Losing weight when our body fat is too high is one of the best things that we can do for ourselves. Never let the naysayers and the people who are trying to keep you down convince you that it will make you “look old”. I wish I had a dollar for every time that I heard that. Nowadays I look like their daughter and some of them are younger than me.

Lose S-L-O-W-L-Y

Slow weight loss is best for your skin. It gives the skin time to adapt. Whatever elasticity you have in your skin will best be served by a slow loss. Even plateaus are good when it comes to your skin. We make new skin cells constantly with all of them being replaced every 28-30 days. If we make slow changes, this cellular turnover can repair a lot of damaged cells and help retain more elasticity.

Hydrate

Our skin needs water, inside and out. Even though hot showers feel so good in cold weather, they can strip the oils from your skin. Oils hold moisture in your skin and the moisture is what makes your skin soft and supple.  Use lukewarm water for your showers, baths, face and hands and moisturize immediately afterward. I use facial moisturizers on my body because they are higher quality. Yes, they cost more but we tend to put our money on what is important to us. My body is the only place that I have to live so I want it to be beautiful and strong. Keep moisturizers close by your bathtub, all of your sinks, in your car and in your purse. Use them often. Using a humidifier in your home can put moisture back into the air in your home and prevent your skin from drying out. Drinking enough water to keep your urine straw colored will keep your body well hydrated. It is possible to drink too much water, so just keep your urine at this stage. I have known of people who wanted to drink water until their urine was clear. That’s not necessary. 

Moisturizers

Choose your moisturizers carefully. Use oil based moisturizers instead of water based. The water based products will quickly dissipate leaving you with no protection.

Protect

Wear gloves and scarves to protect your skin from cold.  Always wear sunscreen, even in the Winter. Winter sun can be just as damaging as Summer. The sun damages DNA which leads to wrinkles, sagging and skin cancer.

Exfoliate

Regardless of how much we spend on moisturizers, if we apply them over a layer of dead skin, they won’t work. Gently exfoliate everywhere, face, including lips, and body.  I love my net body scrubber and you can buy them for $1 at most drug stores. When considering exfoliation for your face and lips, know your skin type. Don’t over do and wind up red and irritated. Proceed with caution.  

Avoid Sugar

Sugar molecules bombard healthy fats and proteins and make them stiff and malformed. These deformed molecules are actually called AGEs, Advanced Glycation End products.  I think that about says it all. This results in wrinkles and sagging.

Avoid Cigarettes

They deplete Vitamin C stores which are used in collagen production.  If you don’t have the ingredients to build new skin then guess what, you’re stuck with old skin. It will look like it.

Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol dehydrates your skin.  It is also a source of hidden sugar that will cause the same effects as the sugar in a snack cake. It will cause food cravings and lower your inhibitions so that your weight fluctuates and causes your skin to have to accommodate constant weight changes.

Sleep

Our skin repairs itself while we sleep. Notice the difference in the way you look after being up all night and after a good night’s sleep.  Get your zzzzzzzz’s.

Exercise

Always get your doctor’s permission before beginning any exercise program.  While cardio gets your heart rate up and burns some fat, resistance training will do that and also build shapely muscles to keep your skin contours beautiful. Think about a balloon. While it’s inflated it’s nice and taut but let the air out and you have a loose bag.  There is something called body recomposition where we lose fat and build muscle.  That’s what I do to keep the bag full.  I want to be shapely with nice contours and strength.  I am a strong advocate of women’s strength training.

Supplements

There are some supplements that may help with your skin.  I take Vitamin C to boost collagen production.  You may want to investigate this venue but proceed with caution.  There are a lot of empty promises in this area.  A good high protein diet will give your skin the building blocks it needs. If a supplement has an exorbitant price tag, be suspicious. Research before spending too much money. I have found excellent supplements at good prices at puritan.com , Puritan’s Pride.

Nutrition

The high protein program that we recommend supplies the much needed amino acids for the building blocks of healthy skin.  We also recommend low carb and that is especially good for your skin because it limits the amount of sugar available in the body.  All carbs eventually break down into sugar.

If you follow these tips, you can loose body fat with less impact to your skin.  It takes work just like the rest of your self improvement program but the end result is more than worth it.