From Surgery to Triathlons: Christian on Life and Excess Skin After Weight Loss
When we met Christian, what stayed with us wasn’t a list of accomplishments — it was his honesty. He spoke openly about his journey, including the parts that people living through significant weight loss rarely hear talked about out loud: what happens to your body, and how you feel about it, long after the weight comes off.
Christian is our first product and brand ambassador, and his story is one we hear often from the people we serve — significant weight loss opens up a life that once felt out of reach, and it also brings challenges no one quite prepared you for. With his permission, we are sharing his experience in his own words.
A decision he doesn’t regret
For most of my life, obesity was something I carried with me. It shaped how I felt physically, how I saw myself, and sometimes how I believed others saw me. Everyday life took more effort than most people realize — stairs, fitting comfortably into spaces, finding clothes, traveling, being active.
I’d tried many things over the years, with periods of success followed by regain. Eventually I understood that this was not simply a matter of willpower, and that I needed more effective treatment. In 2022, I decided to have bariatric surgery. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right one for me.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that surgery wasn’t the end of the journey. It was the beginning of a completely new chapter.
Discovering what his body could do
The transformation, Christian says, didn’t arrive in a single moment. It built gradually — and then it accelerated.
First it was small things. Walking became easier. My energy improved. Then bigger things started happening. I began hiking — not just short walks, but multi-day adventures. I restarted running. Then cycling. Then swimming. Eventually I signed up for triathlons.
If someone had told me before surgery that I’d voluntarily wake up early to go for a run, I probably would have laughed. What surprised me most wasn’t the weight loss itself. It was discovering what my body was capable of when obesity was no longer limiting every movement — being able to get down on the ground, get in and out of the car, slide at the park with my kids, or follow them as they climb.
The challenge no one warns you about: excess skin after weight loss
This is the part of Christian’s story that matters most to us, because it’s so often left out of the conversation.
We celebrate a lot of victories, but there are still challenges. For me, one of those has been excess skin. Physically, it creates discomfort, chafing, and irritation — especially during longer training sessions. But the impact isn’t only physical. You work incredibly hard to lose the weight, and yet sometimes you still struggle to recognize yourself in the mirror or in photos.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about skin removal surgery. Some days it feels like the obvious next step. Other days I look at everything my body can already do and wonder whether I want to go through another major surgery and recovery. Like many people after significant weight loss, I’m still figuring out what the right answer is for me.
Excess skin and tissue after significant weight loss is real, common, and worth talking about openly — without stigma, and without pretending the only options are surgery or silence.
Finding a tool that fit
Christian first heard about ActiveMX at the conference where we met. He was, in his words, curious but skeptical.
I had never seen a product designed specifically for people dealing with excess skin after major weight loss. I wondered whether it would make a real difference or just feel like another garment. But our conversation convinced me to try it.
The first thing I noticed was comfort — supportive without feeling restrictive. What surprised me most was how much it reduced movement. When you’ve lived with excess skin for years, you get used to constant motion during activity. Things felt more stable, more controlled, more comfortable.
One of the first runs I did wearing it was a 5 km session, and I finished with no discomfort, no irritation, and no redness. That got my attention. The biggest difference is that I spend less time thinking about my body and more time focused on the workout.
He’s also found that the benefits reach beyond training — wearing dress clothes, a fitted shirt, or attending professional events.
It hasn’t changed who I am, and it hasn’t erased the reality of excess skin. But it has made me more comfortable in my body. For someone who’s hesitant, I’d say this: don’t think of it as hiding your journey. Think of it as a tool that may help you feel more comfortable living it.
Where he is now
Today I’m living a life that once felt impossible. I run, I cycle, I swim, I hike, I compete in triathlons. What motivates me isn’t a number on the scale — it’s discovering what my body can do, being there with my kids, and helping others see what might be possible for them too.
If I could tell someone earlier in their journey one thing, it would be this: your life doesn’t end with bariatric surgery. It begins. It’s not magic — you still have to do the work. But the possibilities are far greater than you think.
At Bariatric Technologies, we built our support garments for people exactly like Christian — people doing the hard work of rebuilding their lives, who deserve to feel comfortable and confident in their bodies along the way.
If loose skin and tissue is a part of your journey, learn more about how ActiveMX is designed to support you. Explore ActiveMX