Ways to Lose Weight Without Sagging Skin

Can You Lose Weight and Not Have Saggy Skin?

Whether you can lose weight without loose skin depends on how much weight you shed. If you lose a small or moderate amount, then it's certainly possible to have no loose skin after weight loss.

But skin sagging is far more likely when you lose a large amount of weight quickly (meaning 100 pounds or more), which is often the case if you have bariatric surgery or follow a medically prescribed very-low-calorie diet, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Your age also plays a role in whether you're able to lose weight without excess skin. When you age, your skin naturally starts to lose elastin and collagen, per the Cleveland Clinic. And the less elastin and collagen you have, the less resilient your skin will be (and the trickier it will be to keep your skin tight when losing weight).

1. Aim for Gradual Weight Loss

Yo-yo dieting also encourages loose skin. Repeatedly stressing your skin with quick weight loss and gain can exhaust its elasticity, which may lead to sagging, per Princeton University Health Services.

Accordingly, don't crash diet or try fad programs with extreme tactics like only eating one type of food or banning entire nutritional categories, per the Cleveland Clinic. Instead, adopt a weight-loss plan that prioritizes nutritious whole foods and moderate portion sizes so you can lose weight and maintain it in the long term.

While this isn't a foolproof way to prevent sagging skin during weight loss (especially if your goal is to lose a large amount), gradually shedding pounds may help you to avoid some loose skin after weight loss.

Tip

Losing weight too quickly can also cause you to lose muscle in addition to fat, which can hamper further weight loss because muscle burns lots of calories, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

2. Eat a Balanced Diet

Skin elasticity plays a major role in preventing loose skin during weight loss. Although age has a big influence on how well your skin bounces back after stretching out, a balanced diet can help keep the elastin and collagen strong, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

In general, eating plenty of nutrient-rich meals and avoiding foods that contain refined carbs, added sugar and trans or saturated fats will help support full- body wellbeing, including the health of your skin, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Per the Cleveland Clinic, certain nutrients may be especially beneficial for skin health, including:

• Vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits, bell peppers and broccoli
• Vitamin E- rich foods like almonds and sunflower seeds
• Omega-3 fatty acids like those in salmon, tuna and flaxseed oil
• Foods with polyphenols like grapes and dark chocolate

3. Stay Hydrated

Adequate hydration is also crucial for your skin health and elasticity, per the Mayo Clinic, which is why drinking plenty of water is another important tip for how to not have loose skin after weight loss.

In addition to benefitting your skin, drinking water is good for weight loss because it can keep you hydrated, suppress your appetite and fuel exercise, according to Johns Hopkins University.

How Much Water Should You Drink a Day?

Use the following calculation to determine how much water to drink:

4. Get Moving

Another tip for how to lose weight without loose or saggy skin is to exercise regularly. Frequent physical activity may limit muscle loss while you lose weight, per the Cleveland Clinic, which may improve the tone of your skin.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend adults do 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of intense cardio, plus at least two strength training sessions per week.

5. Take Care of Your Skin

As you age, collagen and elastin naturally lose their strength. But how you treat your skin can mitigate this process, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), and can affect your ability to lose weight without sagging skin.

Too much sun exposure is a common culprit when it comes to skin damage, per Harvard Health Publishing. The fix? Wear sunscreen every day, and shield your skin from the sun in other ways — like staying in the shade or wearing a hat or long sleeves — to further protect your skin from harmful UV rays, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Other beneficial habits, like eating well and moisturizing daily, can also help support skin health, per the NLM.

6. Quit Smoking

Chemicals in cigarettes can damage your skin's elasticity, according to the Mayo Clinic. For instance, nicotine can restrict the flow of nutrients into your skin, which can lead to premature wrinkles, dry skin and — you guessed it — the potential for saggy skin.

So if you're wondering how to prevent loose skin during weight loss, quitting smoking may help.

7. Consider Skin Removal Procedures

It's difficult to accomplish massive weight loss with no loose skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But if you've maintained your weight loss for at least a year and don't plan on losing any more, you may want to talk to your doctor about surgery to remove the excess skin.

There are a number of procedures that remove loose skin, including:

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