Tampa and Talents.

Finally settled into my hotel room after a red-eye flight to Tampa. Already, I can tell you it's hard to eat healthy while on the road. Once in Tampa, I had lunch at this place called EVOS, which claims to be healthy fast food because they airbake everything instead of deep frying. This cuts the fat content in half. I orded airbaked chicken strips and airbaked fries.Still tasted unhealthy and I know it was probably loaded with carbs. I would say nothing special about this place. However, they had a wide choice of iced tea and ketchup (yes, ketchup) flavors. I, of course, had green tea. I tried all the ketchup flavors: cayenne fire, garlic gravity, mesquite, and americana (aka original flavor). The garlic ketchup was surprisingly good :) Anyways, EVOS is definitely a Floridian restaurant, but there is one located in San Luis Obispo too. Like I said, it's not anything special and I don't think it's as healthy as they want you to think. If I had to re-do lunch knowing what I know about EVOS, I probably would have gone to the Panera Bread next door...hahaha...just had to try something local.

I have about 3 hours to kill until the leadership academy officially starts. I thought it would be good to list a summary of my talent themes based on our "textbook" for this leadership program I'm participating in, that way you'll know what I'm talking about when I refer to them over the year.

This is the order that was given to me by the assessment in the book. I don't know if it means one talent theme is more predominant than the other, but it's probably best to stay consistent. By the way, Talent, as defined by the book, means "a natural way of thinking, feeling, or behaving."

Harmony: You look for areas of agreement...You can't quite believe how much time is wasted by people trying to impose their view on others... When others are sounding off about their goals, their claims, and their fervently held opinions, you hold your peace...In your view, we are all in the same boat, and we need this boat to get where we are going. It is a good boat. There is no need to rock it just to show that you can.

Restorative: You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution...You may prefer practical problems or conceptual ones or personal ones...Your exact preferences are determined by your other themes and experiences...You fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. Phasing it the way you might, you saved it. 

Deliberative: You are careful. You are vigilant. You are a private person. You know that the world is an unpredictable place...Rather than denying these risks, you draw each one out into the open. Then each risk can be identified, assessed, and ultimately reduced. Thus, you are a fairly serious person who approaches life with a certain reserve...You select your friends cautiously and keep your own counsel when the conversation turns to personal matters...If some people don't like you because you are not as effusive as others, then so be it...Life is something of a minefield...You walk with care.

Intellection: The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think...You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection...This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives...this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.

Consistency: Balance is important to you...you do not want to see the scales tipped too far in any one person's favor. In your view this leads to selfishness and individualism. It leads to a world where some people gain an unfair advantage because of their connections or their background or their greasing of the wheels. This is truly offensive to you...In direct contrast to this world of special favors, you believe that people function best in a consistent environment where the rules are clear and are applied to everyone equally...each person has an even chance to show his or her worth.

I obviously gave you the abridged description of each talent theme. For better or worse, I think it's fairly accurate (especially the stuff in purple). I'm kinda afraid it paints me as a more serious person than I really am, but maybe that's something about me I haven't really noticed or that's become more evident as I get older. I'm definitely introspective, but does that mean I'm an Introvert? I took the Myers-Briggs test in high school and it said I was an introvert, which would have been fine if one of my high school teachers didn't blurt out to the class that I would end up as a Librarian. That was a sad day.

So what do you think? Does that sound like an accurate description of me?

Vegas Vacation Part 2 of 2

This past weekend in Vegas reminded me of the family vacations we used to take before I turned 21. Those were vacations where I had enough freedom to roam on my own and my mom was so concerned about me being bored that she would give me money to go out...hahah! We drove up on Thursday night and headed back home on Saturday afternoon. It felt like a really short trip, but I am thankful for the time we got to spend with my family. I feel like I don't do that enough. They're a rowdy bunch that likes to have a good time and they remind me of why I miss being a kid.

There was a lot to celebrate over the weekend: my brother (T.J.) turned 22, it was my uncle Vic's birthday earlier in the week, and my cousin (D.J.) proposed to his girlfriend of 8 years (Christina)! It was also the second trip in a row that Albert and I experienced a different kind of Vegas (a.k.a. no strip club and no nightclub). First major difference: we stayed with my family in their timeshare at The Grandview Resort. It's a great place, but the major downside was it was WAY OFF THE STRIP. We had to wait till the sun cooled off a bit to go anywhere and, even then, I got lazy to drive around because it was still triple digit heat. Albert and I were also able to save some money on food because my family would cook breakfast AND lunch...can't beat "home-cooked" Filipino food! We also went bowling (of all things!) until 2am. It may sound boring to you, but Albert and I are people-watchers and there were A LOT of locals there so it was fun to just watch them. I always wondered what Vegas locals do. Apparently, some of them bowl. LOL. 

We had a chance to check out Downtown Las Vegas, well, just the Golden Nugget because Downtown looks too shady to just stroll along at night. My mom and my aunt treated the family to a buffet dinner and comedy show at The Golden Nugget on Friday night for T.J.'s birthday. Buffets are kind of a waste on me and Albert because we can't really stuff ourselves anymore - we're all about frequency of meals rather than volume - but we tried our best. The food was pretty good and my family definitely took advantage of the endless crab legs. My favorite part: dessert, specifically the macaroons and pecan pie bites. You can bet I packed some up in my purse for later :) The comedy show featured Gordie Brown, who made me laugh a couple times but a lot of the humor went over my head since it was based on stuff before I was born. Luckily, I had a drink in hand, so it was a good time for me to sit and chill. Something new I learned came from D.J. and Christina. They were telling us about how Golden Nugget's Pool was featured on the Travel Channel because there is a water slide that goes through a shark tank. I have to admit, I'm curious about the pool because there's nothing like it on The Strip. However, the chances of us staying in Downtown in the future are slim. Check out the link though...it's a really nicely decorated pool (you can tell they put some effort into the rennovation), it's just too bad it's in Downtown.

Finally, I got to introduce Albert to Bachi Burger! He loved it and I loved it, so it's officially on our list of foodie destinations in Las Vegas. If you're into fusion food and are looking for a tasty burger, you got to check out Bachi Burger...mmm, so delicious!

July was all about the travel: Simi Valley for April & Victor's Wedding (hahaha, it's practically NorCal for me), Cruise to Ensenada, Vegas, and Vegas. I think the rest of the year will be about weddings - we have 3 to go to in the next two months and then one more in November. At least they're all in SoCal, so we can fit in other things in between the weddings. I've been wanting to ride some roller coasters, so hopefully a trip to Magic Mountain or Disneyland, or Knott's or all 3, is in store.

Vegas Vacation: Part 1 of 2

This past weekend, I found out that there's more to Vegas than looking like a hooker and going to strip clubs! Albert's family invited me to come along on their family trip to Las Vegas. We stayed at MGM (a first for me) Saturday through Monday. This was the first time (post turning 21) that I've been to Vegas without going to a club, going to a strip club, and/or gambling. Still plenty of drinking, but not to the point of throwing up or blacking out.

On the first night in town, Albert and I watched Team USA's Exhibition game. Jello made the drive up that evening to join us at the game too. A lot of the players I was looking forward to watching (actually, just Kobe), ended up not playing, but it was still fun to watch. It was definitely different from watching a Lakers game because I was a lot more easily distracted. Khloe Kardashian was there (our seats were closer to the court than hers was!) but left during halftime because she got mobbed for pictures. I think the white team won, but I honestly wasn't paying attention. There was a tequila station there and I was busy yelling "Hi!" to the players in an attempt to get them to wave or nod.

I got to introduce Aloha Kitchen to Jenny, Kristen, Albert, and Jello...2 Local plates, one kalua & katsu plate, one kalbi plate, and one adobo fried rice omelet later, I think I convinced them to make this restaurant a must-do whenever we come to Vegas. The food is pretty delicious, but I'd argue that it's even better the morning after a night of drinking :) After dinner, the girls turned in for the night and we hung out with Albert's cousin from Wisconsin (Bernard) for a little bit. It was Bernard's first trip to Vegas so he was ready to party hearty...unfortunately, it was our first night after driving in, so we were ready to call it a night at 2am.

Jello had to drive back to LA on Sunday, but we had a full day ahead of us. The itinerary: eat, pool, eat, drink, midway, movie, eat, and sleep...hahah! The pool was packed for a Sunday, but that didn't stop us from getting in and walking the lazy river. The pool is so refreshing in the middle of the desert and great for people-watching, one of mine and Albert's favorite things to do together. That evening, Albert introduced us to a new restaurant: Metro Pizza. OMG...I LOVED it! Best pizza place in Vegas hands down. Between the 4 of us (Jenny, Kristen, Albert, and me) we shared Fried Calamari, Garlic Romano Fries, and a small stuffed pizza called The Stockyard. Do you think we finished all of it? NOPE. I wanted to, but there was no more room in my stomach. The Stockyard pizza was so delicious. The pizza packed with pepperoni, sausage, and ground beef, then covered with another layer of dough, baked, and topped off with tomato sauce. If you're looking for a solid place for pizza, on or off The Strip, it's Metro Pizza. You gotta give it a try.

Yesterday, we took a Greyhound bus home. Albert thought his parents were coming back to LA on Monday, but they moved their departure date to Tuesday so we were scrambling for a way to get home in time for work on Tuesday (today). I remembered that my mom and dad used to take the bus to Vegas all the time when they first started dating, so I suggested that as our way home. It was definitely cheaper than flying home ($50 for a bus ticket vs. $161 for a plane ticket). Turns out, Albert and his mom used to use the bus to get to Vegas too when his Dad lived out there. The bus ride is about 5 hours long with a stop for food in Barstow. It's a nice ride and great for taking naps while someone else worries about the traffic. This year seems to be the year I'm traveling to Vegas in all modes of transportation!

Albert and I are headed out to Vegas again...this time with my family. It's also T.J.'s 22nd birthday on Friday, so we're hoping we can take him out on a couple of the roller coasters out there. He loves his roller coasters :) T.J.'s been there since Sunday and won't be leaving until this coming Sunday...lucky guy is definitely enjoying his summer break! Definitely going to try to hit up Metro Pizza again and fit in Bachi Burger! Stay tuned for Part 2!

What a lame-ass

This post is 2 weeks late...in more ways than one.

The above results were achieved by doing about 90% of the prescribed strength workouts and nutrition. I do admit that I completed only about 25% of the cardio sessions, so I assume my results would have been better if I kept up with the cardio.  Regardless of how I did with exercise and nutrition, I am genuinely happy with the results and would recommend the Xtremem Fat Loss Diet to anyone wanting to jump start their fat loss.

Now, the reason why this post is too late (other than me saying I would post this two weeks ago) is I've MAJORLY slacked off since then. In the last two weeks, I've worked out twice (once if you don't count this morning's session to get me back on track) and my healthy diet has gone to shit! I weighed myself this morning and I've gained about half of what I lost during XFLD. The good news is that it's only half the weight and it might be a little off because it's close to that "time of the month." The bad news is April's wedding is next weekend and the cruise to Ensenada is the weekend after that. I'm freaking out a little bit and I hear a little voice in my head that says, "This isn't going to go over very well." All I can do now is channel that freaking out energy into working out as hard as I can on top of eating right until the cruise. Alcohol is pretty much out of the question again (key words: pretty much).

After much consideration, I decided to go with the Cheat Your Way Thin (CYWT) meal plans and Truth About 6-Pack Abs (TA6PA) workouts. Albert is doing the same thing, which is what swayed me to follow. It's just easier when we're eating the same things and are on the same workout regimen. I have someone to keep me in check and push me to the limit. I hope to be back at 138lbs by the cruise and eventually get to 125lbs. - that's where I ultimately want to be and what I want to maintain. I know, I know, weight is not the ideal marker for your fitness goals because lean muscle weighs more than fat. According to TA6PA, women will show their defined abs (a.k.a. 6-pack abs) as long as they are under 20% body fat. So, I'm also shooting for 19% body fat by the end of the year.

I feel SO lame for not keeping up with everything this past two weeks...definitely have to step it up a notch if I want to FEEL good in a swimsuit for the cruise. I doubt I'll actually LOOK good (hahaha), but one can hope.

Spending two weeks eating whatever I want has obviously taken it's toll physically, but there is a silver lining! There are two places I HIGHLY recommend to visit in Las Vegas if you are looking to indulge in some sinfully delicious grubbin':

Aloha Kitchen: I went with the girls during April's Bachelorette Weekend and had the Adobo Fried Rice Omelette. It's a HUGE serving, so be sure to share. BUT, if you don't, it's perfect the next morning :) A nice added bonus: karaoke bar that's open until 4am!

Bachi Burger: Bev (my Alpha Phi Lil' Sis) and her boyfriend introduced me to this place just before I left town. I had the Kalbi Burger and we all shared the Truffle Parmesan Fries. So far, I'd have to say, it's the tastiest burger I've ever had (yes, moreso than Five Guys). And the fries...well, first off, truffles = special mushroom from France, not chocolate...didn't think it would be good combo, but I was pleasantly surprised and found myself craving it ever since then.

So yeah, if you're ever in Las Vegas and want something a little different from what The Strip has to offer...you gotta give those two a try.