Week 9 Weigh in!

I was pleasantly surprised stepping on the scale this week! With having to take most of the week off from the gym to nurse an old softball knee injury and with the start of my cycle starting, I still had a great loss this week! 

 I wish the numbers came up better in the pictures, but as you can *barely* see, that's a 2 lbs weight loss this week! I am now down a total from my highest weight 23 lbs and since the start of this blog I am down 13 lbs!!!


So as I started this blog off with, last week was kinda of rough with going to the gym. I woke up one morning and my knee was really sore. I injured it about 10 years ago playing softball. I slipped rounding 2nd base and sprained a tendon. From time to time it'll still flare up. It's okay now and it only takes a few days from heavy activity for it to feel back to normal. 

 I have a new favorite meal this week. I've pretty much have made it for lunch everyday for the past week, lol. I slice mild Italian chicken sausage up in a pan and cook it up with egg whites. Throw it in a bowl and top it with Frank's hot sauce. It's fast, easy, and yummy!!!

Tomorrow, I'm going to work on a post about meals on the go!

Until tomorrow, Stay Strong Iron Family!!!!   

Measurement Update and Plus-Size Workout Clothes.

Yesterday marked one month that I started to work with my trainer again. Which meant time to check my progress. Both my trainer Caleb and I were very happy with the numbers! In one month I am down 11.2 lbs! Whoop Whoop!!!! My measurements are also pretty impressive! 

                         5/17 measurements          6/20 Measurements  

Neck:                         16                                            16  

Chest:                       48                                             47.5

Shoulders:               52                                              53

Waist:                       60                                              56.5

Hips:                         60+                                          *60+
                               (*Tape measure was so close to being able to measure me *) 

Bicep:                         17                                                  17

Thigh:                        27                                                  24

Calf:                           17                                                  16
                     *All measurements in inches


Look at all those inches lost in one month!! 9+ inches in one month is awesome! I put the plus because the hips are smaller just not sure by how much. If I keep this up, I will surpass my Arnold goal of 50 lbs lost by March. 



Good Plus size workout clothes are so hard to come by....well along with nice looking workout clothes OR ones that aren't expensive and don't get me started on plus-sized sports bras. I am very blessed on top and trying to find a good supportive sports bra is impossible. To hold my H cup girls takes 2 sports bras. The only company that I've found that carries my size is Lane Bryant. However, I still have to throw a no-wire sports bra on top for a little extra support.

So where is a plus-sized girl to get nice workout clothes? I've found that my best options have been Old Navy and Kohl's. I love Old Navy's compression leggings and workout shirts! They always have sales online and their sizing goes up to 4X. I have found that a few of their sizing do run a little big. With Kohl's it can be hit or miss. However, 2 of my favorite capri leggings I got from their discount rack for 7.00!  Now, as much as I love Lane Bryant for their sports bras and everyday wear, I am not a fan of their activewear line. I find them expensive for their quality. I bought a pair their capris leggings and wore them 4 times before they started getting the wonderful pilling between the thighs. Their workout shirts I find run small and when you wear their largest size in tops thanks to your girls, this makes it difficult to find shirts to wear. I think once I get all my workout clothes washed I'll post a few of the outfits I like to wear.        

Wednesday Weigh In and What's in My Gym Bag

Well I thought I set my post to go live for last week's weigh in. I guess my account knew something I didn't know, lol. Because when I stepped on the scale this week the same number flashed back at me. Part of me thinks I should be ashamed that there was no change in the number from last week to this week, but I'm not. The scale is just a number and the fact that my shorts are falling off me is a more realistic indicator. With weight training, I know that my numbers will be going up and down as I lose fat and gain muscle. 

 I know the picture still says week 6, lol. I just used the one that was supposed to post last week. This is actually week 7. I was doing a little happy dance when this number popped up. That's 4lbs in one week!!!!!!  


I thought I would do a blog that I see that is common on blogs and vlogs. I see a lot of competitors do this post and I thought hey, why not?  

  From left to right.... (1)Nathan water bottles, (2) my workout log from my gym, (3) NLA for Woman Uplift, (4) 1UP BCAA's, (5) Versa Gripps, (6) Sweet Sweat, (7)Bath and Body Works hand cream, (8) Lip Freak lip balm, and (9) my ear buds. The Sweet Sweat bag in the back I got from The Arnold at the booth.

1) These are my FAVORITE water bottles! I bought these from TJ MAXX and I love how easy they are to clean. I also like that they have two lids on them. Not only making it easy to wash them but to fill with ice. I hate when a bottle has a big mouth on it and you try to take a drink while doing cardio and you get splashed in the face. The smaller opening prevents that from happening. 

2) This is just a simple log I got from the gym. I don't actually write in it. My trainer however does. He writes down what we did during workouts so I can look back and also records my measurements in it. 

3) This is my favorite pre-workout! I currently have the raspberry lemonade flavor. I really like this blend because it doesn't cause my heart to race. (* I am not sensitive to caffeine and this product can have a different effect on each person) It also gives me just that little bit of energy to get my through a tough set or get in all my cardio. 

4) I love my BCAA's! This is that watermelon flavor and it's one of the best tasting. I hate drinks that have a strong sweetness to them when I workout because it causes my stomach to get upset. This product also includes glutamine and L-carnitine in the blend so I don't have to include them as a separate supplement. When I add this to my water during my workouts, it cuts muscle recovery time in half for me. 

5) I have weak wrist when it comes to doing heavy weighted back and leg workouts. These grips help me to pull more weight during deadlift and even lat pull downs. I haven't used them much so the leather is still a little stiff but with more use it'll soften up. 

6) Wanna sweat? Then let me introduce you to my little friend. Not only does this work to increase sweat and reduce water weight but it also smells soooooo good! It comes in a regular scent and coconut. The regular scent has a nice clean smell to it and comes in a jar like this one or a stick. Right now the coconut only comes in a jar. However, at The Arnold they were hinting that they are working on getting this in a stick form as well. I love rubbing this stuff on before my workout. I someone who loves to feel the sweat drip down my body. I know sweat isn't a true indicator of how hard you are working but for me it makes me feel like a beast when I sweat through a shirt. 

7) This is my favorite summer scent! It's the Bath and Body Works Sweet Strawberries and Cream. I throw this in my bag for when I'm done working out. It not only helps soften those wonderful callouses from weight training but also makes you smell nice after all that sweating. 

8) I carry chapstick or lip balm with me wherever I go and this is my favorite. I used to love Burt's Bees in the 90's. Remember how it would make your lips tingle? It seems like that tingle isn't as strong as it once was and well I really liked that feeling. This stuff is that tingle and plus some! The tingle comes from the cinnamon oil that they put in the product. I use the shade Berry Sinister. 

9) These a just simple ear buds that I picked up at TJ MAXX when my son broke my last pair. I pretty much only buy cheap pairs because I either lose them or they get broken. 

So there we have it Iron Family, that's my gym bag for you. 

Until next time Stay Strong Iron Family.      

I DID IT!!!! Late Wednesday weigh in post

My first goal on this journey was to get below 300 lbs again ...aaaaannnnnddddddd

 I DID IT!!!! HAPPY DANCE BREAK!!!

I am soooooo happy that I will never see a 300 number again. So in total from the very beginning I am down 16 lbs.  My next goal is to hit 20 lbs down.

This week has been very hit and miss with the gym. All three of my boys suffer from outdoor seasonal allergies. It makes it rough to take them out this time of year when the cottonwood trees let loose. In some areas it gets so thick that it looks like snow on the ground. Next week will be easier since my hubby doesn't have mandatory overtime and he'll be home with the boys. 

Last week's training with Caleb was an eye opener. I consider myself strong and love to lift heavy. Well, he showed me some techniques that you use lighter weights for the movements and isolate the muscle. OH MY GOSH! That 5lb weight felt like 50! I also learned that I hate burpees after the first 50 of the 100 that he had me do. LoL

 I was also introduced to this yummy goodness this week......

 This stuff is A-MAZ-ING! I've had other protein ice creams before but they don't even compare to this one. So creamy and the taste is like eating cake batter. I can't wait to try the other flavors! I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate the whole pint. It was so easy to fit into my macros. 

My goal this week is to start writing more on here. I know I've been slacking. 

Until next time, Stay Strong Iron Family!