Minimising Loose Skin After Weight Loss

I've been asked recently about loose skin and how to control it. Getting in shape is an amazing experience in terms of building your confidence and improving your overall health drastically. For some, the achievement is tainted with a reminder of their old self. This is largely due to the rapid drop in weight and with a good exercise and nutrition plan, you should be able to avoid such a blow to your image. There are products out there that claim they can reduce the appearance of loose skin but their results are minimal, so people turn to surgery. Before this happens though, (and if you are worried about the appearance of your skin after weight loss) try these simple steps.

1. Lose your weight gradually.

First things first, we need to know where you're at before we can travel to your destination. Finding out what percentage of your weight comes from fat is a good place to start and most gyms offer this service as part of their memberships. From there, you can devise a plan to bring your weight down slowly and improve the appearance of your skin. The best course of action when it comes to your exercise plans is to improve the tone and shape of your muscles, whilst bringing down fat levels. If you haven't done so already, speak to your gym or a personal trainer to help you devise a plan to meet your needs.

2. Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals.

You can do this by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Your vitamin and mineral intake is more important than you think and they all work in synergy together. Vitamin C is important in the production of collagen, which is created when Vitamin C is converted into the amino acid proline and then into hydroxyproline.

Sounds complicated. The long and short of it is no Vitamin C, no collagen! Other vitamins important in skin health are Vitamins A, E, C and the mineral Selenium. A and E in particular are classed as antioxidants, which protect our cells from free radical damage. Think of it as a battle. Free radicals are the bad guys, coming to attack your cells. Vitamins and minerals are the good guys, minimising the effects of the attackers. Taking an all round multivitamin supplement will also help.



3. Encourage the elasticity in your skin by exfoliating.

Do this daily. Exfoliating will help in removing dead skin cells and improves the circulation to those areas.

There are also services at top spas and salons that improve your lymphatic system and circulation (your lymph system is best describes as your body's plumbing. It wants to get rid of excess waste and improve the circulation in all areas of your body!). Traditional massage and other forms, such as hot stones, can improve lymphatic drainage, whereas body wraps help exfoliate your skin. So I've given you a reason to go to a spa and treat yourself, as if you needed one!

4. Aloe Vera, Soy Protein and Yeast extract are your skin's friends!

These 3 substances can improve the elasticity of your skin, by aiding in the production of collagen and elastin. they also boost your skins natural defences.

5. Drink plenty of water.

Imagine a balloon full water and how taut the balloon is when it's full. Releasing a bit of water from the balloon with make the balloon look saggy and wrinkly. This is exactly what happens to your cells when they are dehydrated. Keeping them hydrated will keep them taut.

Remember to bring the weight down gradually. You need time, perseverance and willpower. When you get there though, you'll be glad you did!

Carl is a top Personal Trainer in Leeds, England [http://www.carlmortimer.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_S_Mortimer

Home Remedies For Stretch Marks After Weight Loss

Lengthening of the skin more than its capacity causes the elastic tissues stop working thereby causing stretch marks. Human body is elastic in nature. Because of fat deposition in the body there are changes in the sizes of human bodies. There can be many side effects of this elasticity. Stretch Marks are one of the side effects of the same. These marks are mainly caused due to excessive changes in the elastic tissues of the human body.

How does it happen?

• Pregnancy is one of the factors where you can come across these marks. They are mainly caused on the abdominal area after the birth of the baby. After delivery of a baby, the abdomen tissues come back to its original size causing Stretch Marks.
• Excessive weight gain is also one of the factors that cause these marks. When a person is fat then the tissues and the muscles gets stretched and become big in circumference. After the weight reduction, the stretched muscles and the tissues are back to its normal size causing marks all over the reduced area.
• In adolescence there is a constant growth phase with hormonal changes occurring inside the body.In this case also, Stretch Marks are produced due to physiological changes in the biological system of the human body. 

 

Home remedies for stretch marks:

• These marks can be treated well with certain procedures. There are many creams available in the market that helps you to get rid of these unnecessary marks. However, there are many home remedies for treating these marks too.
• Application of Vitamin K rich cream is very useful to get back your smooth skin.
• You can incorporate Vitamin K rich fruits and vegetables in your diet. Green leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin K. Moreover, if you are a non vegetarian, you can go for liver or cod liver oil.
• Dairy products are immensely useful to get rid of such ugly marks.
• Aloe Vera and fruits rich in Vitamin E is also a good remedy for Stretch Marks. You can drink juice of Aloe Vera on a regular basis or apply a cream rich in Aloe Vera on your marks.
• The simplest way is to apply Vaseline Body Lotion on the stomach during pregnancy. If you apply this lotion for all nine months you can decrease the occurrence of post pregnancy Stretch Marks.
• Avocado is also a good option in removing these marks. Jojoba oil is equally good for your skin.
• You can apply jojoba oil on your affected area every morning and evening. This will soothe your muscles and make your skin look fresh and soft.
• Another tried and tested method is to do regular exercise. Exercises are the key to good health. For mental, emotional and physical well being, you must exercise regularly. Post pregnancy exercises are very useful to get rid of ugly marks. Exercises are good for healthy body, mind and soul. You can follow the instructions above to get a smooth skin.

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How To Get Rid Of Loose Skin After Losing Weight

Quick weight loss is the coveted dream of dieters all over the world. To enjoy better health and confidence - and to do it all in a matter of months - is the hope of everyone who goes on a crash diet or undergoes bariatric surgery.

Sometimes quick weight loss is attainable. It can even be sustained if the dieter is willing to make long-term lifestyle changes that promote a healthier weight. But sometimes rapid weight loss comes with unforeseen consequences.

Loose skin is a common complaint among people who have lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Now that they have lost a massive amount of fat, their skin hangs in drapes from their arms, back, and stomach.

For some, this is merely a cosmetic concern. For others, it leads to impaired range of motion.
While loose skin is a sad fact of quick weight loss, there are ways to avoid it, or to deal with it if it becomes a problem.

How To Get Rid Of Loose Skin

Slow Weight Loss = Tighter Skin

For starters, you could lose weight at a slower pace. If you lose your extra pounds over the course of years instead of months, your skin will slowly shrink to adapt.
However, some people are prone to saggy skin due to age or genetics. For them, even a moderate weight loss could result in unsightly folds.

Other people must undergo bariatric surgery for the sake of their health, so slow weight loss might not be an option. If prevention doesn't work, there are ways to get rid of loose skin.

The Surgical Approach

Cosmetic surgery is the fastest way to rid yourself of excess skin. Arm lifts and tummy tucks are popular procedures for getting rid of flab. Both are expensive, but many patients feel that the renewed confidence they feel is worth the price.

If you decide to have surgery to remove loose skin, schedule an initial consultation to discuss your expectations. The surgeon will recommend the appropriate procedures, and will show you before-and-after photos of patients who underwent the same surgeries.

What if you can't afford cosmetic surgery, or you have a health condition which makes you an unsuitable candidate for voluntary surgery? In that case, you can try losing more fat.

The Fat-Loss Theory

Yes, lose more fat. You may be thinking, "I haven't got any more fat to lose! My skin looks like empty bags!"
In extreme cases, such as cases where the patient cannot move around normally, excess skin should be trimmed away by a surgeon. But for everyone else, a little more fat loss could do the trick.

The theory goes like this: If you pinch the skin on the back of your hand, it feels thin as paper. That's because it has very little subcutaneous fat.

But if you pinch your stomach or the backs of your upper arms, you might notice that the folds of skin are thicker there than on your hands. That's because, despite appearances, you're still carrying a layer of fat in those places.

Losing fat does not necessarily mean losing weight. In fact, as you ramp up the strength-training to build muscle, you may notice a weight gain. That's because muscle is denser than fat. You will end up smaller, but heavier - and healthier.

This approach takes patience and perseverance. It could take months or even years for you to reach a low body fat percentage.

It could take just as long for your skin to shrink to its former size. In the end, your metabolism will be faster than ever thanks to your increased muscle mass.

Loose skin happens. If it's happening to you, explore your alternatives by doing a little research and deciding which path you want to take. Whether it's prevention, surgery, or fat loss, your choice will bring you closer to the body you want.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Everett_Dunn

How To Lose Saggy Stomach

It's not your stomach that's sagging. It's your abdomen. And, it's not the muscle that's sagging because your abs are working for you constantly. So, your problem has to be either fat or loose skin or both.

If the problem is fat, you'll have to lose it and that means calorie control. You must control your energy (calorie) deficit to burn fat. There is no other way. Exercise is not a panacea because you can always eat more calories than you can burn.

If the problem is loose skin, there's nothing you can do but wait and hope there's sufficient elasticity to allow it to tighten up again...a process which may take several weeks. It will depend on how much fat you lost from your abs, your age, how much fat remains to be lost, etc.

Check out these ab facts.

• Your abs do not need exercise. They are working for you most of your waking hours helping contain your internal organs and preventing your spine from collapsing like a stack of poker chips. Of course, you can still work them harder or more if you want to.

• You can feel your abs at work by pressing your fingers against the abdominal wall while sitting down, standing up, walking, lifting, coughing, or doing almost any physical activity. Try it.

• The reason abs are not visible or prominent is subcutaneous (under the skin) fat. If you have no abdominal (belly) fat, you will see your abs when the muscle is contracted.

• The only nonsurgical way to lose ab fat is through calorie control and that means diet.

• There is no nonsurgical way to remove fat from only the abdominal area. The body and genetics determine where fat leaves when a person reduces body fat through calorie control.

• There are no supplements, pills, topical applications, spa treatments, etc. which will remove fat from the abs.

• Sit-ups, ab crunches, or abdominal exercises will not remove fat from the abs any more or better or faster than jogging, lifting weights, or running on a treadmill.

• When burning fat, the location of the muscles being exercised has nothing to do with where fat is lost. Spot fat reduction is a myth.

• Ab fat is usually the last fat to go when a person loses fat. That means for prominent fat free abdominal muscles, body fat will have to be reduce to about 10% or less. It also means there is no fast way for a person with ab fat to get prominent abs without surgery.

• If a navel is concave (an "innie") or dimpled inward, it is surrounded by ab fat. The deeper the navel depression, the more ab fat there is around it. The more ab fat, the longer it will be before the abs can be visible or prominent.

• The only nonsurgical way to lose ab fat is to use calorie control to lose fat and then wait for the fat to leave the abs.

• For most people, there is no nonsurgical way to lose ab fat fast or easily.

• Abs, like any other skeletal muscle, can only grow in size and strength through increased resistance training/work.

• Not all people have a "six pack". Some people have 4, 5, 6, 7, or even 8 heads to their rectus abdominus muscle.

• Most people never get six pack abs because it's just too hard and not necessarily good for their health.

• Just about every website you see if you Google "six pack abs" will be bogus, misleading, or contain a mix of good and bad advice and/or information.

• A cut six pack abdomen is not necessarily a sign of good health. In many cases it's a sign of poor health.

The truth is, unless you're very young (teens) and have the genes of a near ectomorph, you will probably find that a ripped abdomen is not for you. It will require too much sacrifice for too little gain. No one needs a prominent six pack so you will find almost no information about six pack abs on any of the scientific or government web sites. They don't care about your vanity. They care about your health. That's why most of the information about six pack abs on the internet is bad information or scammers trying to sell you supplements.

What Is Cellulite Made From?

If you are worried about unattractive cellulite that seems to be most prone for women in the butt, thigh and calves then you will find this article very informative. Learning what causes cellulite and how to get rid of cellulite are the first steps in eliminating it. Cellulite is not just for fat or overweight people. Thin women have cellulite as well.

What Is Cellulite?

We all know what cellulite looks like...it is dimpled look on your thighs and other areas that is almost impossible to get rid of. But what the heck is cellulite.? The medical terms for cellulite is adiposis edematosa, dermopanniculosis deformans, status protrusus cutis, and gynoid lipodystrophy. A less confusing explanation for cellulite is It is just fat. The fat isn't responsible for the lumpy look though, it is pockets of fat that are deep under the skin that push against the underlying connective tissue. When the fat expands it takes up space under the skin, which places a lot of pressure on the connective tissue. The pressure from the fat against the tissue pushes everything against it, creating the dimpled look we all know and love. When there are numerous fat pockets, there are numerous bumps and it just keeps expanding further across the skin.

Imagine a wonderful pan of cinnamon buns set nicely into a round baking tray. You pop them in the oven and 20 minutes later you take the tray out and they buns are close to overflowing. This is what happens with the fat pockets under your skin, they expand and keep expanding until there isn't anywhere to go. So what you are seeing with the dimpled effect is the expanded fat pressing on your skin from underneath. NICE!

A young person has more elasticity to their skin so it remains smooth. As you reach puberty and beyond, hormones come into play which results in your skin becoming much stiffer and less elastic. And then as we age further the outer layer of skin weakens making the cellulite much more noticeable. But knowing what cellulite is doesn't make it any better! There are millions of dollar spent each year on products trying to get rid of cellulite, and whether you are thin or not it still affects 85 percent of women.

Why Women Are Blessed With Cellulite-Why Men Aren't?

Women's skin is generally thinner than a man's skin. The epidermis in a male is much thicker, so when that body fat is pressing against the skin, it doesn't change the connective tissue in the same way as it does with a woman.

There is another basic reason which is that male and female skin is different. The female fat cells are arranged in rows, so when the fat gets bigger it pushes upwards against the skin. A male's fat cells are in a cross-crossed pattern. So the space inside each criss cross is a lot smaller and will not pop up in the same manner. If it does it tends to show up as a big blog of fat.

Underwear that is constrictive will stop the blood flow in the lower areas of your body, causing the cellulite development to speed up. You don't need to resort to big baggy underwear, but loser fitting, or none at all (oh my!) will help get that pesky cellulite fat under control.

What Causes Cellulite?

There are a couple reasons for this type of body fat. If you are a woman, that would be the main one. Most men do not get cellulite, but there are a few other reasons. Hormonal Factors: Fluctuating hormones can cause the development of cellulite. Prolactin, thyroid hormones, non adrenal, estrogen and insulin all play a roll in the development of cellulite. Genetics: If your grandmother or mother had cellulite, there is a very good chance you will if you have similar characteristics such as poor circulation, slow metabolism, and also how your body fat is arranged underneath your skin. Diet: A poor diet will definitely cause cellulite. It stresses the skin causing it to fail. A diet that has a lot of complex carbohydrates and lean protein with good fats will improve the quality of your skin. Lymph glands: Our lymph glands role is to remove extra fluids and waste from the tissue. When the lymph glands are not working properly waste and toxins build up in the tissues and cellulite is the end result.

Prevent Cellulite

A healthy diet is the first step in preventing or getting rid of cellulite. Fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and good fats will help you remove the toxins from your body. Toxins are stored in fat cells, which expands the fat cell causing the cellulite. Stop smoking, not just to get rid of cellulite, but for better general health. Start the day with a glass of hot water mixed with the juice of one lemon, this cleanses the liver, and continue to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Your diet accounts for 80% of how you look. Exercise and genetics play a small but important role as well.