Will I end up with loose skin?
Partly genetics, partly speed. Four things help, and skin often firms up over the first year.
The cheat codes: do not lose faster than one to two pounds a week; drink lots of water and add electrolytes; eat protein and build muscle; consider supplements like collagen, vitamin C and zinc.
A lot of it is genetics, the same way stretch marks are. Skin often sags for the first year after weight loss and then firms up over time. It is harder to bounce back if you have more than 50 pounds to lose, if age has slowed your collagen production, or if you smoke or get a lot of sun.
Some of us will have no loose skin no matter how fast we lose. Some of us will have it no matter how hard we try.
Surgery is a real option once you have reached your goal weight and held it for six to twelve months. It is not always cosmetic either , loose skin can cause chafing and sores that need treatment, which sometimes moves insurers to cover it.
None of this is medical advice. It is educational material drawn from FAT BITCH: Killing the Willpower Myth by Cat Clark, and it does not replace your prescriber, your pharmacist, or your actual doctor. If something here does not match what your care team told you, go with your care team and bring this along to the conversation.