Vegas the Other Way

Rubbing Buddha's belly at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas. 

It may strike some of you as odd that some of the healthiest people in the world travel to the city most widely associated with indulgence however that is exactly what I did.  Now that Vegas has been separated by a flight back to Toronto/home it may be a good idea to reflect on how the last five days went paying particular attention to contest and training preparation.  You may wonder if any of that occurred since this city seems to tempt visitors to throw all reason aside and indulge fully in 24/7 decadence.  I am happy to say that I did Vegas the other way.

Coach Rita, and two of my girls, Rachel & Kiersten, and I stayed at the newly opened Aria Hotel located right on The Strip.  Although it was a big hotel with 4007 rooms it still felt intimate enough and it was easy to navigate as well.  Each of the five days of our stay began with a minimal breakfast - water, coffee (naturally), a bit of fruit followed by a stint in the gym.  Rita & I both had to shoot for Oxygen on Saturday so we needed to focus on the final training efforts that would get us tight and lean for the shoot.  This involved circuits and cardio.  After that we used the spa which had hot and cold tubs, meant to be used in sequence always ending with cold.  Then we could indulge in using the special meditation rooms including the Shio Salt Room or the Ganbanyoku Beds.  The Shio Salt Room is a salt infused space said to support healing of the skin and upper respiratory tract.  I fell asleep in there, but my true joy was using the Ganbanyoku beds.  The Aria is the only place in North America to offer this unique treatment.  These are Japanese granite beds heated with infra-red.  The health benefits include increased circulation, accelerated metabolism, relief of muscle aches, elimination of toxins and relaxation.  I used these beds every day and I found myself wondering how I could make a room just like that in my own house.  I am addicted.  It was so effective I experienced a mild detox headache after each use.  It went away quickly.  The spa treatments must have worked well because Val (my makeup and hair artist) commented on how fresh and clean my skin looked.

As for food I kept to a tight diet so I could look reasonable for the shoot.  This meant a steady diet of raw vegetables, mostly salad greens topped with either chicken, turkey or fish.  I began to feel very much like a rabbit and have to admit I am fed up with asparagus right now.  Glad I stuck to the plan though because the early shots looked so good.  Every girl at the shoot went through the same rigours so we are united by our sacrifice.  Happily however Coach Rita gave me a free pass on Saturday evening post shoot.  We had a celebratory meal at Picasso, my husband's favourite restaurant, located in the Bellagio Hotel.  Whenever I eat there it is memorable.  Bob and I had one of our first dates there.  In that space you are enveloped in the beauty of Picasso.  Eleven of his original paintings hang in the restaurant along with original sculptures.  Chef Julian Serrano reigns supreme with gorgeous fare.  It is ridiculously good.  Sigh!  And yes we four went clubbing at Hyde night club, also in the Bellagio.  My quads hurt this morning from the dancing.  It was so much fun to dance with my daughters and Rita.

Now back to reality I am facing much depletion.  But that is another story.

Love and VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Tosca