Weight Loss, Fat Deposits, and Skin

Question
Reverend Abbott,

In the last year, my lifestyle changed and I have added about 50 lbs to my 6'3" frame, and nearly 6 inches to my waist.  I was relatively slender one year ago, now my abdomen is full of fat.

I know more or less what I need to do to recover: return to the gym and sporting activities, and return to a more healthy pattern of eating.  However, one question still nags.

Let's say that, through diet and exercise, I lose the 50 lbs of fat over the course of a year (about one pound/week).  Will my body return to it's old form after, or have I irrevocably damaged myself?  I'm thinking mostly of my fat deposits and my skin -- even if I lose fat and add muscle, have I forever lost the healthy "tight" skin that I used to have?

Thanks,
David (Toronto, Canada)

Answer
The good news is that you have a complete handle on what you need to do - and it will likely take a lot LESS time than you think!  Just by getting in a brisk walk every day, for 15 minutes and modifying your food intake by just about 20% (depending on what you eat more than how much you eat) you could pretty easily do this in maybe half the time.

Our skin (the body's largest organ by the way) is remarkably elastic. It might lose some of that as we get older, but it doesn't sound like you're nearly in that age group yet (depending on heredity, 50's, 60's and over).

The amount of weight you're talking about losing, as long as it's done WITH exercise, shouldn't pose any problem with excess skin.  

As for fat (altogether different from skin), once fat cells are created, they are forever. The only way to decrease their numbers is via surgery/liposuction.  
Now, that's pretty curious isn't it? Considering that some people (like me) have weighed a signficant amount of weight, but for years, have maintained a slimmer body. No one would imagine I have enough fat cells to = OBESE! Where are they?
 Well, they're there. They're just flat as a pancake! When we lose fat, the cells empty out. Imagine a sandwich bag with a giant club sandwich in it. That's a fat cell WITH fat. Take the sandwich out and you've just got an empty, small bag that takes up little more space than a piece of paper.

So - you go ahead and do what you've got planned, what you know is right! You will be absolutely FINE! No permanent damage done!  Just be sure to do it healthily ok?  NO dieting!!!!!!!!!!

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