A Very Personal Question

[sogamusicman]

If you only need to lose a few pounds, you might not understand this, but here goes...... I have always been at least 75 pounds overweight (working down now from 100+ over!!) and through the years have developed man boobs. Not very appealing....... As I'm losing, they are just sagging and getting uglier..... Any thoughts on what to do to help? I can't afford nor want to do surgery. Some of you larger ladies might be having similar problems. I really like losing the weight (40 Pounds so far!) but am disheartened by this. Thanks for listening.......

M/49
Started July 14, 2005
298.5/259/199!!!!

[BodyRebuilder]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Weightlifting or even bodybuilding may help you. If you build up your arms, shoulders/traps, and upper chest - the gynocemastia will probably not be obvious.

Edit: Building the rest of your upper body up will take some of that space that allows the skin to sag. Tightneing everything up.

Keep drinking water too - will help your skin stay healthy and tighten up a bit.

Hope this helps!

AJ

[imgonnagethin]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Hi there!!

It is a problem that many of us are experiencing, the real answer is exercise and water water water as AJ said. I would recommend going to your local gym and speaking to one of the trainers and asking their advice on what the best exercise for you would be.

Good luck with it!

[LyssaRene]

Re: A Very Personal Question

A local trainer would help answer it. If you don't belong to a gym, check on the internet for some excercise sites to pinpoint down the right exercises to do.

Being female-- I have a similar problem except they call it "bra strap fat". It is the fat under the arm that looks like an extended boob. ICK! When I was having physical therapy for a shoulder injury, I asked him about it and he showed me a few excercises to help with it.

Some of it is just patience as your body adjusts to the weight loss. I think all of us losing weight are going to go through "odd" ball stages with our bodies. Like me for instance, right now it appears my top keeps shrinking but my butt isn't!

[iyamamaschke]

Re: A Very Personal Question

I have been doing Deep tissue massage and it has been working wonders for my sagging skin. I ahve noticed that it is tightening up really well. It's not a quick fix but if you keep with it, it does help there are quite a few ladies ehre doing this and it work REALLY it does.

Do a search for how to properly do the Deep tissue massage and get yourself some stimulating lotion with menthol eucalylptus something along that lines. If you ahve a lotion you really love get it unscented and put the peppermint, menthol, or Eucalyptus in yourself. Another easy one is to just go get some vicks Vapo Rub it works well also. I usually do this before bed and let it soak in all night long then get rid of the smell when I wake up. I personally love the smell of it but, I am weird.

Here's a websight for ya

http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/self/385

http://health.ivillage.com/mindbody/mbmass/topics/0,,74cs5ld3,00.html

[Iapetus999]

Re: A Very Personal Question

I think definitely exercise is in order.

Unfortunately I've heard lately about a lot of men in certain parts of the world developing this problem due to estrogenic chemicals/pollution in the enviroment. These chemicals dissolve in fat so as you lose weight they are re-released into the body.
I bet when your weight stablizes things will get back to normal. I second the water thing...more is better. Exercise also helps you rid your body of toxins thru sweat...certain chemicals are only excreted thru sweat.
Whenever I have a whoosh my body/skin feels loose for a couple days before returning to normal.

[IronEagle]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Weightlifting will do wonders. If you are not near a gym or cannot afford one you can do flys with milk jugs filled with sand lying on your back. Even simple pushups will do wonders for your upper body strength and look. Start with 10 and try to work your way up as you can! Good luck!

[BabyDreamer]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Let me get this right...to increase upper body strength, just fill some milk jugs with sand, lay down on your back and lift them until you touch in the center? Will that help women too?

Deb

Weightlifting will do wonders. If you are not near a gym or cannot afford one you can do flys with milk jugs filled with sand lying on your back. Even simple pushups will do wonders for your upper body strength and look. Start with 10 and try to work your way up as you can! Good luck!

[Kent]

Re: A Very Personal Question

I had excessive fat around the chest region as well, everywhere else too truth be told. I would reiterate the weight lifting recommendation. Build your chest muscles (especially the upper chest) to provide a shelf or foundation for the skin to sit. You can spot increase the muscle mass in a certain region.

In addition, the other part is patience. As your body fat percentage goes down, so to will the excess fat around chest go away. There is no way to target reduce the fat, so it may be the first thing to go or the last, but rest assured in time with commitment to stick with it to the end, the excess fat will be removed. It took a long time and lots of pounds before everything in my chest started to tighten up. Keep the faith.

[higgies]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Hey there! I had the same problem too. My fat stores to my upper torso first and is a total curse.

Anyway, I'll reiterate the weight training. It will put some mass behind the loose skin and help smooth it out some. I'd focus particularly on the upper and lower pecs. I do not do flat bench anymore, but I only do things like flies, decline bench (which will really help fill in the bottom of the pec where the flabbiness is), and incline bench for the upper pecs. Make sure you don't neglect the rest of your body though...no one looks good witha huge chest and no arms or legs... Good luck!

[SugarFreeSheila]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Such good, thoughtful replies here. Sogamusicman, when I was reading your post, I kept thinking, "Wait, wait! Give it time!" It is the most awful thing to hear right now, but I truly think you should wait until you get quite close to your goal weight before even thinking that you are stuck with something like this permanently and irrespective of your body fat percentage. It is a possibility, yes; however, I'm thinking you will be much happier with every part of your physique the leaner you become. Just you wait: 60 pounds lost along with weight training and cardio will undoubtedly reveal a HeMan! (Pageboy optional.)

[BabyDreamer]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Higgies,

I just cut and pasted your pics and sent them to my hubby. He has been on Atkins with me for about 9 days and he is worried about sagging. He doesn't believe that men are on this board so I am hoping you will inspire him to join the forum. You are looking amazing!

Deb

Hey there! I had the same problem too. My fat stores to my upper torso first and is a total curse.

Anyway, I'll reiterate the weight training. It will put some mass behind the loose skin and help smooth it out some. I'd focus particularly on the upper and lower pecs. I do not do flat bench anymore, but I only do things like flies, decline bench (which will really help fill in the bottom of the pec where the flabbiness is), and incline bench for the upper pecs. Make sure you don't neglect the rest of your body though...no one looks good witha huge chest and no arms or legs... Good luck!

[higgies]

Re: A Very Personal Question

Aw Thanks BabyDreamer! It does work, and men do do this... Thanks for the compliment!

Oh, and time is very important here...like they said before...your body will morph...and your skin's elasticity should kick in quite a bit.