Loose Skin After Weight Loss

One of the most frustrating things about weight loss is loose skin.

You do the hard work and lose the weight, only to be disappointed when your skin isn’t matching your new body. 

Let’s talk about a few things that can help with that. 

What causes loose skin after weight loss?

Obesity obviously stretches the skin. And for various reasons, it doesn’t always bounce right back.

Age can make it worse

As we get older, we lose a lot of collagen and elastin, proteins that help the skin to stay nice and firm. 

A lot of fat loss

The more fat you have to lose, the higher the risk of having some loose skin when you’ve lost it.

Rapid weight loss

If you lose a lot of fat really quickly, the skin doesn’t have a chance to do its thing and adapt to your new body composition. 

Losing and regaining

Losing and gaining that same fifty pounds over and over again is going to wear your skin down to the point where it just can’t recover as easily. 

Poor diet

Most people who end up on a weight loss journey are not eating right to begin with. 

Not getting enough protein and healthy fats in the diet could contribute to loose skin after weight loss. 

Sedentary lifestyle 

Ever heard the phrase, “Move it or lose it?” Muscle helps to support our skin. 

If you’re not active, chances are you are losing muscle. 

And that’s going to make loose skin more of a problem for you.

So how can I lose weight but not have loose skin?

We’re not going to make guarantees that you won’t have any loose skin after you’ve met your weight loss goals.

But we do have a few tips that can help to prevent or minimise loose skin. 

Fasting 

Our number one tip is to fast for weight loss.

People who lose fat through fasting have way less loose skin than those who lose it through diets. 

Why? Two main reasons: autophagy and Human Growth Hormone.

Autophagy is the body’s built-in recycling system. 

It eats up old, damaged cells, and that includes loose skin. 

But you won’t get autophagy following a typical weight loss diet. 

Because taking in any food, even if it’s only a little, turns off autophagy. 

Fasting turns autophagy on. And not only turns it on, but ramps it up big time. 

Fasting also ramps up Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

HGH can not only build and maintain muscle, but it can help tighten saggy skin. 

So if you’re going to lose fat, do it with fasting. 

And make fasting a lifestyle. 

Once you lose the weight, find an Intermittent Fasting schedule that keeps you at your goal weight.

That way you don’t have to keep losing and gaining the same weight over and over again. 

Eat right

When you’re not fasting, focus on protein and healthy fats. 

This will help you keep that muscle and give you healthier, more supple skin. 

Stay hydrated 

Drink your water! Staying hydrated can help improve your skin’s elasticity. 

On the other hand … 

There is some anecdotal evidence that throwing a short dry fast in every once in a while can help tighten the skin. 

Weight bearing exercises

Adding some weight bearing exercises into your routine a few times a week can build and maintain muscle to support your skin. 

Building muscle also helps because it naturally fills in some of that space from the fat loss.

Topical creams and lotions

The creams and lotions on the market make big claims, and who knows, maybe some of them really do help. 

At the very least, they can keep your skin more moisturised. 

What about collagen supplements?

There’s no real evidence that collagen supplements actually work. 

You’re better off including collagen boosting foods in your diet. 

Foods like bone broth, beef, chicken, and eggs, and foods high in vitamin C, will help your body make collagen. 

Try not to stress about it

Even if you’re left with some loose skin, you’ve done something amazing!

You’ve lost the weight you wanted to and created a healthier, happier life for yourself. 

And that’s worth celebrating!