"I'm a big woman and I've got 30+ kg to lose. I'm determined and now taking part in the Blogfit Project. My only concern is that my skin will become saggy. I have a friend lost around 30 kgs and now she says she used to be happier when she didn't have all that loose skin, caused by the weight loss."
Great question.
1. Your friend will have lost that weight too quickly. That's bad, unless she's preparing for a tummy tuck. Aim for a maximum of 1 kg loss each week.
2. Bad news: Losing that much weight can indeed result in saggy skin, even if the weight is lost gradually and in a healthy way. Especially with age your skin will become less elastic and such incredible weight loss will probably never leave your body without evidence of it having happened.
3. Exercise. This can dramatically lessen your concerns. Increase in muscle tone will result in a more shapely you and helps you lose weight in a healthy way. Besides, it'll automatically make your body burn more calories than before.
4. Question: Would you rather be normal weight and live 20 years longer or stay at your current weight and die young? Even losing a bit of excess weight can significantly contribute towards your better health.
You've got kids, and I'm sure they'd love to have you around for longer. Just saying.