Dieters: How to Avoid Loose Skin Problems

We lose weight to look great and feel good about our bodies. And
yet even when we lose a lot of weight and look great in our
clothes we can still feel unhappy at how our bodies look
undressed.

The problem?

Unwanted loose sagging skin left as a reminder of our former
shape. Here are the 5 keys to prevent loose sagging skin when
you undergo a weight loss program.

1. Lose weight slowly

Skin has remarkable powers of elasticity and yet it does not
snap back instantly into shape if you lose a lot of weight
quickly – anyone who has ever had a baby will tell you that one
for free!

The more gradually you lose weight the easier it is for your
skin to keep pace with your new shape. You certainly didn’t put
on all those pounds overnight – your skin had time to adapt so
don’t try to get rid of them all at once either if you want your
skin to stay looking good.

Change your habits gradually so that you lose your weight bit by
bit and you’re far less likely to have problems than someone
going on a crash diet and congratulating themselves on losing
100lbs in 6 months.

2. Eat nutrient rich foods

If your meals and snacks consist of junk food (even if you eat
it in smaller quantities than before) then you’re unlikely to
nourish your skin properly and build up its strength.

Choose foods which are high in vitamins and minerals and low in
sugar, saturated fat and additives. Include foods high in
essential fatty acids such as avocados, olives, oily fish, nuts
and seeds and oils made from these and also ensure that you have
an adequate supply of lean protein.

3. Preserve your muscle tone

When you lose weight you may find that the skin becomes loose
because you have lost some of the underlying muscle which
supports it. If you lose more than a pound or two of weight a
week then it is very likely you’re losing muscle tissue as well
as fat and without specific intense exercises to replace that
muscle your skin will sag.

In any case, no matter how fast you lose weight (and even just
to prevent age-related sagging) it is always helpful to do some
toning exercises for all parts of your body including your face
to keep skin firm if you care about looking good.

4. Keep skin hydrated

Drink plenty of water to keep skin healthy. If you drink wall to
wall fizzy drinks, coffee and tea skin suffers because these
drinks cause you to be more dehydrated than ever. And diet
drinks full of additives do not help your skin no matter how few
calories they contain. Only water and pure herbal teas will do
the trick.

You can add lemon or orange slices to your water and you can
have it at any temperature you like but drink enough – about 2
litres a day. That’s about 8 glasses. If it helps try the rubber
band trick and put 8 bands on your wrist or around a pot or
bottle on your desk and remove one each drink of water you have.

5. Lose weight sooner rather than later

Don’t keep putting off your weight loss program. The older you
are and the longer you have been overweight the less elastic and
resilient your skin becomes and the more you need to stick
stringently to the other guidelines here to prevent skin
becoming too loose.

Also don’t get too complacent about being able to eat all you
want and then lose weight later before you get hugely overweight
The constant yo-yo dieting stretching and then loosening the
skin will harm your skin’s elasticity too.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

1. Prev:“Just say no” ain’t enough to avoid holiday weight gain
2. Next:The Truth About Weight Loss Myths