a machine so that after 10 to 15 reps you can no longer perform the move with good form. That is what builds muscle and tones your body. You can do lots of reps if you are also working on endurance, but it's going to take a long time to adequately fatigue your muscle.

[tasi]

Nope Bama.Absolutely wrong.If you do put more weights on the machine you will bulk up.There is a difference between a person that wants a muscular look than a person that wants to firm up the sags and and tighten it up.YOU use less weights when you have a SAGGING problem because this is still a form of exercising.You burn more calories that way when you do more reps with less weights and plus you are toning and firming.If you do the opposite by adding more weights and less reps your body is and will bulk.This sort of training are for people that are trying to get a muscular looking body and does not have weight to loose.You have to (in so many words) cut the fat to tone up and then once you get down to the size that you want to it is then your choice if you want to ADD more weights to get that muscular look.Not looking like a man but some women work out as to where you can see there muscle tone.Where it looks good on them.It is hard to explain.I use to think like you,But I had to get educated and I work with a personal trainer plus talk to other ladies at the spa that have went through the same exact thing.You have to talk to more people in person that have went through this and get with a trainer that is willing to work with you in order to understand.Anytime it is working for me and also 5 women that I know personally that was going through the same thing and look SUPER now.Than trust me what I am telling you is the gospel.If you do the reverse with sagging skin you will bulk up under the fat rather than you BURNING it off using light weights and more reps.You do not start off using heavy weights because you can and will hurt yourself because your body is not use to it.Weights are used for many different reasons but you have to know how to use them and it is according to what goal that you are accomplishing.I was speaking with one of the ladies at the spa that has two sisters that had the gastric surgery.One sister was over 300lbs when she had hers done.When she was able to exercise she started off doing cardio slowly.Than as the weight starting comming off that was when she had a trainer to work with her doing both weight training/cardio and now she is 145lbs! and looks super.The other sister was 400lbs she did not exercise or weight train at all and now she weighs 160 lbs but her skin has sagged so bad until she has to fold all of her skin up in her clothes.Now she has to have $20,000 worth of surgery done because she did not exercise and light weight train to keep it from sagging.Now her sister is miserable.Yes she has lost the weight but just has very lose meat hanging off of her.I feel sorry for her.Now her husband has been trying for the past two years to save up the money because it is TOO far gone to tone.You picture when you have to fold your skin up all over your body to get into your clothes. .There is another lady that weighs 144lbs and wears a size 5/6 and she looks good.She went through the same thing.Trust me anytime it has worked for these ladies and it is working for me I would not have posted in such long details because when we are at that obese stage than we must light weight train to prevent it from sagging as we lose.Once you have reached your goal you can continue to start adding more weights if you want to look a little more chisled without looking like a bodybuilder.But just looking more cut.I hope that I have explained it more better.

[Bama Belle]

Actually, I got my education from college and had classes in exercise physiology. You may want to start reading some fitness magazines to get all the facts. What you are doing will work, but again you have to do lots of reps. Your ultimate goal with weight training is to increase your metabolism and build up your muscle. Sagging skin has a lot to do with how fast you lose your weight, your age, and your skin type. Some people have better elasticity to their skin. And of course the younger you are the better your skin will return to normal. Some people will have no choice but surgery to get rid of all loose skin. But of course there are always many opinions to every situation. If Tasi's plan is working for her then great!! I just want to throw a little more out there for 3jellybeans to think on. Research things as much as possible, and never take one person's opinion.

[Bama Belle]

Found this info on an ivillage site. Hope it's helpful!

The number of calories you burn while actually weight training is insignificant compared with your energy expenditure when you do continuous cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise for 30 minutes or more. There are so many pauses between sets and between different exercises that you can't keep your heart rate elevated consistently during a weight workout.

Weight training does increase your overall lean muscle mass, and that will raise your resting metabolism, which means you will burn more calories at rest. Whether you choose high reps with low resistance or more weight with fewer reps, you can achieve the same results. Your present fitness and strength levels should determine how you go about weight training.

If you're a beginner new to weight training, anything you do will make you stronger and increase the amount of muscle you have on your frame. I like people in this category to start out with lighter weights that enable them to complete 12-15 repetitions of each exercise for a couple of sets. When 2-3 sets of 15 reps is no longer challenging, we'll add weight, knowing that 12 reps will be possible with the next-higher increment of resistance. I would continue this pattern for 6-8 weeks before adding weight and dropping the number of repetitions.

When someone has completed the elementary stage of a weight program, or has been lifting weights for a while, she or he can handle higher weights with fewer reps per set. More resistance produces greater overload on the muscle fibers involved in a particular exercise. The fibers will grow faster, and you'll get stronger quicker and add more lean mass to your frame. Your resting metabolism will increase, and you'll burn more calories at rest.

Choose as many multi-joint exercises as you can, in either case, in order to engage more total muscle fibers while doing the exercise. Squats or leg presses, bench presses, lat pull-downs and overhead presses all help build muscle more quickly than isolated, one-joint exercises will. More muscle means higher metabolism means more calories burned throughout the day. It doesn't matter which route you take.

[tasi]

Uhmm Bama I was not saying that you were illiterate because I am getting the feeling that this is what you are suggesting that I meant as far as you mentioning your education in college and taking classes in physiology???? Throwing that part in is way off of this topic and was out of line.What does your education in college have to do with this topic? When I meant by(educating myself),I meant by learning from others at the spa that I am going to now and talking to trainers in general.It is more like a family like atmosphere.Nobody can tell you better about sagging in general and what to do unless they have gone through it themselves and have been successful by doing light weight training and cardio.To me that is the best education and having a good trainer that is working with you.I am only 5 ft tall and was weighing 298lbs.Was it hard? YES! It was very difficult when I first starting exercising in general.I only walked on the treadmill for 3 months straight.Barely able to put one foot before the other.As I started losing the weight then that was when I noticed the sagging.That was when I got with a trainer and started getting more involved with the people that were working out there rather than just being off to myself and not socializing with anyone.Now that is how I got my education from exercising and toning FYI.So I will not be slinging shots back in forth about eduaction because that was way out of line and off of this topic.Jellybean asked for an opinion and that was what I gave.You are right the same thing does not work for everyone.You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine.That is what this board is about.Of course everyone's views on any subject are going to be different.I am only trying to help because I know how she is feeling and I am pretty sure a lot of others on this board does too.I took everything in baby steps that is why I am able to work out 2-3 hrs.It is not a chore for me anymore because I love it.I am use to working out.I have been going to the spa since June faithfully.Now enough said about that.Jellybean just take everything in baby steps if you choose to join an exercise gym.Finding a good trainer and getting to talk with others will help out a lot.Everyone has to start out slow.Just as mentioned above in my post I have only been doing the light weight training for about 2 months now and yes I do have a long ways to go but I am not giving up because I have my family and people from the spa that are supporting me and have noticed how much weight that I have lost and how I am toning up.That also helps to keep me going when you get those huge pats on the back.That is a wonderful feeling.I am behind you 100% in anything that you want to do.I hope that others will join in this thread that can give you some more suggestions.I was only letting you know what was working for me in case you wanted to try it.If you have any further questions just private message me.I will not be replying under this thread anymore if it must come down to mudslinging because I am above that.I wish you a lot of good luck you can do it.

[IHave3JellyBeans]

Thanks for your help girls. I appreciate the fast response.
Sorry for causing such a controversy. I do get the idea.
(I need to work out) I will start today, and I will be sure to take it slow so I don't hurt myself. Thanks again, Terri

Tasi and Bama Belle good luck in your Journey

[Cuquita13]

Drinking lots of water is also very important in maintaining skin elasticity. Try to drink at least 8 glasses a day. You may need more depending on your weight. I also take vitamin E and I use a skin firming lotion because I started getting stretch marks on the sides of my stomach and it has helped. The vitamin E has even made my nails stronger and the water also helped clear up my face. These things along with exercise will definitely help. Good Luck!

[IHave3JellyBeans]

Thank you Aileen,
I already have lots of stretch marks from having 3 kids, so I'm not so worried about that. (Lol) I have always wanted to try the skin firming lotion, but thought it was a waste of money. Dose it really work? Also what kind do you recommend?
Terri
5'10" SW 233.5 (Oct.2004)
CW 195
GW 165

[Cuquita13]

Right now I'm using one from bath and body works but I have heard good things about the Jergens skin firming lotion. I think I see improvement but my skin is not really saggy yet since I havn't lost that much weight so I can't really say whether it would work on someone with very loose skin or not. I moisturize anyways so I figured why not use a moisturizer with something extra in it instead of a regular one. The price is not really that different so I thought it couldn't hurt.

[lynette36]

Is there a meal plan for this medication in stead of a low carb diet plan

[IHave3JellyBeans]

lynette36,
Im not sure who your asking. I myself am not on a low carb diet!! After I started phen I changed my way of eating but it's not a specific plan. I don't get cravings like I use to. So now when I do eat I just make sure its not the junk I was eating before. (chips, ice-cream, pop, candy, cookies, cakes, French fries, deep-fried anything, alcohol) etc.etc.
Hope this helps, Terri