A look at the effects of weight loss on skin
Photo on amazingwellnessmag.com
Photo on watsons.com.ph
We know that skin changes when weight is lost, but just how much change it undergoes depends on how much weight is lost. It also depends on which part of the body the weight was lost. If you lose too much weight, you can get malnourished, and this can change everything, from your skin color to its texture.
What does the skin do when weight loss occurs?
Weight loss and your skin
Photo on cosmo.ph
Losing weight can leave you feeling and looking amazing, but you may notice that shedding some pounds comes with a few surprises. Your skin may seem squishier; your breasts might get droopier, and you may have more skin.
Hormonal Factors and Pregnancy
Women add then lose weight during and after pregnancy. If too much weight is added, or it is gained too fast, the skin gets injured while stretching and stretch marks form. The same phenomenon happens when persons of either gender gain weight fast. Losing weight will not remove the stretch marks since the skin has already been injured and has scarred. Yet some pregnant women can put on and shed weight without getting stretch marks. So the rate, magnitude, and to some degree the rate of weight loss defines how successfully the natural elasticity of the skin prevents the occurrence of stretch marks. Of course in pregnancy, there are strong hormonal factors that help the woman’s body to adapt to the weight gain caused by pregnancy.
Weight gain for the face and neck is different
Even without pregnancy hormones, people can still add weight, then lose it, with minimal alterations to the skin. Weight gain in the face and neck is not like weight gain elsewhere in the body. Generally, quick and extensive weight gain exceeding the body’s ability to adjust to it, and the skin can be irreparably damaged. Lesser degrees of weight gain and a slower rate of weight gain allows the skin to stretch and grow, and so it is not heavily damaged.
The skin is not a singular structure
One misconception made is that the skin as a simple single structure. It is not. It is made up of various types of cells depending on the layer. Those layers behave differently as when weight is gained and lost. With weight gain the skin stretches to accommodate the extra mass. as more weight is added the skin is unable to keep up and tears. These tears occur on the lower layers and once they heal they form scars commonly known as stretch marks. Heal age. How else to understand the common look of thinning skin as seen in the quite elderly? Some of the layers have atrophied, while the superficial ones have become more fragile. Of course, arguments can be made that skin changes in older people are due to deteriorating nutrition or other age factors. It is quite difficult to differentiate aging effects from subtle nutritional deficiencies. Aging effects refer to free radical damage, changes in cell turnover, and the effect of chronic environmental abuse (sun exposure, poor nutrition, etc.).
Stretching the Skin
Massive obesity stretches the skin. The extra skin serves no purpose later when the person loses weight. So when one loses lots of weight, they invariably end up with extra folds of skin. This can cause an overall darkening effect. So surgical procedures, like nips and tucks, are part of any large-scale weight reduction surgical procedure. If skin reductions were not part of such surgeries, the skin would take quite a long period to tighten.
How to lose weight
Photo on s.hswstatic.com
Don’t skip breakfast
Skipping breakfast won’t help you lose weight. You could miss out on essential nutrients, and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry. Check out five healthy breakfasts.
Have regular meals
Eating at set times during the day helps the body to burn enough calories as it needs. It also decreases the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar.
Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain fewer calories and fat and loaded with fibre. They also contain many vitamins and minerals, which are beneficial to the body.
Get more active and exercise
Being active is important to shedding weight and keeping it off. Together with the numerous health benefits, exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can’t cut through diet alone. Find an activity or hobby you like and are able to fit into your routine.
Take plenty of water
People sometimes mistake thirst with hunger. You can end up taking extra calories when a glass of water could be really all you need.
Consume more high-fiber foods
Foods containing a lot of fiber can help keep you feeling full, which is good for losing weight. Fiber is found in plants, like fruits and vegetables, oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, and beans, peas and lentils.
Read food labels
Reading and understanding food labels can assist you in choosing healthier food options. Use the calorie information to determine how a particular food fits into your calorie allowance on the weight loss plan.
Use a smaller plate or a smaller serving portion
This can help you eat smaller portions of food. By using smaller plates or bowls, you can be able to slowly get used to eating smaller sized food portions without getting hungry. It takes nearly 20 minutes for the stomach to inform the brain it’s full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.
Do not ban foods from your diet
Banning any foods from your weight-loss plan, especially the ones you like can prove to be counterproductive as it only makes you crave them more. There’s no point why you can’t enjoy the occasional treat as long as you limit yourself to your daily calorie allowance.
Do not stock up on junk food
To avoid temptation and cheating on your diet, try to not stock junk food – like chocolate, biscuits, crisps, and soda– at home. Instead, try healthy snacks, like fruits, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, and fruit juice.
Cut down on your alcohol intake
A glass of wine can have as many calories as a bar of chocolate. Over time, consuming too much can easily add to your weight gain.
Plan your meals
Try to plan what you will have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the week beforehand. Make sure you stick to your calorie range. You may find it convenient to make a weekly shopping list so that you can prepare the meals in advance.
Photo on vibrant-living.ca
Here are more weight loss tips:
- Have a high-protein breakfast. Consuming a high-protein breakfast can decrease cravings and calorie intake throughout the day.
- Taking a glass of water about half an hour before meals. One study found that drinking water about half an hour before meals increases weight loss by 44% over three months.
- Opt for weight loss-friendly foods.
- Eat mainly whole, unprocessed foods. Base many of your recipes and diets on whole foods. They are healthier, more filling and less likely to cause overeating.
- Eat your food slowly as it makes you feel fuller and boosts weight-reducing hormones.
- Weigh yourself daily. Studies have proven that people who weigh themselves daily are more likely to lose excess weight and keep it off for a long while.
- Get a good night’s sleep as often as you can. Poor sleeping habits are the strongest risk factors for weight gain, so taking care of your sleep is important.
Yes, losing weight definitely has an impact on the color of your skin. Experts say that when a person gets his blood pumped with certain exercises it will result in delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your skin, and building lean muscle will support the skin and help it to appear more supple and youthful as you age. Undertaking a nutritious diet and proper workout can assist the person in losing weight and gain a healthy and beautiful skin. However one should keep in mind that losing excess weight can have certain side effects on your skin.Being underweight or malnourished causes our skin to age quicker. For the long-term well-being and vitality of the skin, it is very crucial not to let the body weight of the person go below normal weight measured by using the body mass index (BMI). The restrictive eating with the vigorous workout can worsen the condition of the person and lead to the aging effects accompanied by the pale skin.Skin discoloration can be as a result of environmental exposure like from the sun, pollutants, congenital factors, and certain diseases. In some instances, the discoloration and weight loss can be a symptom of a medical condition or disease. In other cases, skin discoloration and weight loss can be as a result of two different conditions. Sudden inexplicable weight loss, combined with skin discoloration, can suggest a serious underlying health issue.
