100% Random

I like crossing my legs. It's something I couldn't do when I was 206.
It's a sweet little victory for me each and every time, and I'm reminded of how far I've come!

Last night I had a dream that some little kid was throwing rocks at me. Every rock would hit one of my joints, and I was annoyed at how good the kids aim was. When I woke up my joints were killing me! Now the dream makes sense, lol. I think I'm going to have to get my remicade infusion every month, instead of every two months... nerds.

This mornings weigh in had me at 167 for a 2 pound loss this week!

Where the heck is TOM?! I thought it was coming, but it must have taken a wrong turn somewhere...

I was awarded the versatile blog award again. This time by Deb and Kelly. Thank you ladies!!

I'm LOVIN' these ring pops!! They're seriously the perfect snack!
Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win them!

I have baby fever like no ones business! It comes in waves... and I'm in the middle of a huge title wave!

That's about it. I hope you survived the trip into my head. If you're a little dizzy or disoriented, don't worry, it should pass within the next few minutes
(If symptoms last longer, seek medical help. Deliciously Healthy is not responsible for any long term effects;)

Thank you. Come again.
(Channeling Apu from The Simpsons)

A New Size + A Switcheroo!

Today I went shopping with my Sister-in-Law, to get ready for our family reunion!
I was absolutely itching to get in the store, so I could try on a size 14 pants!

I walked into Kohl's, went straight to the ladies department, and started my hunt for size 14 pants! I draped each cute pair I came across, on my arm, to take into the fitting room.
It was weird.
It seemed like I was shopping in la la land.
"Is this really happening? Surely these aren't going to fit."

Once I had a decent pile of pants hanging over my arm, I took a deep breath, and decided it was time to head to the fitting room.

That's when my heart started racing.
And I think I even started to sweat.

I took forever to find a stall I wanted, even though the fitting room was completely empty. I was nervous, and I was stalling. Finally, I picked one. I locked the door, took another deep breath, and selected the first pair of pants I wanted to try on, which were capris. These were a little less intimidating then jeans. I held them up, and let out a chuckle. "You're not going to fit into these Brittany. It'll be okay if you don't"

I was surprised they made it up my legs. Even more surprised when they made it past the junk in my trunk, and I totally couldn't believe it when I comfortably buttoned them!
They fit!I was ecstatic!
Next, I tried on size 14 jeans, that created a bit of a muffin top.It was a little discouraging, but then I tried on another size 14 jeans, and they fit perfectly!WooHoo!

I've gone from a size 18 to a 14!!
I'm so stinkin' proud of myself!

These are the moments in this weight loss journey, that make everything
so worth it!
I wish I could capture that feeling in a jar, and eat it up each and everyday!

Next stop: size 12!

**

After all that shopping, I had an infusion appointment at my doctor's office.
I was on Enbrel, a once weekly home injection, but I've switched back to Remicade. Remicade is a light form of chemotherapy, given through an IV. The infusion lasts 2 hours, and I have to get it every two months. I was on these infusions for a couple years, but stopped last December, due to the fact that I knew we were going to start trying to get pregnant in a few months. In December I switched to the injections, thinking it would be safer if I got pregnant. As it turns out, studies have shown that Remicade isn't harmful during a pregnancy! Which is great, because I like the infusions way more then the injections! I would have an allergic reaction every time my husband gave me the injection, they hurt A LOT, and I just didn't like being poked every week! I'm going to stop the infusions when I get pregnant, just to be on the safe side, but at least I know that getting pregnant on Remicade, won't hurt the baby!They gave me the ever so fabulous, Strawberry Shortcake band aid! ;)
The infusion days themselves are hard though. You can get sick during the infusion. The side effects can range from having a fever, the shakes, headaches, vomiting, and all sorts of other unpleasant stuff! They're also guaranteed to make you
super-de-duper tired! Because of the fact that I haven't had the infusion in a long time, they had to give it to me ultra slow, to reduce the chances of me having side affects. Instead of taking 2 hours, it took 3 1/2!! I had a few moments there where I thought I was going to puke, but I kept my mind off it, by reading all of your blogs on my iphone! So thanks for getting me through it! ;)
The medicine also seems to put my mind in a fog. I took 3 wrong turns getting home from my appointment, on a route I've been taking for over 2 years!

Although today was a little rough, I'm super excited to start feeling the medicine working! These past few days I've felt like the tin man from Wizard of Oz! Now that I've been "oiled up" hopefully I'll be all set!

**

I also just found out that I've been given The Versatile Blogger Award, by Amy at Lite and Fit!!!Thank you so much Amy!!

I'm going to work on it this weekend, and be back on Monday to share!

Thank you again!
xoxo

I'm NOT Going to Let A Bad Weigh In Get Me Down!

Today's weigh in results: 171
That's a 0 pound loss.

I was hoping to see a big loss this week, as I thought I'd be in the gym working up a sweat everyday. Instead, I've spent the week with a cold. Boo!

I was seriously frustrated after stepping off the scale. I did really good this week... and last week.
I feel like this is taking forever!

Good news is, my frustration subsided within the hour. All I can do, is all I can do. I realized that I'm not on some crazy diet, that is only going to last a few weeks. In the past, when I've been on one of those loony diets, I'd head straight to McDonald's after a bad weigh in. If I wasn't going to lose a significant amount of weight each week, then there was no way I was going to continue to eat nothing but salads!

But this is my new lifestyle. I'm going to live/eat this way for the rest of my life... whether I lose weight that week, or not. This is way more then the numbers on the (stupid) scale. This is about being :Deliciously Healthy. I'm going to strive for that each and everyday, even if the scale and I aren't getting along (cause we're currently not talking;)

Plus, I think TOM has something to do with all this. We'll see.

I told Thumbalina to stick her tongue out at the scale. So she did ;)

It's time for some non-scale victories, wouldn't you say? :

~ I went to the gym today, even though my cold is still lingering. I did 10 minutes on the treadmill, and 5 on the elliptical. I had set out to do more, but by the end of those 15 minutes, I was huffing, puffing, wheezing and coughing. 15 minutes isn't much, but it was better then staying home, and getting 0 minutes in, right?

~ I GOT A GYM MEMBERSHIP!! I can hop on a treadmill and my arthritis doesn't hold me back! (I may be limping on it, and can only do like, 10 minutes and I'm out, but at least I can do that much now!)

~My husband and I went for a long walk around the lake near our house, for the first time since living here (2yrs)!! It was hard, and my husband was giving me worried looks by the end of it, because I was so red and sweaty, but it felt good! I was totally proud of myself (and so was my hubby)! When I was 206, there would've been no way my knees could have handled that!

~My skin is looking a lot better! The other day my husband asked, "Are you wearing make up?" I replied, "Nope!" :D

~I successfully ended this day, without diving into a Big Mac, due to my bad weigh in(s). Nor did I let it ruin my day. High five!

~I'm pretty darn sure TOM is coming soon. As you know, I'm always so proud of myself when I have a period all on my own! Although now when I have a period, it means we didn't get pregnant this month, but at least I know that I had the ability to get pregnant this month... things just didn't work out. Either way, I'm :Deliciously Healthy, and loving it!

I'm going to concentrate on those NSVs, to get me through to next weeks weigh in... which will hopefully be good!

***

On a side note:
I put some new things on my sidebar! :

~Progress/goal pictures. I'll put new progress pics up with every 20 pounds I lose!
~"This Weeks Results" Each week, I'll put up the info from my latest weigh in.
~There's also My "Progress" where I keep track of how much weight I've lost, and how much is left to go!
~"Label Cloud" Where you can click on any label, and it will show you all the post that have that label. (The different size words, show how many posts have that label)
~Links to my "Favorite Quick and Easy, Deliciously Healthy Recipes".
~And links to "Deliciously Healthy Recipes I Love"!

Aren't I spiffy? ;D

It's The Climb

(Flickr)
The time that I've been dreading, came. The time for me to stop my infusions, and be taken off some of my medicine, so they can be out of my system when we start trying to get pregnant. I've been dreading this time, because without my meds keeping my RA under control, my RA is able to go to town on my joints.

I stopped taking my meds about a week ago, and I was due for my infusion about two weeks ago.

I'm starting to feel it.
Today especially.
It's been hard.

Every joint in my body hurts, and it gets worse as the day goes on.
I'm starting to dread simple tasks. Even typing.

There's an ugly voice inside my head. It's telling me my dreams are never going to come true. It's telling me I'm never going to reach my goals, and that there's no point in even trying to lose weight.
It seems like this weight loss mountain is getting steeper, and steeper.

I'm trying with everything I have to silence that voice.

About 6 months ago, I had a Doctor's appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, where I learned that I needed knee replacements. I had already known that, but as far as I knew I could hold off for a year or two. During the appointment, my Doctor told me that I needed them, NOW. He even started to fill out the paper work, and wanted me to have the surgery in 3 months. (I decided to go against his wishes and wait)
Learning that I needed knee replacements at the age of 22, was one of the hardest things I've ever had to face. I completely broke down. (You can read more about that day, HERE on my other blog)

On the way home from the appointment, I heard "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus come on the radio. It stopped my tears, and the words gave me so much hope and perspective.

"It's all about the climb." I realized that Heavenly Father gave me this challenge because he loves me, and this was an opportunity for me to learn and grow. I had faith that this was Heavenly Father's plan for me, that he loved me, and that he would never leave my side through this climb of mine. I learned that the struggles I face, are just apart of my journey.

As I've been struggling these past couple days, the words to this song have started to play in my head. They play louder then the negative thoughts, and once again, the words are giving me hope, and a new perspective....

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

(Chorus)

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa
~Miley Cyrus

I've got to be strong. I'm going to keep on climbing, and I'm going to get to the top. There may be obstacles in my way, but I'm not breaking.

This video also brought me GREAT comfort during that time, and as I watch it now. It fills my heart with hope, love, faith, and sends tears of joy streaming down my face.

I feel so empowered!
"Nothing is impossible" to me! My trials can either bring me down, or make me stronger. But it's up to ME as to which road I take!

I'm going to allow these struggles to help me learn, grow, become stronger, and bring me closer to Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ.

I am going to get there. My dreams are going to come true, and I will succeed!
You watch ;)

Thanks for listening, and for all your support!
xoxo