Body Image and CF

FaeRush · Jan 9, 2011

I'm 16 and have CF, I used to have a lot more weight troubles, where I was very underweight. And in the past few years I've taken drastic measures to change it, and I've grown, and I am really at a perfect weight, exactly what they want me to be. 5'5 and about 133 lbs. I am really alright with this weight I think, but what I want is to not have as much fat around my stomach. I'm curious if other CF girls have had this issue with their bodies. I've been doing some cardio exercise for about 40 minutes 3 days a week, and I am trying ot stay away from sugary foods.

Though, I'm having trouble finding the motivation to not eat things that are just empty calories, like candy and soda, because of the bloating that comes with this illness and I am not sure if I'll really ever be able to have a body I can look at and be happy with. Is it possible to have what is known as a "nice body" with CF? Or will our stomachs always look large and straight, because I've notices it with a lot of people.

If there are any tips on losing this fat, I'd greatly appreciate it.

FaeRush · Jan 9, 2011

I'm 16 and have CF, I used to have a lot more weight troubles, where I was very underweight. And in the past few years I've taken drastic measures to change it, and I've grown, and I am really at a perfect weight, exactly what they want me to be. 5'5 and about 133 lbs. I am really alright with this weight I think, but what I want is to not have as much fat around my stomach. I'm curious if other CF girls have had this issue with their bodies. I've been doing some cardio exercise for about 40 minutes 3 days a week, and I am trying ot stay away from sugary foods.

Though, I'm having trouble finding the motivation to not eat things that are just empty calories, like candy and soda, because of the bloating that comes with this illness and I am not sure if I'll really ever be able to have a body I can look at and be happy with. Is it possible to have what is known as a "nice body" with CF? Or will our stomachs always look large and straight, because I've notices it with a lot of people.

If there are any tips on losing this fat, I'd greatly appreciate it.

FaeRush · Jan 9, 2011

I'm 16 and have CF, I used to have a lot more weight troubles, where I was very underweight. And in the past few years I've taken drastic measures to change it, and I've grown, and I am really at a perfect weight, exactly what they want me to be. 5'5 and about 133 lbs. I am really alright with this weight I think, but what I want is to not have as much fat around my stomach. I'm curious if other CF girls have had this issue with their bodies. I've been doing some cardio exercise for about 40 minutes 3 days a week, and I am trying ot stay away from sugary foods.
 
 Though, I'm having trouble finding the motivation to not eat things that are just empty calories, like candy and soda, because of the bloating that comes with this illness and I am not sure if I'll really ever be able to have a body I can look at and be happy with. Is it possible to have what is known as a "nice body" with CF? Or will our stomachs always look large and straight, because I've notices it with a lot of people.
 
 If there are any tips on losing this fat, I'd greatly appreciate it.

falloutboygurl16 · Jan 9, 2011

hey.
ive always had weight issues. being underweight and whatnot when i was 16 i was 72lbs and 5'1"
now im 21 and im 109 lbs and thats a good weight for me.
but yeah like you said ive never been really happy with my body when i gain the weight because it seems like it goes all to my stomach and i have stupid little arms and legs...which to me is uncomfortable since its just right there!
i know that cutting back on carbonated beverages will help with bloating and drinking lots of ice water!
im starting exercising this week. which i plan on doing lots of sit ups thats all if im feeling well enough. but yeah.
sit ups will help with bloatedness as well.
another thing is your enzymes should be working correctly to ensure not a lot of bloating because it will be absorbing the fat right...if its not then bloating will occur.

im sure your no really "fat" around your stomach but more-so bloated so you feel fat or puffy which is how i feel a lot and i hateee it!
so no you are not alone.

falloutboygurl16 · Jan 9, 2011

hey.
ive always had weight issues. being underweight and whatnot when i was 16 i was 72lbs and 5'1"
now im 21 and im 109 lbs and thats a good weight for me.
but yeah like you said ive never been really happy with my body when i gain the weight because it seems like it goes all to my stomach and i have stupid little arms and legs...which to me is uncomfortable since its just right there!
i know that cutting back on carbonated beverages will help with bloating and drinking lots of ice water!
im starting exercising this week. which i plan on doing lots of sit ups thats all if im feeling well enough. but yeah.
sit ups will help with bloatedness as well.
another thing is your enzymes should be working correctly to ensure not a lot of bloating because it will be absorbing the fat right...if its not then bloating will occur.

im sure your no really "fat" around your stomach but more-so bloated so you feel fat or puffy which is how i feel a lot and i hateee it!
so no you are not alone.

falloutboygurl16 · Jan 9, 2011

hey.
 ive always had weight issues. being underweight and whatnot when i was 16 i was 72lbs and 5'1"
 now im 21 and im 109 lbs and thats a good weight for me.
 but yeah like you said ive never been really happy with my body when i gain the weight because it seems like it goes all to my stomach and i have stupid little arms and legs...which to me is uncomfortable since its just right there!
 i know that cutting back on carbonated beverages will help with bloating and drinking lots of ice water!
 im starting exercising this week. which i plan on doing lots of sit ups thats all if im feeling well enough. but yeah.
 sit ups will help with bloatedness as well.
 another thing is your enzymes should be working correctly to ensure not a lot of bloating because it will be absorbing the fat right...if its not then bloating will occur.
 
 im sure your no really "fat" around your stomach but more-so bloated so you feel fat or puffy which is how i feel a lot and i hateee it!
 so no you are not alone.

Twistofchaos · Jan 11, 2011

Not a girl but yeah, I get that too.

But I mainly wanted to comment on doing sit ups and cardio though.

Not an expert but I don't think sit ups help with bloatedness. Is a common myth but first of all there's no such thing as localised fatburn and second of all sit ups if anything increase the size of your abdominal muscles and core. This is also true for most athletic people but as you already said proportions matter and with trained shoulders arms and legs and such the core looks relatively smaller when it's not. Also everyone has abs but only show through low fat% and low bloating/fluid retention. Again this is where that myth comes in and whole populations are doing sit ups at high fat %'s which is amusing and pointless. (but it sells stuff)
As it's about those proportions if anything focus on training arms and legs (but you should try to train your whole body) which with CF and infections have a real hard time keeping on muscle and it's why a lot of CF'ers seemingly have a large stomach.
From strengthtraining my core increased significantly as well but so did the rest of my body and seemingly still looks in proportion, maybe better.

Twistofchaos · Jan 11, 2011

Not a girl but yeah, I get that too.

But I mainly wanted to comment on doing sit ups and cardio though.

Not an expert but I don't think sit ups help with bloatedness. Is a common myth but first of all there's no such thing as localised fatburn and second of all sit ups if anything increase the size of your abdominal muscles and core. This is also true for most athletic people but as you already said proportions matter and with trained shoulders arms and legs and such the core looks relatively smaller when it's not. Also everyone has abs but only show through low fat% and low bloating/fluid retention. Again this is where that myth comes in and whole populations are doing sit ups at high fat %'s which is amusing and pointless. (but it sells stuff)
As it's about those proportions if anything focus on training arms and legs (but you should try to train your whole body) which with CF and infections have a real hard time keeping on muscle and it's why a lot of CF'ers seemingly have a large stomach.
From strengthtraining my core increased significantly as well but so did the rest of my body and seemingly still looks in proportion, maybe better.

Twistofchaos · Jan 11, 2011

Not a girl but yeah, I get that too.
 
 But I mainly wanted to comment on doing sit ups and cardio though.
 
 Not an expert but I don't think sit ups help with bloatedness. Is a common myth but first of all there's no such thing as localised fatburn and second of all sit ups if anything increase the size of your abdominal muscles and core. This is also true for most athletic people but as you already said proportions matter and with trained shoulders arms and legs and such the core looks relatively smaller when it's not. Also everyone has abs but only show through low fat% and low bloating/fluid retention. Again this is where that myth comes in and whole populations are doing sit ups at high fat %'s which is amusing and pointless. (but it sells stuff)
 As it's about those proportions if anything focus on training arms and legs (but you should try to train your whole body) which with CF and infections have a real hard time keeping on muscle and it's why a lot of CF'ers seemingly have a large stomach.
 From strengthtraining my core increased significantly as well but so did the rest of my body and seemingly still looks in proportion, maybe better.

sunshine5637 · Jan 22, 2011

Hi! I've had weight issues since I was in 10th grade. I wanted to be supermodel thin (I'm 5'0) but every time I lose weight, I got sick. Still do.

So, I finally had to learn that I could either be sick and thin or learn to like the way I look. It's taken me a long, long time and I'm still not there yet, but that's okay.

I like to do high cardio exercise. My doctor told me that instead of losing weight on the scales, I should work to tone my body so sometimes I use the little weights. I only use those when I'm doing some type of exercise video because the instructor knows what she is doing hahaha...That is what I focus on. I enjoy the cardio because it makes me feel better.

sunshine5637 · Jan 22, 2011

Hi! I've had weight issues since I was in 10th grade. I wanted to be supermodel thin (I'm 5'0) but every time I lose weight, I got sick. Still do.

So, I finally had to learn that I could either be sick and thin or learn to like the way I look. It's taken me a long, long time and I'm still not there yet, but that's okay.

I like to do high cardio exercise. My doctor told me that instead of losing weight on the scales, I should work to tone my body so sometimes I use the little weights. I only use those when I'm doing some type of exercise video because the instructor knows what she is doing hahaha...That is what I focus on. I enjoy the cardio because it makes me feel better.

sunshine5637 · Jan 22, 2011

Hi! I've had weight issues since I was in 10th grade. I wanted to be supermodel thin (I'm 5'0) but every time I lose weight, I got sick. Still do.
 
 So, I finally had to learn that I could either be sick and thin or learn to like the way I look. It's taken me a long, long time and I'm still not there yet, but that's okay.
 
 I like to do high cardio exercise. My doctor told me that instead of losing weight on the scales, I should work to tone my body so sometimes I use the little weights. I only use those when I'm doing some type of exercise video because the instructor knows what she is doing hahaha...That is what I focus on. I enjoy the cardio because it makes me feel better.

mag6125 · Jan 22, 2011

I think everyone feels this way at some point. When I graduated high school I was at my best weight 5'0" and 130lbs but it was all muscle from playing hockey and softball. At that weight I was comfortable because I looked athletic and I liked that. My freshman year of college I got really sick and had to stop hockey, now 3 yrs later I'm down to 98lbs, but I've been as low as 89. Losing 40lbs and staying that way for so long I got use to be real thin and wearing size 0 and everything like that, so anytime I gain weight now I feel uncomfortable and hate how my clothes don't fit. I've come to accept it more now that I'm waiting for transplant and need to keep as much weight on as I can but the best thing I've found is trying to keep weight as muscle. Then you can be a healthy weight and its harded to lose than fat. I agree with Twistofchaos, try using weight to build up your arms and legs, that will give you a more proportioned look but keep up some kind of cardio too because that's good for your body overall, especially your lungs. If you ever want someone to talk to feel free to PM me!

mag6125 · Jan 22, 2011

I think everyone feels this way at some point. When I graduated high school I was at my best weight 5'0" and 130lbs but it was all muscle from playing hockey and softball. At that weight I was comfortable because I looked athletic and I liked that. My freshman year of college I got really sick and had to stop hockey, now 3 yrs later I'm down to 98lbs, but I've been as low as 89. Losing 40lbs and staying that way for so long I got use to be real thin and wearing size 0 and everything like that, so anytime I gain weight now I feel uncomfortable and hate how my clothes don't fit. I've come to accept it more now that I'm waiting for transplant and need to keep as much weight on as I can but the best thing I've found is trying to keep weight as muscle. Then you can be a healthy weight and its harded to lose than fat. I agree with Twistofchaos, try using weight to build up your arms and legs, that will give you a more proportioned look but keep up some kind of cardio too because that's good for your body overall, especially your lungs. If you ever want someone to talk to feel free to PM me!

mag6125 · Jan 22, 2011

I think everyone feels this way at some point. When I graduated high school I was at my best weight 5'0" and 130lbs but it was all muscle from playing hockey and softball. At that weight I was comfortable because I looked athletic and I liked that. My freshman year of college I got really sick and had to stop hockey, now 3 yrs later I'm down to 98lbs, but I've been as low as 89. Losing 40lbs and staying that way for so long I got use to be real thin and wearing size 0 and everything like that, so anytime I gain weight now I feel uncomfortable and hate how my clothes don't fit. I've come to accept it more now that I'm waiting for transplant and need to keep as much weight on as I can but the best thing I've found is trying to keep weight as muscle. Then you can be a healthy weight and its harded to lose than fat. I agree with Twistofchaos, try using weight to build up your arms and legs, that will give you a more proportioned look but keep up some kind of cardio too because that's good for your body overall, especially your lungs. If you ever want someone to talk to feel free to PM me!

KingJames · Feb 5, 2011

Sometimes when I went in for a check-up the doctor would note that I had lost weight, but of course it was always intentional. Sometimes people find it hard to believe that as a CF patient, I'm actually trying to lose weight. Hey, though, one of the perks is that I can eat tremendous amounts of food, and yet I'm not obese

If you want to trim the fat anywhere on your body, make sure you're doing cardio. The cardio will really burn off the fat, and I've found that distance running really trimmed me down a lot (Swimming, jumping rope, and cycling will all do it too). Also, start a weight lifting program too. The weights will increase your muscle mass, and muscle in turn increases your standing metabolism.

Btw, especially as a CF patient, don't worry about dieting. Just workout, and I'm fairly certain that you'll lose any unwanted fat without the need for a diet (A diet might even cause you to suddenly lose too much weight). That's been the case with me, and I hold onto my weight more so than most of my fellow CF buddies. The most important thing, is simply consistency. Be consistent with your workout, and don't stress over the amount as much. If you keep doing it, the bit of fat will go. Don't stress over your weight either, because if you lift weights and perform cardio, your body weight will very likely stay the same or increase, yet you'll be trim. Good luck, and keep it up! ;-)

KingJames · Feb 5, 2011

Sometimes when I went in for a check-up the doctor would note that I had lost weight, but of course it was always intentional. Sometimes people find it hard to believe that as a CF patient, I'm actually trying to lose weight. Hey, though, one of the perks is that I can eat tremendous amounts of food, and yet I'm not obese

If you want to trim the fat anywhere on your body, make sure you're doing cardio. The cardio will really burn off the fat, and I've found that distance running really trimmed me down a lot (Swimming, jumping rope, and cycling will all do it too). Also, start a weight lifting program too. The weights will increase your muscle mass, and muscle in turn increases your standing metabolism.

Btw, especially as a CF patient, don't worry about dieting. Just workout, and I'm fairly certain that you'll lose any unwanted fat without the need for a diet (A diet might even cause you to suddenly lose too much weight). That's been the case with me, and I hold onto my weight more so than most of my fellow CF buddies. The most important thing, is simply consistency. Be consistent with your workout, and don't stress over the amount as much. If you keep doing it, the bit of fat will go. Don't stress over your weight either, because if you lift weights and perform cardio, your body weight will very likely stay the same or increase, yet you'll be trim. Good luck, and keep it up! ;-)

KingJames · Feb 5, 2011

Sometimes when I went in for a check-up the doctor would note that I had lost weight, but of course it was always intentional. Sometimes people find it hard to believe that as a CF patient, I'm actually trying to lose weight. Hey, though, one of the perks is that I can eat tremendous amounts of food, and yet I'm not obese

If you want to trim the fat anywhere on your body, make sure you're doing cardio. The cardio will really burn off the fat, and I've found that distance running really trimmed me down a lot (Swimming, jumping rope, and cycling will all do it too). Also, start a weight lifting program too. The weights will increase your muscle mass, and muscle in turn increases your standing metabolism.
 
 Btw, especially as a CF patient, don't worry about dieting. Just workout, and I'm fairly certain that you'll lose any unwanted fat without the need for a diet (A diet might even cause you to suddenly lose too much weight). That's been the case with me, and I hold onto my weight more so than most of my fellow CF buddies. The most important thing, is simply consistency. Be consistent with your workout, and don't stress over the amount as much. If you keep doing it, the bit of fat will go. Don't stress over your weight either, because if you lift weights and perform cardio, your body weight will very likely stay the same or increase, yet you'll be trim. Good luck, and keep it up! ;-)

Hardak · Apr 13, 2011

I'm not a girl, but i noticed the "belly" your talking about my self though my teen years, even there to a lesser extent in my 20's. Work your arms and legs trying to build a little bulk/strength. It will help balance things out, or seemed to for me.

Hardak · Apr 13, 2011

I'm not a girl, but i noticed the "belly" your talking about my self though my teen years, even there to a lesser extent in my 20's. Work your arms and legs trying to build a little bulk/strength. It will help balance things out, or seemed to for me.

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