Lately, looking in the mirror, I've noticed that my stomach looks a lot smaller than usual. I assumed that part of this was because I am losing my "Freshman 7" from college (after being out for over a month and no longer eating every meal in the dining hall and getting a delicious brownie or ice cream for dessert on the regular). Not only that, but I've been eating healthier not because I want to lose weight, but because I feel gross filling up with fast food, greasy food, and overall junk food. It such a hard balance to be healthy but eat so many calories because CF bodies have a difficult time absorbing nutrients and calories from food. But we got some carnation instant breakfast loaded with protein and I've been trying to load up everything with fattening dressing and extra calories whenever possible. But, looking in the mirror I also noticed another reason why I'm looking thinner than usual.
As many know, with CF your ribs are sort of "birdcage" ribs, most people have barrel chests as their ribs expand to leave room for their inflamed lungs. Being so healthy recently, I've noticed that my chest isn't as big as it usually is. I can wrap my hands around my rib cage without it looking out of the ordinary. Though some may not even realize my wide back and ribs, it is something that I have struggled with in shirts and dresses for as long as I can remember. I remember trying on my prom dress and struggling to get the zipper up past my ribs and back. I've had a masseuse at a spa tell me I hold all the tension in my back, as I always try to straighten my back when my heavy, inflamed lungs weigh me down. Though I do have a pretty good body image despite my short-malnourished little body, I hate my barrel chest and wide back. But lately, it hasn't been that way. I've been running so much and feeling so healthy that my lungs don't feel as inflamed as usual, I haven't felt that lungs-rubbing-against-ribs thing in a while. And as a result, my rib cage isn't as "birdcage-like" as it has been in the past. It feels good to physically SEE the results of how healthy I feel. Running so much this summer and barely skipping days during the week has further improved the symptoms of CF, and I got my normal sized ribs to prove it! So if you've been trying to get into a routine, let this be a motivator for you, GET TO IT!