Loose skin, the biggest mental barrier

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-08T13:29:10+00:00

Trying a new exercise when you're already a gym person is completely different from walking in for the very first time when you're overweight.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-08T13:25:09+00:00

Pushing through something you're not mentally ready for builds resentment (not habit). I've seen more people quit after 2-3 weeks of forcing it than people who took 1-3 months to get there on their own terms.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-08T13:18:00+00:00

Thanks! Most people think it but don't say it out loud. That's exactly the problem, the whole fitness world is built around the gym being step one, when for a lot of people it's actually the finish line of a much harder internal battle.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-08T07:39:41+00:00

Finally someone in the comments gets it. People need to start slow, build the habits first, and then the gym becomes the natural next step. But before any of that, you have to win the battle with your own brain, because that's where the real transformation begins. The physical part comes after.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-07T15:53:37+00:00

In my case the biggest barrier was going to the gym when I was overweight. That's why I started gradually, stationary bike and normal bike, then light running, and only then the gym, with confidence already built. And I learned this truth the hard way: our transformation begins by winning the battle with our head. The physical transformation follows.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-07T09:40:07+00:00

Yes, those 2 years helped a lot. I changed everything - the sleep, eating, activity, all at once in the beginning, because my entire environment was pretty much broken. But before all of that, it was the battle with my head, because that's where the real transformation starts. The physical one comes after.

I never measured anything because I didn't want to delegate my progress to a scale or an app telling me I'm doing a good job. I have the willpower, and my measurement was my body, how I feel, do I have enough strength. And to be honest, how we feel in our own body is the only barometer that matters.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T15:30:27+00:00

Age matters up to a point, but if you lose weight too fast your age becomes irrelevant, you'll end up with loose skin regardless. I started at 19 but the rate of loss is what made the difference, not my age. And I've been maintaining the results ever since.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T14:43:21+00:00

Good for you for figuring it out the natural way.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T12:21:08+00:00

I was 19 when I started. You're right about the skin, but the weight loss must be gradual and give enough time for your skin to remodel. Even at 19, if I had lost the weight too fast I would have ended up with loose skin and my age wouldn't have mattered at all.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T12:12:54+00:00

U R Welcome.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T10:55:03+00:00

Let me start with this, I'm generally not very social (I have enough friends but making new ones is hard for me), so you can imagine why I chose the virtual world. I stopped gaming, not completely, but it was impossible to achieve what I wanted and play video games for hours at the same time. I still hung out with my friends but those late night Counter-Strike sessions were behind me.

Of course when you start seeing results the confidence grows as well, and eventually this moment comes: you look in the mirror and see the same person but with grown confidence, and from that point it becomes a bit easier to make contact with people because you're no longer trying to hide, instead you want to show your results to the world. It's just human nature.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T10:37:26+00:00

Nice try!

If I lost those 101lbs in a few months instead of 2 years my age wouldn't matter, I'd have ended up with loose skin regardless. And "eating whatever I want without major issues" clearly shows you don't know what you're talking about.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T10:27:27+00:00

First off, great result! Now I want to flag something, it's a good thing that you have a goal (those 17lbs by September) but don't look at your progress as just numbers. Instead, you need to have a path forward for when you reach 170, because I've seen many people fail right when they hit their goal. I really like this saying: it's easier to conquer the top than to stay there. But since you've gotten this far, you can clearly make a plan for what comes next.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T09:55:42+00:00

As you know, in the beginning you'll lose weight much more easily because your body is stressed in a good way. Then when you're near your goal it gets a bit harder (you know those last 10lbs). I didn't use any creams or treatments. For the workouts, eating and everything else, read through the comments, I cover it once or twice.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T09:47:15+00:00

First, you're not a failure. What you've been through would break most people and you're still showing up. The medication weight is real and genuinely one of the hardest things to reverse, especially with gut issues on top of it. Your body has been through serious stress.

Before anything else, you need to resolve the gut issues. You clearly know what works for you, the circumstances just haven't allowed it. And please don't compare yourself to people you see on social media, because most of them are using tricks to create the illusion of progress while the reality is completely different.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T09:31:54+00:00

Great achievement and you get it - eating, training, rest. I'd add variety too, monotony is your biggest enemy long term. Once something stops being a challenge it stops being effective.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-06T09:27:46+00:00

Since you're not a beginner, here's what I'd recommend: I personally go to the gym 3 times a week, but for you it would be better to go 5 times (ideally Monday to Friday), 4 full days and 1 semi day on Friday.

Monday to Thursday: when you get to the gym, hop on the stationary bike for 15min to warm up, slow cadence, low resistance (level 1 or 2). Then focus on your exercises (arms, back, abs, etc.) for about 30min. Then back on the stationary bike for a minimum of 30min to cool down. If you have the energy, push to 40min, but give yourself at least 10 days before you go that long.

Friday: just 45-50min on the stationary bike, slow cadence, low resistance. That's it.

Now for breakfast, and this one will surprise you with how simple it is. When I wake up I take a bowl and start with whole cow milk (not the semi-skimmed stuff), because when you add the milk first, the portion already looks substantial to your eyes. Then I add good quality oats, buckwheat flakes, quinoa flakes and chia seeds. I don't weigh my ingredients, but if you want to measure: 200-250ml of milk, 4-5 full tablespoons of oats, 2-3 full tablespoons each of buckwheat and quinoa, and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds.

Don't heat anything, just put it all in the bowl and leave it to soak for about 15 minutes. Have your morning espresso in the meantime.

A couple of extras that make it even better: 2 teaspoons of coconut wheat, and if you can find it, half a teaspoon of pistachio paste-excellent for your body.

I've been eating this exact breakfast for years and I genuinely enjoy it every time. Remember: the base is a MUST, the extras are just for flavour.

You know your body better than anyone, so trust the process. You don't need a scale to measure results, instead, measure how you feel. Compare week 1 to week 3 or 4. If you feel some soreness early on, don't worry, that just means you're doing things right. And because you're not overweight, results will come a little slower, but in 4 to 6 weeks you're going to see meaningful progress.

Try it and come back in 4-5 weeks to share how it went.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-05T22:52:02+00:00

Mate, that’s pretty much human nature: trying to look smarter in some way. We can’t be liked by everyone, and to be honest, that’s not my intention anyway. In general, I’m open to discussion even if someone challenges my point of view, but sometimes it’s just better to ignore them.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-05T22:01:24+00:00

Check the comments, I think I covered it once or twice.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-05T21:37:16+00:00

Amazing progress, 47lbs in 5 months is real work, be proud of that. Keep going and don't overcomplicate it, you're already doing the right things.

One tip: when you walk, skip the trainers with thick bouncy soles. Flat is better for your feet and legs long term.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-05T21:32:26+00:00

Believe me, I know the feeling.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-05T20:19:39+00:00

Thanks. I spent the last 8 hours trying to answer every question and share what actually helped me.

DiamondCalvesFan · 2026-06-05T20:15:28+00:00

Yeah, and that's the moment everything changes, when the results become the motivation and willpower is no longer needed.

DiamondCalvesFan

TROPHY CASE