What's up w/ this extra skin???

[Val]

I'm not nearly as small as I want to be yet, but I'm about the same size as I was when I got pregnant. Luckily, I didn't get any stretch marks, or super deflated skin, but when I lean over AT ALL I've got rolls! I NEVER had that before I had my little heathen. Will my stomach skin EVER go back to normal? Can I ever get a six-pack again? Any experience w/ this ladies? It's really starting to hit me that I'm never gonna look really hot in a bikini again. Wtf?

[Jumbo]

Originally Posted by Val

I'm not nearly as small as I want to be yet, but I'm about the same size as I was when I got pregnant. Luckily, I didn't get any stretch marks, or super deflated skin, but when I lean over AT ALL I've got rolls! I NEVER had that before I had my little heathen. Will my stomach skin EVER go back to normal? Can I ever get a six-pack again? Any experience w/ this ladies? It's really starting to hit me that I'm never gonna look really hot in a bikini again. Wtf?

as long as you stay w/ a healthy lifestyle w/ diet and excersise you'll be hot well into your fifties. There's not a guy on this board that wouldn't do a double take if you walked by...........im sure some of the ladies would too.

[Puddles]

First, don't be so hard on yourself. Anyone that sees you will see you as beautiful. We are our own worst enemies at times.

Some people have very elastic skin and it tightens up quickly, for others it takes longer. Usually by a year the skin is as tight as it's gonna get. If you didn't gain much fat, chances are that as you continue to get leaner and restrengthen your ab muscles, your skin will fit you well again.

If it does not shrink back, once you're done having children you can look into getting a tummy tuck if it's that important to you. Just start saving your $ now, it's pricey.

[superqt4u2nv]

Great Q Val after losing over 40lbs for my contest even when my abs came in there was still lose skin. I am going to be losing another 30lbs for my next comp and this is a concern of mine is there anything creme was that will help skin tighten up or is time the only thing?

[Val]

Jumbo, thanks. You're sweet.

Puddles, I'm not one to shy away from cosmetic surgery. As soon as my baby bearing is over (2007) I will not hesitate to let my shallowness evolve towards "the knife".

Super QT, Wow! I knew you had made tremendous changes by looking at your photos, but 40 lbs is amazing. You should be damn proud. Another 30 will have you looking like a freakin' super-star! You will be crazy shredded. I know that losing weight can cause the sagging skin as well. There are a lot of factors that play into whether it tightens back up or not. Genetics (skin elasticity), how long you carried the weight, how quickly you lost it, age. There is a skin cream called Strivectin that's supposed to work wonders. One of my girlfriends gave birth a couple of days after me and had gotten stretch marks really bad. She also ended up w/ a c-section and quite a bit of loose skin. She used it for several months and noticed a huge difference. Strivectin is REALLY expensive, though and I don't have the $$$ for that kind of thing.

I'm trying to do more core work and improve my posture in hopes that this will make a difference. It sort of looks like a little fat pocket right around my belly button, but there aren't any wrinkles in it like some of my girlfriends have. It's just strange, b/c no matter how much weight I've gained in the past, I've never really stored fat in my belly. It always tends to gravitate towards the butt and thighs.

[superqt4u2nv]

Thanks Val when I started I was 184 morning before the show 141 right now 155 (dam rebound sucks) as I see it I need to come in around 125 @ 7% bf for the next comp so from where I am now that is 30lbs. Before this comp didn't think figure girls had to get there bf that low but after seeing the ladies that won mine I know that is where I need too be.

[Val]

7%??? Are you positive? Monica Brant switched over to figure and she rarely gets below 12%. I think she may have been around 10% at the last Olympia, but all of the judges were saying the girls were still a bit too lean. The leanest I've EVER been is 14-15% and I was pretty shredded at 112 lbs and 5'2". I had veins showing all over my arms and even a few in my lower oblique area. In that shape I would've easily swept most of the novice figure competitions. I swear, I'm not trying to undermind you in anyway, but is your trainer a guy? Sometimes they don't realize exactly how us girls "work". I know you'll look fantastic. You've come a long way and are really an inspiration to us all, even to those who are not new to fitness at all.

Keep up the good work! Oh, also, check out this site for suits... they're not "custom", but they fit really good and are very sturdy. www.sophiesswimwear.com
I don't know if they'd work for an evening show, but they might work well for your prelims and definitely for photos.

[superqt4u2nv]

Yeah Val I thought 12% was the standard to but these girls were shredded. This is based on there feed back from the girl that won in my class came in around 8% or so. She had done several comps so she had a very good idea of what the judges wanted. It is diffrent from each federation and what they require. The girls that did well basically were as cut as BB would be minus a bit of size on there upper body some could have easily crossed over to BB.

Thanks for the link too the suit site.

[mega12]

Val, how long ago did you have baby? I know it does take some time for the elastisity that comes with pregnancy to go back to normal, and that time will vary from person to person. I think given your body type all skin will return to the way it was with time, especially if you said no stretch marks. But if the knife is the last resort, I know a couple of women that needed some work due to serious scaring from c-section, and look fantastic now, so a proceedure to just tighten the skin would be very simple. Either way you'll come out looking great.
mega

[Puddles]

Originally Posted by Val

It sort of looks like a little fat pocket right around my belly button, but there aren't any wrinkles in it like some of my girlfriends have.

Maybe a little lipo would work for you instead of a tuck.