Dealing with weight loss: Part 1
When it comes to losing weight, especially if we lose a large amount of weight quite quickly, it can be difficult for us to process the changes mentally in the same time frame. You may find the reflection you see of your slimmer self isn't what your brain expected to see and it may take some time to recognise the new you in the mirror. Your face will most likely have the biggest change over the shortest period of time.
One of the negatives of losing a lot of weight is that you can be left with excess skin. This could be arms (bingo wings), legs, neck, stomach or backside. As you age your skin loses its elasticity. However, even if you are young, being morbidly obese can often mean you've stretched the skin too far. When you lose the weight your skin will no longer shrink to accommodate your new size and in extreme cases you can have very unsightly hanging flaps of skin. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you should be aware that those six-pack abs you were longing for may never become a reality. So, in the most part you can cover any loose skin with clothing and most people will never know. This, however, can often nag you and dent your self esteem. Your existing partner or maybe even a new partner may be put off by your body but more than likely it will affect what you think others are thinking.
Other than living with the loose skin, the only option is skin removal surgery. This can be expensive and painful and may not always achieve the desired results. The cost of the surgery is rarely met by the NHS as they see the procedure as cosmetic. If the loose skin is causing you problems, real problems, then you may be able to persuade your doctor to refer you for the procedure. There's no guarantees.
On the plus side, with your new found body shape, you'll be shopping for new clothes more often than normal as you'll find your current clothes are too big for you. This can be a real boost to your self confidence and others will often notice too. Don't make the mistake of buying too many clothes though as many find they shrink too quickly to enjoy all the clothes they buy. Buy sparingly.
Do you have any experiences related to this? Share them in the comments below.
Posts
As I am loosing weight due to increased mobility again, I have no illusion to the fact I will never get the fit figure I had before my disability. If anything I am just glad I can loose the weight & probably only have a slightly chubby stomach due to skin not fully returning to how it used to be.
ReplyDeleteIf you prepare for it before you start loosing weight, I find its less than a disappointment. My only grumble is the slow progress but that's good too as it give time for the body to revert back as much as possible as the weight is lost.
I've been through a lot of the above and buying cheap clothes is the way to go on the journey down. It was Asda and Primark for me as before I could only get into the largest sizes from Marks and Spencer at great cost.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I will say is that you can't target a specific area. The loss comes from the fat all over the body. By the time you loose fat from your face there will have been bigger changes elsewhere.
The biggest hurdle is in your own mind once you overcome that there will be no stopping you.
Mine was the empty calories in alcohol, it needs to go before you even look at your diet. Once the diet and exercise kick in it becomes a virtuous circle, the more weight you loose the fitter you become, you can do more in the gym or on rides and this feeds through to you next time.
Just don't say " I can't do it".