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Body Image and CF
- Thread starter FaeRush
- Start date
I always wondered if someone with Cystic Fibrosis could get into a really good shape, like model/athletic shape. And I'm into weight lifting and came across this really cool story. It's changed my outlook on things. Here's the story http://www.jonnysimpson.com/press/view/jonnys-determined-to-be-a-champion-bodybuilder/
And here's his facebook page, so ya can see the photos. I was amazed at how in shape he's in. He's my motivation as far as trying to gain weight and be in shape. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonnysimpsoncom/196708469631
Enjoy <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
And here's his facebook page, so ya can see the photos. I was amazed at how in shape he's in. He's my motivation as far as trying to gain weight and be in shape. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonnysimpsoncom/196708469631
Enjoy <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
I always wondered if someone with Cystic Fibrosis could get into a really good shape, like model/athletic shape. And I'm into weight lifting and came across this really cool story. It's changed my outlook on things. Here's the story http://www.jonnysimpson.com/press/view/jonnys-determined-to-be-a-champion-bodybuilder/
And here's his facebook page, so ya can see the photos. I was amazed at how in shape he's in. He's my motivation as far as trying to gain weight and be in shape. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonnysimpsoncom/196708469631
Enjoy <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
And here's his facebook page, so ya can see the photos. I was amazed at how in shape he's in. He's my motivation as far as trying to gain weight and be in shape. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonnysimpsoncom/196708469631
Enjoy <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
I always wondered if someone with Cystic Fibrosis could get into a really good shape, like model/athletic shape. And I'm into weight lifting and came across this really cool story. It's changed my outlook on things. Here's the story http://www.jonnysimpson.com/press/view/jonnys-determined-to-be-a-champion-bodybuilder/
<br />
<br />And here's his facebook page, so ya can see the photos. I was amazed at how in shape he's in. He's my motivation as far as trying to gain weight and be in shape. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonnysimpsoncom/196708469631
<br />
<br />Enjoy <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
<br />
<br />And here's his facebook page, so ya can see the photos. I was amazed at how in shape he's in. He's my motivation as far as trying to gain weight and be in shape. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonnysimpsoncom/196708469631
<br />
<br />Enjoy <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
S
skybluecj
Guest
hey, also not a girl but got CF and thought id share some advice. most Cf patients i know, skinny arms bloated belly so it really simple. dont aim to lose weight or get rid off it from areas, just tone up, start jogging, use weights for your arms, it is really gd for your chest it is easy and it makes you feel so much better about your self.
remember muscle weighs more than fat, so if you do this training then you realise your putting weight on the scales then dont worry it not bad it is BRILL <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> eat you protein stuff like bananas and loads off fruit and eat your chocolates biscuits and snacks because rembember if you jog you lose alot off weight and you need to be a healthy weight when you have CF so when you excerise the bad thing is you food intake has to increase but just make sure it the gd stuff <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
have fun <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
remember muscle weighs more than fat, so if you do this training then you realise your putting weight on the scales then dont worry it not bad it is BRILL <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> eat you protein stuff like bananas and loads off fruit and eat your chocolates biscuits and snacks because rembember if you jog you lose alot off weight and you need to be a healthy weight when you have CF so when you excerise the bad thing is you food intake has to increase but just make sure it the gd stuff <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
have fun <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
S
skybluecj
Guest
hey, also not a girl but got CF and thought id share some advice. most Cf patients i know, skinny arms bloated belly so it really simple. dont aim to lose weight or get rid off it from areas, just tone up, start jogging, use weights for your arms, it is really gd for your chest it is easy and it makes you feel so much better about your self.
remember muscle weighs more than fat, so if you do this training then you realise your putting weight on the scales then dont worry it not bad it is BRILL <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> eat you protein stuff like bananas and loads off fruit and eat your chocolates biscuits and snacks because rembember if you jog you lose alot off weight and you need to be a healthy weight when you have CF so when you excerise the bad thing is you food intake has to increase but just make sure it the gd stuff <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
have fun <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
remember muscle weighs more than fat, so if you do this training then you realise your putting weight on the scales then dont worry it not bad it is BRILL <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> eat you protein stuff like bananas and loads off fruit and eat your chocolates biscuits and snacks because rembember if you jog you lose alot off weight and you need to be a healthy weight when you have CF so when you excerise the bad thing is you food intake has to increase but just make sure it the gd stuff <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
have fun <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
S
skybluecj
Guest
hey, also not a girl but got CF and thought id share some advice. most Cf patients i know, skinny arms bloated belly so it really simple. dont aim to lose weight or get rid off it from areas, just tone up, start jogging, use weights for your arms, it is really gd for your chest it is easy and it makes you feel so much better about your self.
<br />
<br />remember muscle weighs more than fat, so if you do this training then you realise your putting weight on the scales then dont worry it not bad it is BRILL <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> eat you protein stuff like bananas and loads off fruit and eat your chocolates biscuits and snacks because rembember if you jog you lose alot off weight and you need to be a healthy weight when you have CF so when you excerise the bad thing is you food intake has to increase but just make sure it the gd stuff <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
<br />
<br />have fun <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
<br />
<br />remember muscle weighs more than fat, so if you do this training then you realise your putting weight on the scales then dont worry it not bad it is BRILL <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> eat you protein stuff like bananas and loads off fruit and eat your chocolates biscuits and snacks because rembember if you jog you lose alot off weight and you need to be a healthy weight when you have CF so when you excerise the bad thing is you food intake has to increase but just make sure it the gd stuff <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
<br />
<br />have fun <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
I know what you mean. I am 31 and have been struggling with this my entire life.<div>And I have a masters in nutrition and actually did my thesis on body esteem and adherence to enzymes and diet in teens with cf. but my study was very small and never yielded much, results wise.</div><div><br></div><div>I am 5'0" and vary from 100-110 lbs. My arms and legs are small but my torso is big. My waist is around 32 inches but my hips only 36-37. Which has given me a very boxy shape, which I have always hated.</div><div><br></div><div>I have a barrel chest which I think is common in those with CF.</div><div>This creates more room in the torso area, depth wise.</div><div>So I think one thing that happens (if one has a barrel chest) is that our organs have a lot more room due to the widening rib cage.</div><div><br></div><div>Our organs are not really 'attached' to something in our torso. If you picture them as sort of free floating in a bag, think of what would happen if you had the same amount in different sized bags...they will sort of mould to the size/shape of the bag - so to speak.</div><div><br></div><div>So I think that no matter how much weight I was to lose, I would still have a similarly large stomach/abdomen as long as I had a barrel chest.</div><div><br></div><div>I also think that it is more difficult for people with CF to build muscle - depending on the extent of disease. There has been new research showing that the actual CF mutation can cause muscle wasting in animal models. Which, if similar in people, would account for the difficulty building or maintaining muscle. So the idea of working out enough to get a six pack may not actually ever happen (although working out has benefits other than this so I still advocate being as physical as one can be given their lung state).</div><div><br></div><div>So all these factors, combined with potential bloating, leads to an atypical torso.</div><div><br></div><div>But even knowing these facts does not really make it easier for me to deal with the actual result. I find it SOOO hard to shop for pants that actually fit me. Because in order to fit my waist the pants may be huge in the legs, hips, and butt areas. And I just really dislike my stomach.</div><div><br></div><div>I have even talked to cosmetic surgeons about getting liposuction (not done under general anesthethic) and if I ever have enough money I may do something like that...because I really dislike it so much. But I am not sure how much of a difference it will actually make, because I am not sure how much of it is actual fat (as opposed to untoned muscle and organs). </div><div><br></div><div>So while I have no great answers for getting rid of it, and am not even sure it is possible, you are not alone in feeling the way you do.</div><div><br></div><div>It is hard to find a compromise between doing what is best for your health and what will make you happy - when it comes to body esteem. I wish I was more comfortable with my body..but I am not sure I will ever be.</div>
I know what you mean. I am 31 and have been struggling with this my entire life.And I have a masters in nutrition and actually did my thesis on body esteem and adherence to enzymes and diet in teens with cf. but my study was very small and never yielded much, results wise.<br>I am 5'0" and vary from 100-110 lbs. My arms and legs are small but my torso is big. My waist is around 32 inches but my hips only 36-37. Which has given me a very boxy shape, which I have always hated.<br>I have a barrel chest which I think is common in those with CF.This creates more room in the torso area, depth wise.So I think one thing that happens(if one has a barrel chest)is that our organs have a lot more room due to the widening rib cage.<br>Our organs are not really 'attached' to something in our torso. If you picture them as sort of free floating in a bag, think of what would happen if you had the same amount in different sized bags...they will sort of mould to the size/shape of the bag - so to speak.<br>So I think that no matter how much weight I was to lose, I would still have a similarly large stomach/abdomen as long as I had a barrel chest.<br>I also think that it is more difficult for people with CF to build muscle - depending on the extent of disease. There has been new research showing that the actual CF mutation can cause muscle wasting in animal models. Which, if similar in people, would account for the difficulty building or maintaining muscle. So the idea of working out enough to get a six pack may not actually ever happen (although working out has benefits other than this so I still advocate being as physical as one can be given their lung state).<br>So all these factors, combined with potential bloating, leads to an atypical torso.<br>But even knowing these facts does not really make it easier for me to deal with the actual result. I find it SOOO hard to shop for pants that actually fit me. Because in order to fit my waist the pants may be huge in the legs, hips, and butt areas. And I just really dislike my stomach.<br>I have even talked to cosmetic surgeons about getting liposuction (not done under general anesthethic) and if I ever have enough money I may do something like that...because I really dislike it so much. But I am not sure how much of a difference it will actually make, because I am not sure how much of it is actual fat (as opposed to untoned muscle and organs).<br>So while I have no great answers for getting rid of it, and am not even sure it is possible, you are not alone in feeling the way you do.<br>It is hard to find a compromise between doing what is best for your health and what will make you happy - when it comes to body esteem. I wish I was more comfortable with my body..but I am not sure I will ever be.
I know what you mean. I am 31 and have been struggling with this my entire life.And I have a masters in nutrition and actually did my thesis on body esteem and adherence to enzymes and diet in teens with cf. but my study was very small and never yielded much, results wise.<br>I am 5'0" and vary from 100-110 lbs. My arms and legs are small but my torso is big. My waist is around 32 inches but my hips only 36-37. Which has given me a very boxy shape, which I have always hated.<br>I have a barrel chest which I think is common in those with CF.This creates more room in the torso area, depth wise.So I think one thing that happens(if one has a barrel chest)is that our organs have a lot more room due to the widening rib cage.<br>Our organs are not really 'attached' to something in our torso. If you picture them as sort of free floating in a bag, think of what would happen if you had the same amount in different sized bags...they will sort of mould to the size/shape of the bag - so to speak.<br>So I think that no matter how much weight I was to lose, I would still have a similarly large stomach/abdomen as long as I had a barrel chest.<br>I also think that it is more difficult for people with CF to build muscle - depending on the extent of disease. There has been new research showing that the actual CF mutation can cause muscle wasting in animal models. Which, if similar in people, would account for the difficulty building or maintaining muscle. So the idea of working out enough to get a six pack may not actually ever happen (although working out has benefits other than this so I still advocate being as physical as one can be given their lung state).<br>So all these factors, combined with potential bloating, leads to an atypical torso.<br>But even knowing these facts does not really make it easier for me to deal with the actual result. I find it SOOO hard to shop for pants that actually fit me. Because in order to fit my waist the pants may be huge in the legs, hips, and butt areas. And I just really dislike my stomach.<br>I have even talked to cosmetic surgeons about getting liposuction (not done under general anesthethic) and if I ever have enough money I may do something like that...because I really dislike it so much. But I am not sure how much of a difference it will actually make, because I am not sure how much of it is actual fat (as opposed to untoned muscle and organs).<br>So while I have no great answers for getting rid of it, and am not even sure it is possible, you are not alone in feeling the way you do.<br>It is hard to find a compromise between doing what is best for your health and what will make you happy - when it comes to body esteem. I wish I was more comfortable with my body..but I am not sure I will ever be.
I was actually a little stunned when I read the original post--what you described is so much more similar to my experience than what I read on most CF blogs. Even though I'm pancreatic insufficient I've never really had trouble gaining weight, and at one point I was even overweight. That's when they took me off supplements, and over the next few years that, puberty and weight loss to do an operation (not CF-related) made me slim out. However, I was then paranoid about gaining the weight back, especially since I felt like I had lost it almost accidentally.
I also have always been extremely insecure with my stomach, because that's where I gain weight first. Really nice, by the way, to know I'm not the only one. Just in case this helps, here's what's worked for me to get myself into better shape and feeling more confident about my body and health overall:
I would absolutely agree with everyone who's said lifting weights will help--I exercise a lot and use weights 3-4 times a week, and I'm much happier with my muscle tone and overall body shape. I promise that feeling stronger physically will really help you feel stronger in all aspects of life. But don't be that girl who stands in front of the mirror with her 3-pounders for half an hour...make sure to challenge yourself! You won't get bulky or overly "buff," just stronger.
As far as cardio goes, I would recommend interval training. Warm up, then do intervals of about 30 seconds going as hard as you can and a minute (or more, if you need) of easy recovery. Do this 10 times, cool down, and you've got about a 20 minute workout that will challenge and improve both your aerobic (i.e. lung) capacity and anaerobic capacity without wasting any of that precious muscle, which can sometimes happen with chronic long-session cardio.
Diet wise, I'm sure you know it's important to make sure you get enough fat and protein. But I have issues with CF people who think they can eat anything simply because they need extra calories, because in my opinion we still need to watch WHAT we eat (as opposed to how much) just as much as anyone else. Nutrition is a very touchy, uncertain subject, but here's one plan that's really helped me, and which I think goes really well with a CF lifestyle: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/.
Even though I'm still not happy with that little remaining bit of flab that won't seem to budge from my stomach, I feel so much more confident and in control than I did when I was trying to count calories or burn them away with endless hours on the elliptical...only to be constantly reminded by my doctor and parents that I should be trying to gain weight. The bloating is and may always be my worst enemy, but I try to remind myself that my condition could be so much worse and that I'm lucky even to be able to exercise and have the full life that I do.
I also have always been extremely insecure with my stomach, because that's where I gain weight first. Really nice, by the way, to know I'm not the only one. Just in case this helps, here's what's worked for me to get myself into better shape and feeling more confident about my body and health overall:
I would absolutely agree with everyone who's said lifting weights will help--I exercise a lot and use weights 3-4 times a week, and I'm much happier with my muscle tone and overall body shape. I promise that feeling stronger physically will really help you feel stronger in all aspects of life. But don't be that girl who stands in front of the mirror with her 3-pounders for half an hour...make sure to challenge yourself! You won't get bulky or overly "buff," just stronger.
As far as cardio goes, I would recommend interval training. Warm up, then do intervals of about 30 seconds going as hard as you can and a minute (or more, if you need) of easy recovery. Do this 10 times, cool down, and you've got about a 20 minute workout that will challenge and improve both your aerobic (i.e. lung) capacity and anaerobic capacity without wasting any of that precious muscle, which can sometimes happen with chronic long-session cardio.
Diet wise, I'm sure you know it's important to make sure you get enough fat and protein. But I have issues with CF people who think they can eat anything simply because they need extra calories, because in my opinion we still need to watch WHAT we eat (as opposed to how much) just as much as anyone else. Nutrition is a very touchy, uncertain subject, but here's one plan that's really helped me, and which I think goes really well with a CF lifestyle: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/.
Even though I'm still not happy with that little remaining bit of flab that won't seem to budge from my stomach, I feel so much more confident and in control than I did when I was trying to count calories or burn them away with endless hours on the elliptical...only to be constantly reminded by my doctor and parents that I should be trying to gain weight. The bloating is and may always be my worst enemy, but I try to remind myself that my condition could be so much worse and that I'm lucky even to be able to exercise and have the full life that I do.
I was actually a little stunned when I read the original post--what you described is so much more similar to my experience than what I read on most CF blogs. Even though I'm pancreatic insufficient I've never really had trouble gaining weight, and at one point I was even overweight. That's when they took me off supplements, and over the next few years that, puberty and weight loss to do an operation (not CF-related) made me slim out. However, I was then paranoid about gaining the weight back, especially since I felt like I had lost it almost accidentally.
I also have always been extremely insecure with my stomach, because that's where I gain weight first. Really nice, by the way, to know I'm not the only one. Just in case this helps, here's what's worked for me to get myself into better shape and feeling more confident about my body and health overall:
I would absolutely agree with everyone who's said lifting weights will help--I exercise a lot and use weights 3-4 times a week, and I'm much happier with my muscle tone and overall body shape. I promise that feeling stronger physically will really help you feel stronger in all aspects of life. But don't be that girl who stands in front of the mirror with her 3-pounders for half an hour...make sure to challenge yourself! You won't get bulky or overly "buff," just stronger.
As far as cardio goes, I would recommend interval training. Warm up, then do intervals of about 30 seconds going as hard as you can and a minute (or more, if you need) of easy recovery. Do this 10 times, cool down, and you've got about a 20 minute workout that will challenge and improve both your aerobic (i.e. lung) capacity and anaerobic capacity without wasting any of that precious muscle, which can sometimes happen with chronic long-session cardio.
Diet wise, I'm sure you know it's important to make sure you get enough fat and protein. But I have issues with CF people who think they can eat anything simply because they need extra calories, because in my opinion we still need to watch WHAT we eat (as opposed to how much) just as much as anyone else. Nutrition is a very touchy, uncertain subject, but here's one plan that's really helped me, and which I think goes really well with a CF lifestyle: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/.
Even though I'm still not happy with that little remaining bit of flab that won't seem to budge from my stomach, I feel so much more confident and in control than I did when I was trying to count calories or burn them away with endless hours on the elliptical...only to be constantly reminded by my doctor and parents that I should be trying to gain weight. The bloating is and may always be my worst enemy, but I try to remind myself that my condition could be so much worse and that I'm lucky even to be able to exercise and have the full life that I do.
I also have always been extremely insecure with my stomach, because that's where I gain weight first. Really nice, by the way, to know I'm not the only one. Just in case this helps, here's what's worked for me to get myself into better shape and feeling more confident about my body and health overall:
I would absolutely agree with everyone who's said lifting weights will help--I exercise a lot and use weights 3-4 times a week, and I'm much happier with my muscle tone and overall body shape. I promise that feeling stronger physically will really help you feel stronger in all aspects of life. But don't be that girl who stands in front of the mirror with her 3-pounders for half an hour...make sure to challenge yourself! You won't get bulky or overly "buff," just stronger.
As far as cardio goes, I would recommend interval training. Warm up, then do intervals of about 30 seconds going as hard as you can and a minute (or more, if you need) of easy recovery. Do this 10 times, cool down, and you've got about a 20 minute workout that will challenge and improve both your aerobic (i.e. lung) capacity and anaerobic capacity without wasting any of that precious muscle, which can sometimes happen with chronic long-session cardio.
Diet wise, I'm sure you know it's important to make sure you get enough fat and protein. But I have issues with CF people who think they can eat anything simply because they need extra calories, because in my opinion we still need to watch WHAT we eat (as opposed to how much) just as much as anyone else. Nutrition is a very touchy, uncertain subject, but here's one plan that's really helped me, and which I think goes really well with a CF lifestyle: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/.
Even though I'm still not happy with that little remaining bit of flab that won't seem to budge from my stomach, I feel so much more confident and in control than I did when I was trying to count calories or burn them away with endless hours on the elliptical...only to be constantly reminded by my doctor and parents that I should be trying to gain weight. The bloating is and may always be my worst enemy, but I try to remind myself that my condition could be so much worse and that I'm lucky even to be able to exercise and have the full life that I do.