Saturday, July 10, 2010

Dim the Lights, Honey...


Making Peace With Imperfections

Hurrah, we've lost weight! We're on our way to getting slim but if you are anything like me, your body is just a smaller version of the old one. Same imperfections only to a lesser degree. With me it's the arms. After all the exercise, one would think they'd be well-toned and yet the flab still hangs. Darn! On the other hand, my biceps are looking great, I just love feeling my muscles and I am sure, hidden under that flab there are some great triceps too.

Dressed, I look damn good. People wonder why I'm still on a diet. But they don't see what I see before I put my clothes on in the morning. I guess it is time to accept that fact that I will never look good buck naked. Dim the lights, honey...

My muscles have been ignored far too long and are slow to respond. As we age our skin loses some of its elasticity, it just isn't fair! For you young 'uns, lucky you, appreciate what you have. And for us, a bit more mature adults, we just have to be thankful for what we've got.

To help prevent loose skin as a result of dieting:
  • exercise to tighten and tone
  • build muscle - resistance training helps
  • stay hydrated
  • lose slowly
  • don't overdo your time in the sun
  • use a moisturizer
  • if you are a smoker, take your last puff
  • be patient, you can't tighten skin overnight
At least we are on the right track and although we might never be a Playboy or Playgirl centerfold, we are headed toward being the best we can be.

If you have any further knowledge on the subject or have undergone any surgical procedures for this dilemma, we'd love to hear about it.

12 comments:

Karen@WaistingTime said...

Glad to know I am not the only one who feels so different about what I see instead of what others see. My belly. Ugh. My thighs. Both fairly hidden under clothes. But still. Fortunately, my hubby doesn't mind. (Because that is exactly where my mind went with your post title.)

Patrick said...

Loose skin... not sure there is too much you can do about it really. Better loose than tight against a fattttt body

Andrea said...

No body looks good buck naked...it's all "movie magic" oh..and surgery and starvation. ;)

Diminishing Lucy said...

I have done all the things in your list. And overall, the majority of my skin has snapped back. Apart from my tummy. I am 41. I had three children in quick succession in my late thirties. I was obese, now I am not. But I have an apron of skin: a huge saggy overhang.....it is revolting.

So in November, I am booked in for an Abdominoplasty........

Bobbie's Babbles said...

I totally get the flabby thing. My triceps used to look great, but now when I see my arms in the mirror, I think of my grandmother. Oy!!!

Debi said...

Ellen..

I see in the mirror exactly what your saying...ugh is right! but I have seen people who have lost tons of weight still have their skin bounce back..I hope I am one of those fortunate ones! I think your advice to help is perfect...those are what I am doing.
Debi
Second Journey

Linda Pressman said...

I always feel like my arms are the "evidence" that I once weighed 211 pounds. Everything else snapped back, probably because I lost weight before my skin lost all its elasticity, like now!

That's not to say I have good legs (gross, actually) or a good butt (to me it's truly horrifying) but who can see them anyway? I've heard that some of the more intense yoga workouts (Bikrams) can help with muscle toning but I can't seem to convince myself to do that. The whole 90 minutes trapped in a 105 degree room kind of flips me out!

Kate Sermon said...

Thanks for coming by my blog! In answer to your question I'm doing everything differently! I'm listening to his DVD every morning. It's a deep relaxation/self-hypnosis thing. And i truely have reprogrammed myself. It feels like my food issues have melted away. I am eating only when I am hungry and stopping when I am satisfied. I have no desire to eat more. This is BIG news for me, believe me. I'm only on Day 4, but right from the word 'go' it had changed. I'm enjoying the ride right now and will weigh at the end of a week to see what effect these smaller, lesser meals have had. (I'm also eating whatever I want, no rules...marvelous).

Annie said...

Loose skin is something I've worried about with losing weight, but I figure I'll be healthier and happier and perhaps I can just wear that loose skin like my battle stripes. I will have earned that loose skin!!

I have an award for you on my blog!

http://annieweighsblog.blogspot.com/

Patsy said...

Awww! I remember when I first lost 245lbs... To be honest, I was lucky the loose skin wasn't MUCH worse, but it was bad enough... Thankfully, it was really only on my upper arms and thighs - I didn't carry too much weight on my tummy, but then I've gained weight and had a baby since then... Still, I'm kinda looking forward to the loose skin this (final!) time around being a testament of my weight loss success! :o)

Emilia said...

You have an award over at my blog, [238] and Shrinking!

PS: I'm also giving away a Biggest Loser Cookbook to celebrate dropping 18 lbs and getting below 220 lbs, so be sure to enter on the official post and good luck!

-Emilia

www.ventaxcatalogo.com said...

Well, I don't really think it may have success.