Belly Roll...

[Crazyredhead]

I have a question for everyone here. First of all, I have a lot of belly. After 5 kids ranging from 9-10+ lbs, it is quite stretched out of shape. Is it possible to work it off. I mean will sit ups, cardio and pilates actually work it off. There is a little fat under there, but it is mostly loose, stretched out skin.

I need a light at the end of the (very long) tunnel. I need to know if my efforts are going to reward me one day. I know that I will never get my flat, firm belly back but I want to know if I will ever get anything back that even resembles a belly, or is it going to always look like a severely deflated balloon.

If it was just fat, it would be getting smaller by now, due to all of the cardio and other excersising that I do. I don't want to do surgery (yet), I don't scar well. I would have a scar from hip to hip. Also, I don't have $8,500.00-$9,000.00 just laying around.

[Nick]

You cannot just pinpoint one area, and hope it is going to work off.

The best thing you can do is cardio workouts if you want to lose the bellyfat. Run for a while after work, on a tredmill, or whatever. It is impossible to target one area of your body, and hope it is going to come off.

I'm a fitness nut. Well, not like those dudes that you see on TV, but I play Highschool football (We are going to state on Friday!!!) and I wrestle. I love to keep my body in top shape, and as little fat as possible, and learned the best way to do so is to run, and do activities after you run. (ie, situps, push/pull-ups, crunches)

Nick

[Crazyredhead]

I run 6 miles a day and weights and do body sculpting and pilates 2 times a week. There is not much fat there, just loose nasty skin. I understand about not being able to spot reduce, but I am trying to do my entire ab area, it just hangs there.

I have major, major surgery coming up in the next 6 months to a year and I am trying to get in the best shape that I can to help my recovery time.

[Kiwi]

because of my kidney surgery it looks like ive had a c section

stupid stomach!

excersize will help the muscles get back into shape but skin doesnt shrink back as far, LOAD on the moisturizer and for goodness sake, dont scratch it

that and start saving!

[Crazyredhead]

[QUOTE=Kiwi;50409 and start saving![/QUOTE]

Any donations are acceptable and appreciated.
http://www.ephatch.com/forum/images/smilies/naughty.gif

[digilight]

Depending on the type of surgery you are having is it in the same area where you could have a tummy tuck (the excess skin removed). I know that my Mother-in-Law had her stomach stapled about 2 years ago, it turns out that the hospital that did it also offers the tummy tucks for free (to patients who had it done there). they in turn take the removed skin and use it for burn victims. There may be a program in your area to get a free/reduced cost procedure and they get the skin for grafts for other people.

[Crazyredhead]

I am having another hernia surgery, couple with a bladder repair and a vaginal hysterectomy (sorry guys). It is all going through the VA medical center. I don't know if they offer that service. I know that they turned down my request previously to remove some of the excessive skin. Thanks though, I'll have to ask. You could make a new person with all of this extra belly skin.

[sportsmom]

I would ask your primary physician about it. I know that dealing with the VA is no fun, but if you can get across to your PP about the impact on your emotional well-being (yes, I know that saggy skin is small potatos compared to what many of the vets have been through, but it can impact people) they may be able to get some sort of dispensation for it.

[Tanasi]

You might also contact a burn center and see if they'll exchange the surgery for the donation of the skin for burn patients. I know Vanderbuilt has do that before.

[Fire_on_High]

Vanderbilt is wonderful to work with. I recently did a stem cell donation thru their program and everyone was amazingly nice. There was no hassle, no delays, and they made sure everything was taken care of.

[friendofjimmyk]

All I can add is that pilates and yoga have worked for me, however, I did not have the issue you are describing, but I had a "bump" - just this part of my stomach that rolled out a bit from the rest of it. It has gotten MUCH better, but this is after 6 months of continuous working out 4 - 5 days a week and proper diet. Which, let me tell you, after about a month, the diet thing got really easy. Once you start eating a certain way - it becomes habit - at least for me that was true.