Livingloca’s Hot Bodyblog

Although I haven’t missed many workouts this summer, even on my vacations (who can have vacation without working out? lol)  –with school starting this week, I have mentally re-entered my routine (pure and ultimate intensity in my training).  Love it!!  Hit the treadmill bright and early this morning and flew through my 40 minute run and followed with some great squats, deads, weighted walking lunges and lunges on the Smith machine.  Abs??  Of course.  Gotta keep those sweet babies popping. 

Went to a friend’s 40th party Saturday night and was pleasantly greeted by several women who haven’t seen me in a few months and the expressions—priceless!  A friend of mine (who is very, very slim) asked if I was a size 0 now.  ha ha.  I remember shopping with her and other girlfriends one time and i was the biggest size out of all of them.  I felt HUGE.  I was a size 10.  They were all 4s and 6s.  She was astounded at how I looked (she just saw me in April).  I had another friend there tell me she saw me at the gym looking hot (lol!) and that whatever I was doing, to keep it up because its obviously working.  Another friend asked what I was doing to look so tight.  Wow… I felt like a little ping pong ball at the party…. every woman I spoke to commented on my physique.  And all this hard work I do every day at the gym?  Sooooo worth it.  It was a sweet ego boost.  A funny friend, who is a gorgeous gal, said to another friend next to me "Oh, I hate her… look at her she’s so fat!"  lol… we all died laughing!!!    

 So, its back to hardcore, intense training.  Focus, focus.  The summer was fun but the possibilities of what training brings is awesome! 

Keep training hard and don’t give up.  Remember, its the delicious taste of progress that keeps you striving for more.  It’s ALL OBTAINABLE.  Every juicy ounce of it!  You can do it.  Just set your mind to it… tell yourself weakness is not a choice… you are stronger than that.  You can overcome the diet, mental and physical issues that hold you back from achieving your fitness goals.  Give it a little sweat, lots of perseverance and total dedication.  It is truly a sweet, sweet deal. 

Yum… can you taste it??  If not, work hard towards it… it gets even sweeter….

So we decided to go into downtown Puerto Vallarta this evening for dinner from Punta Mita.  As we are leaving the house, it begins to drizzle (this is rainy season here so it’s completely sunny during the day and in the evenings it rains).  As we get halfway there, there is sooooo much traffic (people get off work at 7pm here) and then it starts to rain hard, thunder and lightening! As we get closer to town, surrounding roads are beginning to flood.  We are in a van-type taxi and thank goodness it is higher off the ground than your typical little mexican taxi cab…lol.  We finally make it to our restaurant (its pouring cats and dogs!!!) and enjoy a wonderful dinner.  As we are returning, we ask if we can swing by the grocery store for a few items…omg.  We hit an area where the water is very high.  We make it through (although my brother-in-law said he felt water come in the car), we quickly run in , get our stuff and leave.  About 5 minutes down the road, the water seems to clear up and the driver is driving faster.  OMG– he suddenly hits what must have been a pile of mud, the van begins to skid and we hit a patch of deep water which drug the van a bit and probably saved us from tipping over!!!  We begin sliding in the deep water and he gains control of the vehicle.  My sister, who is now laughing hysterically, is cracking me up.  We suddenly told each other that it felt like the ride at Astroworld– The Bamboo Shoot, where the log slides around, bumping around and then drops down the incline.  We began to laugh but omg, the fear we had, wondering if we would ever make it back home…..

We get back and some of my family disburses into their bedrooms only to leave me, my sister and my brother in the kitchen talking.  Three nuts left to their own demise!  We can be so silly that my brother opened up the dishwasher, not realizing that it was running and said "oh its running, there’s a chipmunk in there" and my sister said "was it taking a shower???" OMG  the nuts my siblings are!!! I began cracking up and laughing so hard I had tears running down my face and couldn’t make out my words to talk…. I kept mouthing out loud that the mere image of a freaking silly chipmunk in there scrubbing itself with a shower brush was making me laugh!!!!  We all sat there laughing our heads off (stupid, yes) but I guess it was just one of those stupid moments where you just plain had to be there!!!  I must admit, you are reading this and are telling yourself "this girl is nuts"…. ha ha!  Yes, I am very easily amused!!

So, discussing our plans for Friday– beach time, making shrimp cocktail and finishing off the 3 bottles of tequila we have left…. we will be busy! LOL!  I better start salting the rims of those glasses and squeezing those limes.  Only in Mexico can you get away with keeping a party going for a week……  

Keep training hard

So we decided to go into downtown Puerto Vallarta this evening for dinner from Punta Mita.  As we are leaving the house, it begins to drizzle (this is rainy season here so it’s completely sunny during the day and in the evenings it rains).  As we get halfway there, there is sooooo much traffic (people get off work at 7pm here) and then it starts to rain hard, thunder and lightening! As we get closer to town, surrounding roads are beginning to flood.  We are in a van-type taxi and thank goodness it is higher off the ground than your typical little mexican taxi cab…lol.  We finally make it to our restaurant (its pouring cats and dogs!!!) and enjoy a wonderful dinner.  As we are returning, we ask if we can swing by the grocery store for a few items…omg.  We hit an area where the water is very high.  We make it through (although my brother-in-law said he felt water come in the car), we quickly run in , get our stuff and leave.  About 5 minutes down the road, the water seems to clear up and the driver is driving faster.  OMG– he suddenly hits what must have been a pile of mud, the van begins to skid and we hit a patch of deep water which drug the van a bit and probably saved us from tipping over!!!  We begin sliding in the deep water and he gains control of the vehicle.  My sister, who is now laughing hysterically, is cracking me up.  We suddenly told each other that it felt like the ride at Astroworld– The Bamboo Shoot, where the log slides around, bumping around and then drops down the incline.  We began to laugh but omg, the fear we had, wondering if we would ever make it back home…..

We get back and some of my family disburses into their bedrooms only to leave me, my sister and my brother in the kitchen talking.  Three nuts left to their own demise!  We can be so silly that my brother opened up the dishwasher, not realizing that it was running and said "oh its running, there’s a chipmunk in there" and my sister said "was it taking a shower???" OMG  the nuts my siblings are!!! I began cracking up and laughing so hard I had tears running down my face and couldn’t make out my words to talk…. I kept mouthing out loud that the mere image of a freaking silly chipmunk in there scrubbing itself with a shower brush was making me laugh!!!!  We all sat there laughing our heads off (stupid, yes) but I guess it was just one of those stupid moments where you just plain had to be there!!!  I must admit, you are reading this and are telling yourself "this girl is nuts"…. ha ha!  Yes, I am very easily amused!!

So, discussing our plans for Friday– beach time, making shrimp cocktail and finishing off the 3 bottles of tequila we have left…. we will be busy! LOL!  I better start salting the rims of those glasses and squeezing those limes.  Only in Mexico can you get away with keeping a party going for a week……  

Keep training hard

I arrived in Pto. Vallarta yesterday and quickly acclimated myself with a margarita and ceviche for dinner.  Yum! (ok, one of them fits the bill for clean eating) lol! 

The private beach here is gorgeous and the gym……  THEY HAVE A SQUAT BAR!!! YES!!! LOL!   On the last several vacations, I didn’t get to use a squat bar, which ruined my workouts (love them squats and deads!)  I made myself at home and did an hour of cardio today and followed up with abwork.  When I walked into the gym it was still dark outside…. it was 7 am but I could see the sun coming over the mountainside.   I zoned out staring out the window during my cardio at all the lushness of the landscaping on the grounds of the property.  I really didn’t want to stop but my crew at home would be waiting for me for breakfast and then we were off to the beach.

I managed to get a little volleyball in on the beach and have found a new talent…lol.  I am an athletic girl and love the fact that almost everything I try  I am pretty good at.  But that doesn’t mean I will go bungee jumping (NO WAY!!).

Another fine day tomorrow… enjoying the beach and sun and of course, hitting the gym first thing in the morning.  There is nothing better than getting gym time in before you hit the beach– that bikini just seems to fit better

Keep training hard…. have a great weekend!

:) 

I had a sweet friend today give me a birthday gift and in her card she thanked me for being her inspiration to get into shape. Awww.  What a sweet sentiment.  That is what I love to do.  I have had several friends who have seen the transformation I have made and compliment me always on my shoulders, arms and gosh… I have to admit it– I love it!  It has definitely been alot of work, but it has been saweet!! 

Of course, I have had people inspire me as well– KLTexas, who showed me that getting older (not old ) doesn’t mean a woman has to look like a tired ‘ole mom.  Of course, I don’t want to look like the typical mommy– love to wear heels everyday. Who wants to look (and feel) like a frump?  (Oh, and a thanks to HackSquat, who inspired me to work at getting some abs!) 

There are countless women out there that pull their hair back in a ponytail, (or maybe not even brush it), no makeup and they "throw" on something from the bottom of their closet.  Trust me, I know, having kiddos takes the life out of you.  I do have 3 little girls.  Regardless of lack of time, changing diapers, errands, etc., there is NO EXCUSE to let yourself go.  None whatsoever.  Don’t do this to yourself.  You deserve to feel your best! You may think you don’t have the time to workout but you do.  Make time… go early before your husband goes to work or after dinner when the kids are put to bed or go when the kids are at school.  Just make time for yourself to enjoy working out and keeping yourself healthy.

 The fact that once women/moms start to take care of themselves, eat better, workout, it can have such a drastic change on them.  Mentally and physicially.  They (we) become nicer??!  lol.  Stress becomes less and that means being less gripey.  ha ha.   And could you imagine what it feels like to get into a bikini??  If that is your goal, babe, I am backing you 100%.  It feels incredible and the fact that you can go and always find clothing that fits and well, looks awesome, there is no denying that!

Keep it up gals…  I always tell ladies on here, pick a goal and have it planted in your brain.  Work towards it and don’t look back.  If it’s a bikini… buy one in a size you want to get down to… try it on every few weeks to see your progress.  Trust me, as the weeks pass and you see how incredibly good you look in it, you will scream!!!!!!!!!! LOL!  Then, like someone, lol, it has become a shopping frenzy to buy bikinis……  I’ve stopped counting… lol!!
Keep training hard…keep that focus!!! 

Don’t forget– It’s the delicious taste of progress that keeps you striving for more!!!

Wow.  Where did the time go??  I spent the majority of my summer traveling.  It was fun, but it is always soooo nice to be back home.  And now what?  School will be starting back soon and back to a much needed routine.  Although I worked out every time I traveled, I have to say, my workouts were not as intense as I would have liked them to be.  I love to get into the gym, warm up, lift weights (and to pure exhaustion to where I could actually be sore already and completely wiped) and then hit the treadmill with a vengeance.  Miss those days.   

 My workouts have been a little soft (and well, my body is telling me that too)… I am going to be focused, focused, focused.  The vacation-mode has to stop.  LOL!!  Back to my rigid clean eating and getting hard again!

 Keep training hard!!

:)

The journey began on the plane to Caboville…lol…. margaritaville.  The lady sitting next to me on the plane asked if Strongforgood (sitting next to me), KLTexas and I were in some bodybuilding competition in Cabo.  What a sweet comment.  She said because we all looked fit, that our arms were really toned.  Told her no, that we were just on a girls’ trip.

We arrived at the airport and got our bags…. walked out and ugh……. the sweet, fresh, warm air of Cabo kissing us hello!! If you have never been, there are two stands (makeshift bars) right outside the exit doors.  This, my dear, is the first drink to start the weekend.  Although I don’t usually drink beer, it sure sounded really good.  There were crowds upon crowds… apparently bachelorette and bachleor parties…. all awaiting a glorious, fun weekend.  I can tell you that the fun immediately started after walking out of those exit doors! 

We arrived at our house and could not wait for Strongforgood’s reaction at the beach, the coast, the house (it was her first time).  Omg.  We arrived at the house and yes, we were pinching ourselves (we do that often… we like to think we live like rockstars in Cabo…. most of the time we do!) LOL!!  Our personal concierge met us at the door to the house, gave us our keys, introduced us to our housekeeper/cook and told me she is there to cook for us… whatever we needed.  We immediately got our bikinis on and made margaritas…. we went straight out to our patio and let the sun kiss us officially!

That evening we went to one of the most funnest places ever!!!  The Office.  A totally unforgettable night!! We arrived… had a drink to start the night off and they sat us at our table.  This restaurant/bar is on the beach.  The tables are on the sand.  It was soooo nice that evening.  They had entertainment going on on a stage… some which was silly games where they pick out people from the crowd (good gosh…. if you are hammered, its a given that you have to go up there and make a fool of yourself… keep this in mind you future party goers!) lol.  We ran into a crowd of people that were at the airport and we all went up to the stage to dance (no we weren’t hammered, but enjoy being silly) and the fun began!  Singing and dancing to YMCA, someone falling off the stage (hammered again) and being handed long balloons to wave like we are all silly Americans away in Mexico on a party weekend we need a balloon to wave "yay!! I’m here" … doesn’t that sound like fun???  LOL!!  

We visited different places that weekend and had a total blast.  Seemed we bumped into people we saw at the airport every night… drank, danced and giggled alot.  Let’s just say there was a smile on our face that NEVER left. 

Had a spectacular time hanging out at the beach and the pool…  Seems we lived in the pool….. like fish   What fun! We kept joking we should be in our rooms playing scrabble!  LOL!   

The last night in Cabo was sad…. WE HAVE TO LEAVE???!!  Which was our thoughts exactly.  No one ever wants to leave a fun place.  We started the evening with a little taste of Don Julio before we left the house and had dinner in a restaurant off the marina.  We giggled at the table of Mexican girls (bachelorette party) next to us which sounded like sailors!  Every other word was "wey" and they were pretty intent on using it several times in a sentence! LOL.  KlTexas and Strongforgood thought it funny to pick it up as well…. crazy women  

We ventured to a couple of locales and the last one, well, it was cheesy.  The locals were in full force on a Saturday night and we opted to not squeeze our way into the bar, so we went home like good little girls do… lol. 

In Vail and Aspen this week, whew… this traveling is for the birds lol.  I plan on getting my workouts in while I’m here though…. that’s what vacations are for….

 Keep training hard!

It seems every morning that I have been on vacation,  I have made it to the gym.  If you would have asked me 4 years ago if I would be getting up early (even on vacation) to get my butt in there, I would have told you that you were completely nuts!

Each day seems to bring me little surprises here on Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica.  I drive the little golfcarts they have equipped the homes with, and as I make it down the mountain (hill, perhaps, but in Houston we are flat, so they all seem like mountains) little orange crabs scurry across the pavement, trying to get away from the golfcart (oops… i seem to be smushing a couple of them each day).  As I was making a turn, I looked to my right and there was a white-faced monkey crossing the road! 

 I went in late today to the gym and it was empty (it was also 11 am–took a long leisurely morning) but I had the most incredible run!  Seems I had a "carbfest" yesterday which was topped off with eating some cookies (eek!!) So today I wasn’t going to go in, but the thought of those cookies on my abs… not good   Apparently, the overload of carbs yesterday did me well- lots of energy to run with!! (and yesterday I couldn’t move my legs if a burglar was chasing me! I tried and tried to get the motivation to really get some intensity in my cardio but couldn’t).  I realized that my legs were really telling me they wanted a break (i have been running everyday and doing sprints constantly and I forgot I had a big leg workout the day before that left me SORE!).  Well, I listened to them, gave them a little break (ok, so I just didn’t sprint) and today I was back with full intensity.  The little golfcart "valets" probably say to themselves  "there is that chick with the black baseball cap AGAIN".  lol. 

 So today, after I got in my cardio session, I end up going to a small, secluded beach.  Beautiful still water (no big waves) and crystal clear.  As we are sitting, EEEEK!!!!!  An iguana is behind us, shaking its ugly head.  My husband thinks its cute and tosses a piece of bread at it…. WHOAH!!!!!  A couple more come running down the tree behind us!!!  Okay, I love nature (not really, not a nature girl, BUT I LOVE THE BEACH) but those things freaked me out!  I tried to nap on my towel on the sand after having lunch (grilled chicken breast,  fat free plain yogurt and an apple, for the record) and just kept thinking about the iguanas, the ants around me, what was going to fly out of the tree over me… ha ha ha.  Peaceful and tranquil??  lol.  My girls played in the water, loving that they could see fishies in there.  You could hear the massive group of Howler Monkeys in the trees nearby yelling.  When they are in unison it sounds like a bunch of gorillas!  As we were leaving, we walked back through the path and heard a branch near us crack… we looked up– a howler monkey swinging from tree to tree over us!!  Then we saw another one…..the girls are flipping and taking pics…. I smiled, admired and decided the mosquitoes were gonna get me (note to self–bathe in repellent… bc after 10 days of being in Costa Rica, I have gotten bit in sooooooo many places, I am so tired of scratching!!) 

We make it back to the house and relieved… its nice and cool inside and I sit to notice …. a racoon outside on the patio.  The same racoon that was out there 2 days ago!!  Wildlife…. everywhere.  It went away and we went outside on the patio to admire the oceanview…. we hear more Howlers in the trees near the house and catch a glimpse of one, lazily draped over a branch.  Cute.  That is totally what I felt like doing.

So, it has been busy with all kinds of attractions around here.  Lol.  I love being at the beach but I am ready to be back home.  I will get home on Sunday to find myself leaving Thursday for Cabo with my best girlfriends for the weekend.  More sun, more fun– although Cabo won’t have but maybe a few iguanas to offer…

 Keep training hard!

A week in Costa Rica.  I arrived in San Jose, CR over a week ago to find wet weather.  Its the rainy season now (the summer) but it rains in the late afternoon and then clears up.  A day in San Jose and then we ventured to Isla Tortuguero (Turtle Island).  A drive of 3 hours took us to a town where a river began and from that point, there is no way of getting to the island except by boat.  We got on a small boat, to be suprised that we would be "flying" down the river…. an hour later, we arrived.  The only way around the island is by boat– no cars.  We spent 3 days and although it was interesting to hear the howler monkeys howling while we ate dinner, it was nice to get back to civilization.  We went back to San Jose for another evening and then drove to the Guanacaste region of CR— Papagayo Peninsula.  Where we call it "jurassic park" the gates that enter into the "compound" where the Four Seasons sits amongst private homes.  Ahhh…. the beach.  FINALLY!!!!

We have spent each day, sunning, swimming, enjoying the beach, hearing the howler monkeys in the trees surrounding the house.  On my way to the gym, driving a golfcart, there was a howler monkey in the road.  He stared at me… sat there as I drove past him…. we were having a staring contest that I thought the darn thing was going to spring at me!!  On the way back, a Coatimundi was crossing in front of me while i was driving back to the house…  and racoons that pass by our patio…. pretty neat.  The sunsets are spectacular and the only apparel during the day has been a bikini.  Twelve bikinis, actually.  LOL! 

I have worked out every day (except for a couple of days) getting my cardio in and the only thing I can’t seem to do here are my squats and deadlifts.  No squat bar!!! darn!!!!!  

I have to say, I love the beach.  However, I don’t like being gone from home more than about 10 days.  I start to miss home, my BFFs, friends and, of course, my gymrats.  LOVE my gymrats!  The intensity level of my workouts aren’t quite the same as being home and I really miss that!! 

Hope you are enjoying the first few weeks of June so far… while I was away I turned 39.  Wow.  Love my age.  I love that I don’t feel my age.  In fact, I love that I am working at not looking my age!!! lol!!

 Keep training hard!!! 

Chatting with a friend made me realize how much fun I’m having in my workouts.  I’m not talking about socializing… although I get that in at the gym too!  Completely focusing and working towards your goal can totally make the change you are looking for.

 I really challenged myself yesterday…. worked on my shoulders (MY FAVORITE!!) and felt the burn, felt the weakness too, but kept pushing harder and harder.  I had to stand in front of my bff, Strongforgood, interrupting her workout, making her take out her earplugs so she could see my accomplishment.  I stood straight, arms to the sides, and flexed… omg.  The cuts in my shoulders… that sweet shoulder cap that is looking better each week.  We died laughing that I had to tap her for her to see with her own eyes!! LOL!!!!  We are total nutheads.  Of course… she later came by and tapped me and showed me her vein popping from her shoulder as well… Love that we can entertain and amuse ourselves!!!! WE ARE FUN GALS!!!!!!!! lol.  We laughed and laughed and laughed some more until we cried!!!!!!!!  (we should see a doctor about our giggling spells… what are we?? 16? )lol. 

 Ok… so my shoulder workout was intense… No chitty chatt, I kept it going and could totally feel my shoulders tight and a little pain.  That’s good.  That’s hard work that will pay off!   Today I worked out triceps and chest.  I can tell you tomorrow… I may not be able to lift up my toothbrush.  ha ha.  But its all good and each day of a hard workout gets you closer to ……. ahhhhhhhhhhh  a better, fitter, tighter body! lol. 

 And did I mention cardio??  Doesn’t look like fun and sometimes it isn’t, until you hit that 20 min marker… then all of a sudden a great song pops up on my Ipod and VROOOOOOOOOM!!  Gotta sprint… gotta get moving!  Then from there… its just flying and coasting with it.  45 mins later… looking like a wet rat (yeah… women do sweat and we look good doing it! LOL) I’ve accomplished a babystep towards seeing the cuts in my abs a little better and getting those glutes a little tighter!

Keep it going and keep it strong! 

Keep training hard because its paying off!

Hello Summer… here we all come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!