This picture is approximately 6 months old, here i am approximately 10lbs heavier than i am now with much less muscle tone.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y180/KHdamo/?action=view&current=Picture41.jpg

Over the last 2years i have lost approximately 112lbs but it has left me with an "apron belly". What i want to know is, can this "apron belly" be burnt off or do i need to have it removed via surgery?

Thank you

Damon

Can you take a better pic? Like a close up from the front, and in focus?

This picture is approximately 6 months old, here i am approximately 10lbs heavier than i am now with much less muscle tone.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y180/KHdamo/?action=view&current=Picture41.jpg

Over the last 2years i have lost approximately 112lbs but it has left me with an "apron belly". What i want to know is, can this "apron belly" be burnt off or do i need to have it removed via surgery?

Thank you

Damon

thats loose skin.. If you havent already start weights and make sure your calorie intake isn't very low, it will only make the loose skin worser.

It´s a combination with some remaining fat and some lose skin...So you can continue to diet and train and get rid of that fat...Not sure if the skin will look better after the fat is gone though...

I lost about 80 LBS myself when I first started and was fat...I also had almost the same problem for a while...But 2 years after my first big fast fatloss it´s almost OK. No serious problem with the skin anymore. And I didn´t get any surgery...But I think it might depend a bit on genetics...

However I think it will help if you focus on weight training and try to build muscles...Losing more LBM will hurt you, IMO. If you continue to cut take it easy..And do whatever you can to prevent muscle loss..


:gl:

I really don't know. It can certainly be made to look better than it does now.

Surgery shouldn't really be considered until 9%.

Damon,

I have written about my experience with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) over on the female fitness board. I'm going to post/copy my reply so that you can read it. (I'm not sure how to post the link to the thread in here).

I just want to add something about men and abdodominoplasty. Because men do not have babies.....their fascia usually doesn't need repairing. With women who have had babies......it's almost a given because of the damage to the fascia from the growing baby. It separates. This term is referred to as "muscle repair"....even though the doctors are not actually touching the muscle. They lift up the skin and actually stitch the fascia closed again.

This "mr" is actually the hardest part of the recovery process. With that said, from what I've heard from a few men that have had the surgery, the recovery isn't nearly as difficult. This is a bonus for you.

It's been 14 months now since my surgery and I can honestly say that it was the best thing I've done for myself. My apron of skin is gone and I feel so much better about myself.

I'd be more than happy to email you "before" and "afters" of myself so you can see the difference. I had quite a bit more apron than you but it'd give you an idea.

Jenn


HERE'S MY PREVIOUS POST FROM THE FEMALE FITNESS FORUM:

There are some times when diet, ab exercises and all the miracles in the world won't help sagging skin, only a skilled plastic surgeon can do that.

I have 4 children (1 set of twins). In between my 3rd and 4th child, I was at my heaviest weight - 250 lbs. Over the course of 4 years (with a pregnancy stalling me for a year in there), I lost 115 pounds. I joined WW and exercised....alot!

There was nothing that could help my skin. Some people have great elasticity and some don't. I, unfortunately, do not. But then again, after being overweight for almost 9 years, who could blame my skin? I ruined it!

I started pilates about a year ago and faithfully did it - 5 times a week, sometimes more. It was a miracle - I could actually see some of my upper abs.....but my hanging skin (which hung down to my almost mid-thigh when standing up) was not doing anything.

I saw a plastic surgeon about having abdominoplasty surgery (tummy tuck) and had her confirm what I already knew.

I had my tummy tuck done December 9th, 2004. This was the best thing I ever did for myself - and the most expensive. As soon as I'm able to do strenous ab workouts - I'll be a happy camper.

BTW - stretch marks above the belly button will still be there after a tuck - they will just be lower. But, any stretch marks below the belly button will be gone.

Jenn

FAT experts out there will tell you that the loose skin you speak of is FAT, not just loose skin. You need to keep trying to lose FAT (not muscle, which will make it more difficult to lose FAT) for the skin to tighten up. If you keep at it, your body will eventually it up and your skin will tighten up on its own, but know that it will take time. The key to this is to really make your body want to use it up as energy.

Congrats on the lost weight!

Loose Skin Blues:

http://www.fitren.com/res3art.cfm?compid=18&artid=120

Look at this guys story for some motivation and dont give up on trying to tighten your loose skin up WITHOUT surgery, he even has a whole article dedicated to it, he had no surgery.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/louis.htm

This picture is approximately 6 months old, here i am approximately 10lbs heavier than i am now with much less muscle tone.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y180/KHdamo/?action=view&current=Picture41.jpg

Over the last 2years i have lost approximately 112lbs but it has left me with an "apron belly". What i want to know is, can this "apron belly" be burnt off or do i need to have it removed via surgery?
Damon

I don't know if you are going to have to go the surgery route. I hope not. I think it depends on the health of your skin and genetics.

You seem young in the picture. What type of weight training were you doing during the 112lb loss? I think a good program is needed from the begining, anytime someone loses that much weight.

my advice is to give it some time, plastic surgery should ALWAYS be a very last resort! JMO

i've had four children and have a bit of loose skin. once i reach my fitness goals, im pretty sure i'll still have some loose skin remaining, and thats OK with me.

Here's a good example of someone who was in your same situation. He frequents this place too. His name is Mooshie.

http://www.sickofbeingfat.net/profiles.aspx?mooshie

Hey, I lost about 100 pounds myself. I remember my gut used to hang over pretty badly as well. From my personal experience, you have two options: lose the rest of the fat so there's nothing seperating your skin and your abdominals, or start a weightlifting/bulking regimen so you can "fill out" better. Personally, I did cut the fat first, but I looked like a holocaust survivor by the time I was done. Now I just lift weights, and I look a lot better. If you lose the fat first, though, any muscle you consequently gain by lifting weights will be much more noticeable. However, if you build muscle first, then losing fat will be much easier later on due to an increased metabolism.

Surgery should always be the last approach on almmost anything in our life. Always opt for a conservative approach. it's far safer and, if possible, it normally gives better results.

that said, I suspect that you'll need surgery to remove the curtain to the degree it is there now, but do not jump into that. Thin up even more and keep at that state for a time and take measurements so that you can see if you're having any progress.

FAT experts out there will tell you that the loose skin you speak of is FAT, not just loose skin. You need to keep trying to lose FAT (not muscle, which will make it more difficult to lose FAT) for the skin to tighten up. If you keep at it, your body will eventually it up and your skin will tighten up on its own, but know that it will take time. The key to this is to really make your body want to use it up as energy.

Congrats on the lost weight!

OK, I couldn't agree MORE with this post!!! I too have lost a ton of weight (110 pounds), and I have also had a c-section. I understand your frustration with that "apron" tummy as I have one as well, but most of that is fat. The less body fat you have, the more your tummy will disappear!! With every pound of body fat I lose, my stomach gets smaller and smaller, whereas now I am confident that when I no longer have fat to lose, my tummy will be gone as well.

Mooshie's pictures are a great testament to that. In fact, I remember him posting progress pics only a couple months ago, and I am AMAZED at the progress he has made since then. He too had one of those unsightly "apron" tummies, and look at him now!!!

Don't worry man....your tummy will go when the fat does.