HOW SHE GETS THAT ROCKIN’ BOD — AFTER TWO KIDS!
“I love to exercise,” avid jogger and yoga devotee Christina tells Life & Style. But the hot mama has a secret weapon when it comes to making sure she’s fueling her body right: pal Cara Clark, who runs Cara Clark Nutrition. “She’s always sending me recipes to make that are easy and kid-friendly,” reveals Christina. “She does really great smoothies. I love smoothies; they’re so easy, and healthy too. I just feel better when I eat healthy.” Co- parenting with Tarek is a “give and take,” the star admit s, but she’s grateful that, so far, neither of them have missed out on any major milestones. Taylor “actually has recently lost three teeth in like, two weeks,” she says. “Two teeth fell out in my house and one tooth fell out at Tarek’s, so it’s nice we got to take turns being the tooth fairy!” But even when the kids are with Tarek at his Newport Beach, Calif., rental, Christina says she’s still on mommy duty — with French bulldog Cash! “Everyone told me not to get a puppy because they’re a lot of work. Well, you know what? They were right. Puppies are a lot of work. It’s like having a third kid,” she says with a laugh. Cash joined the family in March. “We’re still dealing with potty training,” Christina admits. “But the kids adore him, and he’s very gentle with my children. My son loves to chase him around and try to kind of ride him like a horse. He’s just very easygoing
and a little cutie.”
Fur siblings are the only brothers or sisters Taylor and Brayden are ever likely to get, confesses Christina. As much as she adores motherhood, “I think I’m done having kids,” the star says. “I got lucky, I have a boy and a girl. I’m perfectly content where I’m at.”
RELATIONSHIP RENO
To almost everyone’s surprise, she’s also content working with her ex. In April, HGTV announced that — despite the El Moussas’ ongoing divorce — they’d renewed Flip or Flop for a seventh season. Set to debut in December, the new season will feature 20 episodes, more than any previous season of the renovation show. “It’s going good,” Christina says of filming with her estranged husband. “At the beginning, when everything first started, it was a lot harder because, you know, there was more tension between the two of us. Now, it’s gotten a lot easier.”
Christina credits her and Tarek’s longtime work team with making what could’ve been an awkward environment beyond pleasant. “We have a really great crew,” says the star. “They are just super fun to be around. They’re so positive. [So] it’s light on set. We definitely enjoy filming and we enjoy our job, for sure.”
THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT
Flip or Flop is far from this multitasking mama’s only job. She and Tarek are still mentoring aspiring real-estate investors through their seminars. Christina’s also working on a collaboration with Pink Dust Cosmetics, has designed sunglasses for Diff eyewear (see box, below) and is meeting with publishers in early October about releasing her first book. “I love being busy,” says the star. “I like working hard.”
That hard work has paid off, helping Christina rack up 828,000 Instagram followers. “If I’m out and about at the grocery store, people will come up and tell me they love the show,” she says. “Our fans are always very positive about us, so that’s really nice.” But fame also means she’s forfeited some of her privacy. Christina’s gradually adjusted to it. Her new motto? “Don’t do anything that I don’t want anyone to see,” she reveals. “I think at the beginning, the whole paparazzi following me thing was definitely overwhelming. But I have to say that I’m actually used to that now. It doesn’t bother me.”
She’s Christina 2.0. And the Flip or Flop beauty is more than enjoying the upgrade. “There’s so many new opportunities coming my way,” she raves. “It’s nice to be able to kind of start over. It’s refreshing. It’s fun.”
“If I feel uncomfortable with something… I probably need to make a change.” — Christina, telling Life&style about one of her life lessons