A common question asked by women is " How can I get rid of this loose skin? Even after I've lost weight I look terrible?" It's not unusual for there to be some sagging skin, especially after losing weight and the most common areas for this to occur is under the arms (beneath the triceps) and in the area of the upper thighs.There are those who have lost enormous amounts of weight and end up with loads of sagging skin that has to be surgically removed. I have seen a few of these women on various TV shows.
But for the average person with wings under the arms there is an easier remedy. You can tighten up that loose skin by making it cling to developing muscles. Now don't panic. I'm not talking about body building here, I'm talking sleek, sexy, feminine muscles that in the end will take up less space than the hanging fat and sagging skin.
It doesn't take hours a day to tighten the loose skin, it just takes consistency.
The secret is strength training with free weights. You can start out with as little as 2 or 3 pounds and build up as you get stronger. Once a weight gets too easy you progress to a heavier weight. You will begin to see positive results in as little as 3 weeks.
The following exercises are a good start.
1. The seated, double-arm dumbbell press for the sagging triceps.
Sit at the edge of a chair or bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Raise your elbow so they are over your head pointing to the ceiling and the dumbells are hanging to each side and behind your head.
Movement: flexing your triceps muscles as you go, raise the dumbbell straight toward the ceiling until your arms are fully extended, hold breifly and then lower them again behind your head until you cannot go any further. Give your triceps muscle another hard flex and return to the top. Do this movement 10 times and move to the next exercise.
2. The Front Squat. Stand with your feet a natural width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand resting on each shoulder, your arms are crisscrossed.
Movement: Keeping your back straight and eyes straight ahead, lower yourself to a comfortable position, making sure you do not compromise your knees. Even a small amount of lowering goes a long way. Return to start position and repeat until you have done 10 repetitions. Return to the first exercise: Repeat this series two times for a total of three times.
Read more about resistance training here...
Hiring a Personal trainer to help with loose skin can be cheaper than you might think.
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