pixiglittrpants’s BodyBlog

*Tugs your shirt and looks up at you* Excuse me, have you seen my mother?

Hi everyone!  Sorry times ten (plus two) on being so MIA lately… the latter half of September kicked my arse in a major way in all realms of my life - work, friends/family, health, past drama, dating, etc.  I was definitely tested on many occasions, and though I do feel "stronger" in a sense of overcoming some things (reinforced by continually listening to U2’s "Stuck in a Moment" - I LOVE that song!), that sadly meant sacrificing time away from this awesome site with all you beautiful people… sorry.

The fantastic part is that my workouts were consistent and strong (same schedule as prior blog and has worked well for me), and were pretty much my lifeline because, for a couple of hours a day, I could just block everything out and focus and work on me that was truly, only for me.  As much as I love helping and reaching out to others… it can get exhausting sometimes!  But, I’m always glad to do it, I just had to learn to balance it all out a bit so I was still able to take care of myself.  My diet has faltered, though, so while I had amazing energy for my runs, spin classes, weights sessions, and biking excursions thanks to pizza, sammiches, and sushi - aesthetically there have been no improvements.

But!  Even though we’re already a couple of days in, I’m positive that October will see better days and 2008 will close out amazingly!  Plus, I’ve officially signed up for the Carlsbad Half Marathon in January 2009, and shooting for the Triple Crown next year (you get a cool gigantor medal for running Carlsbad half, La Jolla Half (in April), and America’s Finest (in August)!!  So Wendy, Suzy, GJ, and any others that are interested - sign up, sign up, sign up!   You know you have a tour guide here!

Thanks to all you loving folks who left messages and pm’s to me lately… I will respond as soon as possible!  I will also catch up with all you wonderful people this weekend when I *finally* have some free time (save for a date with a triathlete on Saturday!), but I hope everyone is doing fantastic and just know I greatly missed you!

Hiya peeps!  I hope everyone is having a great week thus far… mine has been going pretty goshdarn well.  My runs have been pretty fun (8 miler on Saturday, 4 and change on Monday, 3 mile intervals today, and a planned 5 tomorrow and 6-8 on Saturday), I’ve biked after my runs (very relaxed and easy), and my A.D.D. self has gone from the 5×5 to 4×10’s with slower tempos this week.  I’ve been doing a lot of supersets lately, which I absolutely love since it seems more efficient, plus it prevents me from wandering off in my thoughts… somewhat.   

I read an article somewhere that shoulders can be trained 3 times a week, so I took it as given (I mean, it WAS on the internet and all! ) and I’ll usually juggle abs and shoulders during a bicep/chest or back/tricep workout.  So lately (uh, as in the past 4 days and what it WILL look like) my workouts have been along these lines:

Day 1: bicep/chest/shoulders then cardio
Day 2: back/tricep/abs then cardio
Day 3: legs/shoulders/crazy cardio days (usually 90 or so minutes of cardio - my favorite days )
Day 4: bicep/chest/abs then cardio (VERY easy after legs/c.c. days, usually biking)
Day 5: back/tricep/shoulders then cardio
Day 6: legs/abs/c.c. days
Day 7: rest

I will most likely stick to this schedule for the next few weeks since I’m trying to build up my running mileage.  Eating has been going pretty well, and I’m staying stable at 120 and fitting into my ‘cute’ jeans again (in comparison to the more accommodating "boyish" jeans ).  I did stave off from chocolate for awhile, until I split an Oreo sundae with my best friend when he was in town… I kind of didn’t really remember about my chocolate strike until about 5 bites into it lol.

I haven’t ran with the gym guy yet - we’re either doing different routines or he’s there when I’m not or vice versa.  My two close friends did say he kept asking about me, though, and would try to come back to the topic of me when they talked about something else.  So I thought that was kinda cute… in all of its high school-ness.   There’s also one I’m pretty interested in, but nothing too much to report about just yet.

I also talked to a couple of gym buddies and when I mentioned something about being hyper one said, "you, hyper?  really?"  It took me about 15.2 seconds to recognize that he was being sarcastic (typical pixi time to ‘get it’ hee) and another friend said how I’m always so energetic, zipping around from one exercise to another, talking maniacally and greeting everyone, sweating a lot and still having a smile on my face, etc.  Hence, I’ve been dubbed (unbeknownst to me until now) "Energizer Bunny" by some friends there.  So that got me wondering - a lot of people always talk about other peeps at their gym, but do you ever wonder what people perceive you as?  And if you answered no because you’re just there to zone in and work out - then you are the hardcore, all-bidness type.

Have a fantastic week, everyone!

Hiya beautimous bb’ers!!  Has it really been a week since I logged on??  Unacceptable!  Work has definitely been kicking my arse… I can’t believe it’s MID-September already - gadzooks!

So I tried rock climbing last Friday and oh man - that stuff is hard!!  The ones that were rated 5-Fun to 5-7 were pretty fun and easy, but the ones rated 5-9 and 5-10 (I guess 5-12 ratings and beyond are more advanced/elite?) were SUPER challenging since some parts of the walls were slanted or jutted out and the foot/hand holds were super tiny!!  I was so sweaty trying to reach the top, and you totally hit the muscles that you might not regularly hit when weight lifting, especially in the back, arms, and calves!  I couldn’t even make a u-turn while driving without grimacing in pain afterwards!  Rock climbers’ bods are so amazing - a bit too skinny for my taste, but SO defined and super lean.  Yum yum, give me some!

I’ve been a bit of a glutton lately, both with work pressure and dating.  Here’s the 36 Point update:

Last Post: 17
9/4: 1 (upper body) + 2 (abs) -2 (alcohol) = 1
9/5: -3 (sweets) + 1 (Rock Climbing) = -2
9/6: 1 (6 mile run around the lake - HUMID!) + 1 (10 mile bike) + 1 (lower Leg workout at gym) + 2 (abs) - 3 (sweets) = 2
9/7: 1 (Chest/Bicep/Shoulders)
9/8: 1 (Back/Tricep) + 2 (Abs) + 1 (5 mile run) + 1 (10 mile bike) - 2 (alcohol) - 3 (Sweets) = 0
9/9: - 3 (sweets)
9/10: 1 (Upper body) + 1 (4.5 mile run) + 2 abs - 3 (sweets) = 1
9/11: 1 (Lower body) + 1 (15 mile bike) - 2 (alcohol) = 0
9/12: 2 (Abs)
TOTAL: 19

Um, what’s the theme - UNACCEPTABLE!  However, I’m going to resist chocolate (which has been the culprit of all negative sweets points) since 1) it doesn’t solve my work stress and 2) I got a friggin’ ZIT on my chinny-chin-chin (holy high school flashbacks!!!).  Yeah yeah, I’m sure there are studies done that chocolate actually doesn’t cause zits, but it’s a good excuse for me to stay away nonetheless.   

Anyway, I have some wonderful 6, 5, and 8 miler runs coming up (I know it’s geek-tastic, but I get super excited about planning my runs!), since my running mentor at the gym has planted the seed in my head that I’m ready for a November half-marathon.  I’m also doing a 5×5 method for all body parts lately, and totally stoked that I’m using 25 db’s for upright rows, 80 lbs. for tricep pushdown (CW moment, my friend gawked at my tricep muscles when I was doing them ), and 22.5 db’s for bicep curls… I guess when you only have to wrap your head around 5 reps, then it seems do-able?  Though by the 4-5th set, I’m definitely starting to act out and making a scene.  Plus you can see my forehead vein jut out at times, but I think that’s cool lol

Anyway, I hope everyone is lifting hard, eating smart(-er than me!), and having a wonderful September so far!

What’s a-happenin’, hot stuffs?"  That should be said in the best "Long Duck Dong" impersonation, btw.

I’m doing okay, though being "in between" home computers is for the birds!  I should have a new one in my grubby little paws pretty soon, but not being able to catch up with you guys is brutal!  Y’all have been greatly missed.

Slight improvements in the 36 Point Challenge, mostly because I can’t get a handle on my freakin’ sweet tooth (plus, admittedly, I had some ‘woe is me’ sessions during Labor Day since jerkface and I used to go on vacations together for long weekends… I’m better now, though)!  Here’s my tally thus far:

Last entry: 9 Points
8/27: 0 points (rested)
8/28: 1 point (4 mile run) + 1 point (12 mile bike) = 2
8/29: 1 point (upper body - 4 sets of 10, total ADD style ) + 1 point (10 mile bike) - 3 (sweets) = -1
8/30: 1 point (1 mile run + 8 mi bike) + 1 point (legs) + 2 points (abs) - 3 (sweets) = 1
8/31: 1 point (tri/back) + 1 point (2 mile run, intervals and hills) + 1 point (12 mile bike) - 3 (sweets) = 0
9/1: 1 point (shoulders/bi/chest) + 1 point (3 mile run, HIIT) + 1 point (15 mile bike) = 3
9/2: 1 point (lower body, 4 sets each) + 1 point (12 mi bike) = 2
9/3: 1 point (back/tri) + 1 point (15 mi bike) + 2 points (abs) - 3 points (sweets) = 1

TOTAL = 17 (methinks…).  Better, but it should’ve been completed by August, goshdarnit!   So, I’m giving myself until the end of the month to complete it… obviously, hopefully sooner!  I wondered out loud to my gym buddy why shoulders are so hard to grow, to which he replied, "come on, pix, you can lift more than what you’re currently lifting."  After an initial "you’re not the boss of me!" defense thought, I took his advice and have been lifting heavier (spotters really do help! ) and, lo and behold, I’ve been getting some delicious DOMS ever since!  So hopefully, I’ll be getting some ‘cappies’ in that region soon.

Other than that, it was a pretty mellow Labor Day weekend, save for some fun lunches and a dinner with friends.  I’m stoked because a long-lost gym buddy graciously offered to teach me how to rock climb this Friday!!  It’s something I’ve always wanted to try and I just really feel like I need to get out of my rut and keep busy, so I’m super stoked!!

Oh yeah, and this guy at the gym that I met a couple of weeks ago and talk to from time to time also asked to go running with me in perhaps a flirtatious manner, but my flirt-dar is faulty at times.  He looks younger, though, and while my usual answer is "thanks, but I like to run by myself", I’m pretty sure I was zoning in on his uber-hot and defined body because I sputtered out "okay, sure!" instead.   

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week… geez, September already!!

Ack - Happy belated birthday, Curt!!  You are always hilarious and such a wealth of information when it comes to the peeps of bodybuilding!!  I hope you had a wonderful birthday/week/month

Hello, lovelies!  My sincerest apologies for being m.i.a. and not cheering you on lately - my home computer decided to be a jerk and die on me and work has been busy, so it’s been hard to find some time to catch up with you!  I hope everyone is kickin’ arse and takin’ names, though, I’ve missed y’all like crazy!

My Challenge has been going well, up until yesterday when I had sweets AND alcohol (tsk, tsk!).  However, I’ve still been doing pretty good, though TLC and VTD are most likely leaving me in the dust!   Here’s what I’ve done so far:

Last entry: 1
8/21: 1 (tricep/back/shoulders) + 1 (4 mile run) = 2
8/22: 1 (chest/biceps) + 2 (abs) + 1 (12 mile bike) = 4
8/23: 1 (5 mile run outside) + 1 (lower body weights) + 1 (15 mile bike) = 3
8/24: -3 (sweets during best friend’s bday picnic)
8/25: 1 (5 mile run) + 1 (12 mile bike) + 2 (abs) = 4
8/26: 1 (upper body weights) + 1 (3 mile run) + 1 (12 mile bike) - 3 (sweets) - 2 (alcohol) = -2
Total: 9

LOL… uh… d’oh!  I don’t have my abacus on me, so I probably even did the math wrong, but yeah… serious catching up to do   The good news is that my ankle is holding up well during the runs (knock on wood), so the Carlsbad Half with Wendy and hopefully others is most likely do-able!  Yay!

Anyway, I will catch up with you dieselicious peeps during my lunch break and throughout the week, but here’s some of my favorite pics from my road trip!

Haha, pardon my geeky motorcycle gear, but that little dot is me next to the ginormous sequoia!  I’m about to climb it… yeah, that’s it…

Upward shot of the sequoia beast!

Our first night we were supposed to stay in a room, but since they didn’t clean it we scored this super cute cabin!

King’s River where we had a picnic!

Just one of the beautiful landscapes we saw during the ride!!

Our second night, this deer came alongside the hotel just hanging out!!   We also saw bats and families of deer that night!

Hanging out by the room after a yummy meal of bar food lol

Me complaining about my booty hurting when we stopped at Kern River during our third day of riding

This doesn’t look impressive at all, but this was the gnarliest dirt road we took and it was SO steep… I thought we were going to topple over!

Riding on a historic road on the way back to S.D.

Hey HEY hey!!  That was my Fat Albert impersonation, just in case you couldn’t tell… anyway, hi!  Tahoe was a total blast and, though camping was nonexistent because there were equipment difficulties, we stayed in super cool cabins and rooms as we cruised down Tahoe back to S.D. via motorcycle!  We saw everything from awesome mountains to farms to deserts, going through King’s River and Kern River through the Sierras, and saw everything from deer to cows (on the freeway, just hangin’ out!) to road runners to bats!  So freakin’ sweet, and it further fed my desire to own my own bike!  Riding b!tch just isn’t enough anymore - I want to ride those awesome tracks - gravelly roads, single tracks, paved roads with a ton of switchbacks up and down mountains - all myself!!  I definitely have my eye on the DRZ 400, but that definitely means I have to watch my spending!

I’ll fully admit that I made the trek with D as we planned it a few months ago, and it worked out well - no fights, no drama, just friends hanging out and cracking up.  I thought I would have some yearning or sadness or whatnot coming back, but you know - even though he was/is a huge part of my life, he is no longer my life (which is good, because I was pretty codependent… not healthy at all!).  I have love for him, but not in love with him.  I just really think, in these past couple of months, I "mourned" our relationship and I just want more for myself.   It’s not fair to demonize him - he’s overall a great guy (my parents totally like him), just no one with long term capabilities.  I know this now, and it was great closure to a close relationship, and an entry to a future great friendship.  Some say I forgive too easily but I can’t help it… I don’t think it’s worth it to harbor resentment or negativity.  Plus, I’d rather love a bit too much and risk the hurt, rather than the opposite… that’s just how I roll!

As for the challenge, I didn’t do SO bad… just not super good!   I drank three days and ate sweets one, but we did manage to get hikes in daily.  So if I take the 4 from before - 6 (alcohol) - 3 (sweets) + 4 (hikes) + 2 (back/shoulders + 4 mi run today) = 1.  AWESOME

Anyway, I’ve missed you guys much and I will post pics as soon as I get them (there were AWESOME ones, my favorite a huge sequoia we saw!)!  I have some MAJOR damage control to do since I just feel really ’soft’, but had an awesome workout today and undoubtedly will have way more before month’s end!!  I may not reach 36 first, but I WILL finish!

How are you doing, my hard-working, bodylicious people??  I have to do my weekly 36-Point Challenge check-in early because the stars have aligned and I’m taking a long weekend to what is probably going to be my last summer vacation this year (boo-ness!).  What I’m learning about this 36 Point Challenge is definitely 1 step forward, 2 steps back!  The good news is that ‘better’ eating has me down 3 pounds… the "bad" is that I’m back where I started at 121.   But! I did manage to score the following:

Sunday (8/10): 1 (lower bod weights) + 1 (ran 3 mi/biked 15 mi) = 2
Monday (8/11): 1 (bicep/chest/shoulders) + 2 (abs) - 3 (sweets) = 0 (boo!)
Tuesday (8/12): 2 (Treadmill HIIT, 50 min, 5+ mi) + 1 (biked 10 mi) - 2 (mojito with cutie-guy) = 1
Wednesday (8/13): 1 (tricep/back/shoulders) + 2 (abs) + 1 (biked 10 mi) - 3 (sweets) = 1

TOTAL THUS FAR = 4

So essentially - D’OH!  The thing with the sweets issues, is that I totally do it without thinking!  I’ll stress out at work and gobble up a piece of candy and then - bam!  3 points off… But, when I look back at it, I guess it’s indicative how this lifestyle is, eh?  No matter how many workouts I put in, diet is 70%, if not more.  I kinda-sorta kept with the Savage plan, but obviously with the sweets not to a tee.  Oh, flighty Pixi… I’ll learn to have discipline one of these days!

Okay, diesel ones, I’m off for some camping and off-roading fun!  Knowing my hedonistic friends, I’m going to lose major points (and quite possibly brain cells) on this adventure, but hopefully we’ll get some cool hikes in (hey VTD, how many points for long hikes AND sneezing like a storm because of my dorky allergies?? j/k)!  Lift hard and eat clean whilst I’m away! xo

First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Goddess Maddi!!  Hope you celebrate it in the most goddess-esque way possible

Second, before I get down to bidness, I went on a date on Friday and kind of excited about it, though I was totally nervous and most likely did my nervous hyena laugh twice or thrice!  He’s really cute, likes the outdoors, and pretty mellow (kinda good for a hyper chick like me, I guess?).  He said we should hang out again, so hopefully he’ll call.   There’s another one that’s *super* funny, too, so we’ll see how that goes!  And another one that is pretty witty but I don’t really know him all that well yet.  Yay

Okay, so after those Hawaii pics (I know, I’m too hard on myself… thank you for your wonderful comments!) and gaining 2-3 pounds of ‘woe-is-me-break-up’ weight (at least I still had a net loss of -228 since it ended, though! ), I’ve decided I need to get back on track and tried to figure out my next challenge.  Since I’m 0 for 3 on the challenges I’ve started since joining bb.com (C3, Cathy Savage, Fight the Fluff… probably more but my memory’s selective like that), I figured I need to be responsible and finish the Cathy Savage Challenge.  So, as of today, I’m starting from scratch and completing the whole thing in the next 8 weeks.  Starting today (1st week), it’s 1700 calories, 30/20/20 breakdown (edit: 40/30/30… see comments below ), and her exercises (though I’m going to up each cardio to an hour).  I *will*, though, allow myself 1-2 cheats (in the form of alcohol mainly, since it’s kind of hard to avoid at first when dating), but everything else will be clean and what was on the plan.

But wait, there’s more!  Because VTD, *curls one end of handlebar moustache and lightly slaps VTD on the cheek with a white glove* - I challenge you to a du-el!   He concocted a new 36 Point Challenge where we compete to see who will reach 36 points first (full details here.  If anyone wants to join, we just started so go for it!

Anyway, I can’t let no stinky boy beat me , so it’s time to hit the gyzzm and enjoy this wonderful Sunday!  I hope everyone has a strong, wonderful weekend/week and training hard!

And no… I don’t have a handlebar moustache… just in case that needed clarification!

I’m back, beautiful people!!  Hawaii was a ginormous BLAST!!!  We were on the southwest shore of Kauai which was pretty secluded and rustic, and I hung out with all my lovable friends snorkeling, hiking, going to the beach, boogie boarding, etc.!!  The 5-bedroom cottages were awesome and my room alone (everyone had a bathroom, kitchenette, and a/c in the room) was like the size of my apartment!   The wedding was beautiful and SO festive - during the ceremony you could hear waves crashing in the background, and everyone was dancing at the reception until it closed down (which was kinda early (10:30), since the island has quiet hours ).  My friend is Filipina and her now-husband is East Indian, so they had a fiipino ritual during the ceremony and an indian ritual at the reception, and played indian, filipino, clubbing, 70’s, etc. music throughout!  For the ceremony they were American attire (my friend in a beautiful strapless white dress and the guy in a white button down and khakis), but for the reception my friend wore a BEAUTIFUL red indian outfit and the guy a barong (what pilipino guys wear for formal occasions).  SO awesome with the crossover of cultures and because the wedding was intimate (70 people), you could just feel the love and energy throughout the event!!

I didn’t take pictures at the wedding since I knew there were going to be a bazillion cameras there, but here’s some favorite ones I took (once I get more pics from others, I can pm anyone who wants to see the rest):

Front view of our 5-bedroom cottage… it was HUGE on the inside and we picked rooms like we were on “The Real World”

COOLEST tree ever!!  The branches drop down and then form roots, forming a conglomerate of trunks that form one huge tree!

Our backyard!  Such a beautiful array of trees and not too far off is a beach!

Chickens and roosters were everywhere!!  On the plantation, at the beach, just everywhere, I took a ridiculous amount of chicken pictures lol!!

Awesome view of a hike we did… lots of cool waterfalls and greenery

Where ocean meets sky - this picture doesn’t do the view justice!  You literally can’t tell where the horizon is when looking afar!

Cool snorkel area where we saw tons of colorful fishes, sea turtle, eels, etc.!  My friend had an underwater camera so I’m going to get copies of his pictures.

As promised - me laying like a worthless lump!   I’m actually not very pleased with how the bod looks on here, thus spurring my next challenge…

Getting ready for another day at the beach

I just really love my girly friends… husband/boyfriends/guys came, too, but I just LOVE my chickies

Overall - SUCH a blast, and the best memories were just hanging out with my friends again since a lot moved away from San Diego!!  Total treasured times, jokes and laughter all throughout the vacation, witty banter everywhere, dodging mosquito bites, and just pure and fun energy and love!!  I’m SO incredibly blessed to have such amazing, loving, caring friends, and I miss them already so much!!

Now… it is time to do some serious detox and figure out my new goals since my pants are just a LEETLE to tight these days, and today’s 3-miler at the gyzzm was uber-difficult!!  I have missed you guys tons, and can’t wait to read your updates throughout the week!!  I hope everyone is doing well and training hard!! xoxo

Just practicing my Hawaiinese j/k (pixi fun fact: ten or so years ago when I was dating this not-so-smart-but-hot dude, he asked me if I spoke filipinese when I told him I was filipina!  And people wonder why I don’t want to get back in the dating scene so quickly… also reminds me of this one chick my friend dated who, upon informing her he was Norwegian, she asked where Norwegia was. )

Oh right - focus!  So I’m off to beautimous Hawaii for my friend’s wedding, and I’m so stoked!!  20 college friends and I rented a couple cottages there, and we hope to go on some fun hikes, zip lining (pending on time/fundage), and of course, getting our tan on and enjoying a drop or two at the open bar at the reception.   I’m hoping to sneak in some fun runs in the morn, but we’ll see depending on humidity.

I’ve been working super hard since I’m pretty sure I’m not going to the gym while I’m there (cold is gone - thank you, Zicam!), and was so stoked when I used 75 lbs. for the supine grip tricep pushdowns (12 reps!  only for one set, though, and it was my first exercise lol)!  There’s this one new chick at the gym that said I have great potential (she’s super lean and buff, she’s done a couple competitions), to which I replied I have enough trouble walking on flat shoes, let alone 4 inch heels and, knowing me, I’d probably blind myself with the sparklies on my suit and trip.  She laughed and her laughing at my joke obviously made her one of the cool kids , so I hope to get to know her better and hopefully she can give me some training tips!

I also told my marathon friend/"coach" about my Triple Crown goal for next year (Carlsbad half in January, La Jolla half in April, and America’s Finest in August), to which he smugly replied, "well, those goals are alright, but they’re half’s (halves?) and I know you can run more…"  So of course this has me thinking - hrm, I have a free flight voucher to anywhere in the U.S., why not do a marathon with Wendy or VTD or my other fellow runners on this site??  So, I’m marinating on that…

Anyway, I will write as soon as I get back, but until then - I’ll send you motivating training vibes as I play ‘worthless lump’ at the beach, especially to all the Last Man Standing and Baby Got Back contenders!!   Oh!  And D and all the drama - done, f’ing done.  Love your guts!