I am getting banded on september 13th! i have one main concern. i do not want to have plastic surgery so i am wondering how much exercise [weekly] is needed so that the excess skin comes off. i am 18 years old and weigh 305. please let me know what you think!

Your young age will be an advantage for you but there is really no formula. Depending on the amount of loose skin, it will only stretch back so much -- consistent exercise at least 3 times a week will help - check with a trainer or someone at the gym. You will really have to wait and see when you start to lose weight. I am a lot older and have lost about 80 pounds - 12 away from my goal and I do have a little saggy skin -- it won't go back any more so I will have to weigh whether or not to have a surgery - it isn't really enough to bother me too much, but we'll see... Good luck and stay healthy!

thank you so much and congrats on almost reaching your goal!!

yep she is right. im 19, and really the best thing we can do is work out...not just cardio. What will help tone you and help the skin is weights. So don't skip that. I just had my band done on the 10th so when im allowed to go back to the gym im going to get a certain pattern down.

You're young and that is your best bet! You cannot prevent loose skin with exercise, sad to say. I exercised hard all the way through and still do and you can still tell I've had 3 babies and lost a lot of weight - although I dont have a real loose skin problem that requires surgery.

I have put on a bikini and gone out in public, but I was trying on bathing suits today just for fun (lol, who ever though we'd say THAT?) and a one piece definitely looks better and makes me feel a bit less like I might flap in the breeze!

Congrats on being able to say u can try on a bikini lol so its a definite that ill have excess skin?

Ànd congrats cherie! How are u healing? And have u had any restriction at all?

No, its not definite! But if you're going to have it, you cant prevent it.

The thing is, loose skin is damaged skin, the collagen bonds within it are broken. And if you have it, that has ALREADY happened, whilst you were gaining weight and getting bigger. You cant prevent something that has already happened.

It depends on lots of things - young skin is much more elastic, but it also depends where you carried your weight. The people who seem to be worst afflicted with the skin thing are often the apple shaped peoples, the ones that carry a lot of weight on their bellies and chests and retain relatively skinny arms and legs. Whereas I was a lot more of the body type to carry it evenly all over, I didnt have any particularly huge areas. But a lot of us have had babies and pregnancies and that stretches your skin out, but it can be hidden by the fat we're carrying.

Honestly, you'll be so thrilled with the weight you're losing and I bet at your age you dont have much of a problem. Try not to worry about it yet.

well its only been 5 days and im on my liquid diet, but since the 10th ive already lost 7lbs. The incisions are healing quite nicely, i also had one of the best suregons for this surgery.

thank you so much jachut. so overall the surgery is worth it? and Cherie that's awesome!! congrats... im so nervous for some reason lol. If you dont mind me asking, how much did you weigh before surgery?

My highest weight was 298 and im 5,6. At time of surgery i was 271. And 5 days later(now) im 263. So that's 8lbs now!

If you have stretch marks, there's nothing you will be able to do abt that skin. It has been stretched beyond it's limit and won't rebound. I don't mean to be the downer, but it's realistic. You will still shrink, but stretch marked skin will sag

haha then im screwed, but it'll be okay...I'll figure something out.

You are young and that is an advantage - with excercise regularly to include Weights you should not have too much excess skin

I am getting banded on september 13th! i have one main concern. i do not want to have plastic surgery so i am wondering how much exercise [weekly] is needed so that the excess skin comes off. i am 18 years old and weigh 305. please let me know what you think!

Thank you all

And Esch, I have very noticeable (light) stretch marks. Does that mean anything or does it really not matter?