EARLY LIFE
My name is Brittany. I grew up as the oldest of four children in a small town in Idaho. I had about 75 people in my grade and we went to school together from preschool to high school. I moved the summer before my senior year of high school due to my father getting a job in a larger city. I still keep in contact with many of the people I grew up with and attended the 10-year class reunion, even though I didn’t graduate with them. I think growing up in a small town was very beneficial to me, and I wouldn’t change any bit of it.
MARRIAGE
My husband and I met our senior year of high school. Apparently he liked me, but I didn’t know at the time. And he thought I was stuck up and wouldn’t ever give him the time of day. We would sometimes hang out in groups of friends when I was home from college. I beat him once on Guitar Hero and he told his friends that I was the type of girl he wanted to marry. After I graduated from college, we saw each other at church. He was only there to be home taught, as he usually worked on Sundays. He came to my small Family History lesson and we started talking. We talked all through the third hour of church and I was surprised by how I was feeling toward him. I invited him to go with me to Betos since I was invited by a guy, but didn’t want to be alone with said guy. After that, I invited him to watch a movie with me. He thought it was just as friends. Then I told him I liked him, and he thought I was joking. He thought I would be gone after a week of dating him. Then I was forward and gave him a small kiss the first night we hung out and talked. Our relationship moved quickly after that. We saw each other every day and were engaged after 7 weeks of dating. We got married 4 months after being engaged. When we reconnected at church, he was going to be leaving a couple days later to start driving long-haul. But he threw away his train pass since he thought there may be a little possibility of dating me. I was going to move to Denver with my dad, but was offered a position in Boise that I accepted. If none of this would have occurred, we wouldn’t have reconnected or been married.
BIRTHING EXPERIENCE
I had gallbladder attacks throughout my first pregnancy. I went into the ER after having a gallbladder attack at 35.5 weeks pregnant. I was really sick, dehydrated and was having contractions. I had ultrasounds done to see what the issue was. I had developed pancreatitis from my gallbladder attack and was extremely sick. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital where I was giving birth at. I was put on IV fluids only. Many doctors came to see me throughout the next couple days. My body slowly started to heal, but my OBGYN decided to induce labor instead of risk another gallbladder attack at home. I was induced on Thursday at almost 36 weeks pregnant - 4 weeks early. My labor was long and drawn out. From inducement to delivery was 60 hours. Baby was healthy and didn’t have to go to NICU. I had my gallbladder removed three days after delivering my baby. It was a traumatic birth experience and that is why I waited over three years to have my second child.
WEIGHT LOSS
I am the heaviest I have EVER been. It's horrible. I swear I have dieted my entire life, but it hasn't done anything. I am coming to realize that this journey is entirely a mental thing for me. And this is the first time in my life that I am 100% in to better myself. I was going to a weight loss doctor and lost 7 pounds earlier this year. Not much, but still something. I wasn't totally into the weight loss at this time, but knew I needed to do something. Then I went on vacation and totally fell off the wagon. I gained 12.8 pounds in 78 days! From June 21-Sept. 7 ... 12.8 pounds! BUT from Sept. 7 to Sept. 19 (12 days) I LOST 8.2 POUNDS! I'm in this. I'm doing a low carb (NOT NO CARB) higher protein diet (Find some recipes here). It was rough the first few days because all I wanted was a Snickers bar. AHHH! I love chocolate. But it's getting better. Those cravings are sometimes still there, but nowhere near as strong. I am finding ways to eat healthier and modify the foods that are around me. For instance, yesterday we had a pizza party at work. I took the toppings from 3 slices and made a salad. It was delicious. I just want to feel good about my body - and I want to be healthy! I have never felt good about my body. Even when I was "skinny" I still thought I was fat. I am learning to change the way I think about food, about my body, etc. I am learning to follow my hunger cues instead of eating when I'm bored, stressed, etc. My motto for this journey is "the time is going to pass anyway." Christine Carter (weightlosshero) is one of the motivational people I am following and this quote is from her. The time is going to pass anyway - I might as well use this time to better myself.