Q: I am a 23-year-old male weighing 88 kg and 172 cm tall. I used to weigh 95 kg till five months back. I started going to a gym and also made changes in my diet, and as a result I have been able to shed 7 kg. I have increased the intensity and frequency of my work-outs. I run 3 km every day and more during weekends. In addition, I also cycle for 20 minutes a day. I want to weigh 75 kg, which I think is an ideal weight for me. I want to achieve it in the next four months. I have stretch marks in many parts of my body. But I am not really worried about that, as I feel that over a period of time the marks will fade. Now I am worried about my loose / hanging skin. Is my plan safe enough? Should I reduce or increase the rate of weight loss? Is there anything that I should do? I am not on a crash diet, but have slightly reduced my food intake. I also abstain from meat, ice creams and such stuff. Kindly advise.

A:Losing weight has many advantages, but also some side effects. The skin on the body takes the shape of the internal organs, muscles and the rest of what it is made up of. So as the body fat begins to reduce, the skin has nothing to hold onto and it begins to hang. One solution to this is to train the muscles so that they become stronger and the skin wraps itself around it. So any resistance, strength training or yoga specifically aimed at the muscles will benefit you. Muscles weigh more than fat, but take up less space. So, as they get stronger the skin binds itself around it and gets tighter. But this process takes time, so do have patience. Remember, the goal of exercise should ideally be getting fitter, not only just losing weight.