Rapid weight loss - loose skin

I'm doing a very low calorie diet and have approval from my doctor to do it. Basically its 400 calories a day and the weight is dropping off. I'm only one week in and have lost 10 pounds already.

My question is, is there anything I can do to reduce the amount of loose skin that I'll end up with? I'm aiming at losing four stone and this is something that I'm thinking about a lot :rolleyes:

I am using a body cream and I swim every other day but is there anything else that I could do that would help?

Cheers guys.

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Reply 1

patrickthestarfish

Your doctor OK'd 400 calories a day???

I think the main way of preventing loose skin is to lose weight gradually, sorry.

Edit: How much do you have to lose?

Reply 2

yodude888

400 calories a day? Is your doctor retarded?

Reply 3

tomfb

That's like breakfast. Seriously was he a real doctor to ok 400 calories a day? At least 2000 calories a day with exercise and you would lose weight, maybe slower but you wouldn't end up with lots of excess skin.

Reply 4

Miss Monkey

Is it a properly organised VLCD? I did one, lost 3 stone in 3 months and have no loose skin at all. Then got out of control and have gone on to loose another 4 stone by myself. Not healthy, but still no loose skin. If you're young you're more likely to be lucky and not be left with any.

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

Miss Monkey

Yes, it is a properly organised VLCD. I'm aiming to lose 5 stone so hopefully I'll stay the course.

I'm hoping there won't be much loose skin and exercise will help I guess. My concern came from a tv programme (Dr Phil) where a teen had lost a similar amount and he had a lot of loose skin - he looked terrible - and Dr Phil agreed that cosmetic surgery was the way to go to get rid of it. I can't afford that kind of solution so I'm hoping to do what I can to avoid so much loose skin.

Reply 6

JCM89

Gall stones are also a risk with that kind of diet but at least you are being medically supervised.

Reply 7

Jaytwizzle1000

Just curious what you eat/what your diet is in 400 calories a day? I'm not attacking you, just wondering.

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

Jaytwizzle1000

Just curious what you eat/what your diet is in 400 calories a day? I'm not attacking you, just wondering.

I don't eat! :frown:

It's a 16 week fasting programme so no meals as such - just a liquid diet.

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

JCM89

Gall stones are also a risk with that kind of diet

I know - I'm being prescribed urso by my doctor to reduce the risk of gall stones.

Reply 10

Subcutaneous

You'll loose 10lbs in your first week as you're very overweight, if not obese so there tends to be a HUGE loss in your first week, more than normal, i'd say you should go to loose 2-4lbs a week now as you're very big and on a VLCD, personally i would never touch these diets.
As for excess skin get to the gym and tone yourself up.

I'm on a diet atm where i'm eating roughly 1500calories a day, thats 1000calories more and im eating reguarly, lots of food, healthily and still loosing the weight,

Reply 11

Brotherhood

Subcutaneous

It doesn't work like that.

Reply 12

Subcutaneous

Brotherhood

It doesn't work like that.

it's a prevention

I have loose skin and have been advised to start doing strength training and make my diet largely protein.

Unfortunately a slow and steady loss would be more benefical for the OP here...

Reply 13

oo_Lucinda_oo

Anonymous

My friend did a VLCD, she lost 3 and a half stone, and she hasn't had any loose skin. If you're really concerned about it, could you occasionally go on a higher plan of the VLCD, to slow things down a bit?

Apparently after about 6 months, your skin firms up. Obviously with the more you lose, the more likely you are to have loose skin. Bio Oil helps to firm skin, as does cocoa butter, and exfoiliating regularly. Unfortunately there is only so much you can do, and a lot of people resort to surgery. I think with five stone you won't find it too much of a problem. See how you go :smile:

Reply 14

Jaytwizzle1000

Anonymous

I don't eat! :frown:

It's a 16 week fasting programme so no meals as such - just a liquid diet.

Just some sort of glucose drinks then? Dont you get hungry? :s-smilie:

Reply 15

Anonymous #1

oo_Lucinda_oo

Thanks, that helps. I am going to monitor how I go and see whether I will need to slow it down. At the moment I am managing to swim and will try and add in some gym work. I'll work on my skin like you suggest. I guess all I can do is see how it works out for me.

Reply 16

Anonymous #1

Jaytwizzle1000

Just some sort of glucose drinks then? Dont you get hungry? :s-smilie:

They are just sort of gloupy drinks. The first day was fine, the second day I did feel hungry and headachey (probably caffeine withdrawal), but after day three I have not had any hunger at all and I feel like I have a lot more energy.

Reply 17

Jaytwizzle1000

Anonymous

Sounds good, are they prescribed or store bought?

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

Jaytwizzle1000

Sounds good, are they prescribed or store bought?

Mine is prescribed - it's called Medibase - but the Lighter Life and Cambridge very low calorie diets that don't need a prescription seem to work on a similar principle.