Category Archives: Lose skin

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How to deal with lose skin after weight loss

Category : Fat loss , Health , Lose skin

After my weight loss, loose skin was definitely an issue. Especially around my stomach and underarms. Although it wasn’t as bad as some peoples, it was still not ideal. Add two pregnancies on top of the weight loss too!

then-and-now-chemaineOn my journey though I learned some hacks to give that bounce back to my skin and helped the appearance of the suspect areas. Now don’t get me wrong, these hacks didn’t completely reverse the loose skin but definitely minimized the damage!!

 

Why does skin get loose?
Skin has to stretch as we move, grow — and in the case of weight loss, shrink. It is an incredibly elastic living organ. When you lose weight, and especially when you lose weight very quickly, the elastic components of your skin not only lose the layers of fat that keep them stretched out over your body, but they also don’t have much time for their elasticity to adapt to your new shape. Add in other variables like aging, dehydration, sun damage and you have a recipe for disaster.

My favorites for helping my loose skin are without a doubt weight lifting, Pilates and consuming coconut oil but the below tips have been amazing aids too. Check them out —>

Tip #1 – Don’t Lose Weight Too Quickly

As mentioned, in addition to weight loss — age, poor nutrition, dehydration, excessive sun exposure, and smoking can all affect the elasticity of the skin.
BUT Crash diets and excessive amounts of time spent exercising can rapidly shed both muscle and fat, resulting in a double-whammy on your skin. The supportive underlying muscular structure that holds skin against your body is lost, as is the fat that keeps the skin stretched out. Take your weight loss one day at a time.

Tip #2 – Stay Hydrated

Attend to your hydration needs. Water is a crucial component of maintaining skin elasticity. From both food and drink, you should be taking in at LEAST two liters of water each day – but I recommend my clients are hitting 3.4 liters. A wonderful resource for learning more about proper hydration is this article from Nutrition Diva: How Much Water Should I Drink?

Tip #3 – Eat Properly

Two necessary ingredients that keep skin plump and elastic are collagen and elastin. Protein-rich foods such as cottage cheese, milk, legumes, beans, seeds, nuts, and fish all contain collagen and elastin forming components, as well as oils to help maintain healthy skin. Selenium from Brazil nuts is also a favorite of mine – it works best with vitamin E for aging.

Tip #4 – Take Care of Your Skin

Nourish and care for your skin. Daily exfoliation can help to remove dead skin cells and increase skin circulation. A hot bath with sea salts and minerals can improve skin tone. Skin tightening creams with herbal formulas and ingredients such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, yeast extract, resveratrol, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin A can help to hydrate and increase collagen and elastin formation in skin.

PS: Stay away from harsh detergents, such a sulfates in soaps, shampoos and dishwashing liquids, stay away from tanning booths, and limit your exposure to hot and chlorinated water—all of these things will decrease skin elasticity 😉