I have retained some stubborn belly fat from steroids and hormones, and I detest it. There. I said it.
But I finally figured out how to get rid of that fat and Lent helped me with my health goals! If you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen my stories talking about my plans for Lent. My Mom always observed Lent with great reverence which has influenced me to do the same. Though I think many people think of Lent as a Catholic observance, it’s observed in many denominations and is a very important part of my Methodist-raised-now-Baptist-but always Christian-faith. Mom would usually give up something like sweets or would increase her fasting and praying. I’ve often done the same.
This year I chose to redirect my goal for Lent and decided to focus it on healthy changes knowing this was a time that I wouldn’t flake on that commitment. I wanted to finally lose that stupid muffin top that’s been plaguing me for about four years.
Yes, I realize for some that might sound like a minor struggle, but for me, having Crohn’s disease with so many issues like scars, pain, bloating, and inflammation centered around my abdomen on a daily basis (times 30 years), any extra weight there has a huge impact. And it’s painful and uncomfortable and was seriously messing with my self-confidence, try as I might to not allow it.
I hated how it looked and felt. How did it get there? Steroids for the Crohn’s which can add a lot of weight and “fat pads.” Hormones: I’m at that perimenopausal age and I’m sure my metabolism came to a screeching halt a couple years back making any bad food choices magnified in how they affected my body.
Now to be clear, I’m not perfectly toned, but it was my abdomen that was causing me literal distress. And nothing seemed to fix it. And the size of my muffin top seemed to be something I should be able to gain control of, even if I can’t fix the Crohn’s.
I succeeded with my goal and have ditched most of the bulk there and need to now tone that area. Be aware that there is still more work for me to do there: Lent is a 40-day commitment and that’s not a super long time to make a big difference, but I am pleased with the results and how I achieved them was actually fairly simple.
I downloaded the free My Fitness Pal app. I “told” the app how much I guess that I weigh (I don’t weigh myself and don’t look when I get weighed at the doctor’s office because I don’t want that number to dictate how I feel. I want how I feel to dictate how I feel) and how much I thought I would need to lose to reduce that area. It told me how many calories to consume each day. This is not an add for the app. I am not in contact with them at all. It’s just a free app that worked for me. This is not a sponsored post.
That simple calculation made all the difference for me. Now, you can have 1100 calories a day of cake or 1100 calories of healthier foods and they are not equal. So I had to make sure I wasn’t consuming too much sugar or fat, and the app tracks that info too.
But you guys, this was not restrictive at all. I’m not on a diet. I’m trying to be intentional about what goes into my mouth and when, so it will benefit my body. I ate pizza. I didn’t give up sugar entirely, but the app kept me mindful of how much was in what I ate, as well as telling me something was high in carbs or protein, etc.
This way of monitoring my eating empowered me with knowledge about food and while that might seem like a silly thing, it’s not. Do you know how many calories are in a banana? Or in those Qdoba nachos you had for lunch? I wasn’t even thinking about it so mindless munching without knowledge of the calories wasn’t doing me any favors. Every single day of Lent, I stayed under my calorie recommendation for weight loss and it was easy. When you know the sky isn’t the limit on calories, you make wiser choices because you don’t want to “spend” all your calories on one meal. You also realize just how much 1100 calories a day is and how much you really can eat.
I was satisfied every day and usually ended the day with calories left over. It was all about knowledge and planning, and took about ten minutes out of my day. If I wanted to eat something and was unsure what the caloric “value” was, I popped it into the app to find out. Then I could make the decision: Was this food worth taking up one-half or a third of my calorie intake for the day? I could either eat it or make a healthier choice. Up to me.
I have never been overweight and I’m not now either. But I’m also fighting three chronic illnesses and I don’t feel so great. Food is a literal enemy and it has been since I was 18 and a freshman in college. Food hurts. Food makes me run to the bathroom. Food causes inflammation in my body. Food doesn’t fuel me. I need food to live however, food causes all those issues. So you can see that food and I haven’t had the healthiest relationship for a few decades.
BUT arming myself with knowledge of how much my body actually needs every day, has helped. This isn’t necessarily about eating a lot less, it’s just about eating smarter and making my calorie consumption count (will this 100-calorie banana be more helpful to my body than 100 calories of Easter candy…)
The results: I have lost belly fat and it feels great that I did. I have no idea how much weight I lost but I tightened my belt up a notch and I look better (my husband says he also notices weight loss in my face, so I must have ditched a pound or three). When you’ve reached a goal of any kind, you walk a little taller, amen? I do. I feel empowered. I did this thing that I’ve struggled to conquer for four years. If you’re looking to me to tell you how to get washboard abs or the thigh gap, this is the wrong place. Those aren’t my goals. I want to be healthy but I’m fighting these chronic illnesses so I will take victory where I can get it.
I have my confidence back. I feel better in my clothes. I feel like I have power and that’s huge for those of us with chronic illnesses who often feel like the illness is in charge. I’m going to stay on this method of eating. It’s working for me and I still haven’t gone over the calorie suggestion. You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned exercise because that’s also a struggle for me since I have chronic pain and fatigue, but I’m going to work on tightening my abs next so stay tuned…
Victoriously yours,
