She’s hot, but she’s level headed. She’s a former Playboy cover girl, but she knows how to whip up a batch of to-die-for oatmeal pancakes.  She carries Chanel, but she know’s how to find a good deal.  Who is this fabulous woman that I’m talking about, aside from the girl you want to be your new best friend? It’s Real Housewives of Miami’s hottest new addition, Lisa Hochstein, who took the time to sit down with BigBlondeHair.com and share her workout  tips, fashion secrets, where to go to land a good man and more. And like an episode of Season 2 of the Real Housewives of Miami, and it’s not to be missed.

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BBH: Lisa, thanks for chatting with Big Blonde Hair. You’re a great addition to The Real Housewives of Miami and this isn’t your first time in the spotlight. You’ve modeled, been a Playboy cover girl and more. How is being on a Reality Show different?

LH: As a model, you don’t have a voice. On a Reality Show you get to show your personality. It’s great to let people see who you really are.

So far the Lisa Hochstein we’ve seen on the show is witty, laid back, funny and somewhat above the drama. How are you able to not get overly involved in the chaos with the other women and keep a laid back perspective on it?

LH: My whole life I have been very level headed. I don’t start a confrontation for no reason. I just connect with people and I can get along with (people from) all walks of life. If I have a problem with (someone) it’s normally their issue with themself.

I go out into the world friendly, it must be my Leo nature. I bring humor and the voice of reason.

BBH: And your personality is just the beginning of it. After seeing your body in that Herve Leger on Watch What Happens Live I have to ask what your workout routine is.

LH: Thank you. I work out 3 times a week, on a good week 4. To start, I do cardio for 30 to 40 minutes each time on an elliptical. I feel like that gets the best results.

(For weights) I alternate different muscle groups. I do calves and abs every workout, it’s those smaller muscles you can do and not make them super bulky. I try not to lift weights heavier than 15 pounds because I don’t want to look bulky, I want that slender, toned, lean look.

I also incorporate squats and pilates from my dance background.  I stand on my toes a lot because it builds my calves. And I love to do pilates because I do them on my own at home and you don’t have to use a machine.

BBH: And diet…

LH: It’s all about the eating too. My eating is very clean which means I try not to eat processed foods and I eat 6 small meals a day.

I usually start with Greek yogurt with fruit and a little bit of honey, coffee (I can’t live without my coffee) or protein pancakes, which I’m known for. The protein pancakes are super healthy but taste really good.  I add protein powder, cottage cheese, egg whites, oatmeal and Splenda and mix it all together and then I create the batter with that. I put either peanutbutter and honey on them so it’s all natural.

Then I’ll work out and have a protein shake (a fruity or one with peanut butter and banana) and for lunch  I will eat salad.

For dinner I will either make something or we will order something, but always healthy, always on whole wheat bread, not white. Or we do whole wheat pasta with turkey meatballs instead of regular. You can still have all of your favorite things and just switch things around and not feel like you are missing out, so you still look forward to your meals.

I like to have a little sweet treat to keep my sanity. After dinner I’ll have a couple of Hershey kisses with a Lindor chocolate, it’s not going to make or break you. Two bite rule!

BBH: And on to what Big Blonde Hair readers are dying to know about. Fashion. To start, who are your favorite designers?

LH: I love Emilio Pucci. And I love anything lace and girly and feminine that accentuates the female form like Dolce & Gabanna. They do a very good job of making women look classy and sexy at the same time.  I also love Herve Leger because the designs fit like a glove but doesn’t look skanky.

I’m also loving Mason (Mason by Michelle Mason) dresses. She’s a little bit of a better price point, she cuts her dresses perfectly, they are sexy but classy, and the fabrics are amazing.

It’s all about quality. I find that if you buy something that is a better quality you’ll keep it around more and want to wear it more. You’ll be excited about wearing it.

BBH: What are your favorite places to shop?

LH: I used to love shopping in the stores, but I find lately I just love going online. I really hate when I have people in the stores that are harassing me to buy something and I feel pressured to buy. I find it’s a fun little thing to be in my bed, in the comfort of my home, looking online and it’s not taking time out of my day.  ShopBop.com and Net-A-Porter.com are my 2 favorites. Saks, of course, is great too.

My expensive stuff is more for special events. Believe me, I’m not toting around expensive designer duds during the day. I’ll pair something from Aritzia, a store out of Canada that I’ve been going to since I was 19 with something more expensive. They’re really amazingly priced and well made. I love to wear  tops and jeans with a nice designer handbag so I still look put together.

BBH: I’ve noticed your style ranges from pieces that are moderately price to pieces that are extremely high end. What is your advice to a girl shopping on a budget? What should she spend on and what should she splurge on?

LH: I definitely think a handbag is what you need to splurge on. I sometimes get Steve Madden or Aldo shoes to wear to a nightclub because I don’t want to ruin my designer shoes. I think that shoes come and go and get outdated sooner. You can carry a classic handbag for years.

BBH: And on from fashion to your love life. You and Lenny are a very cute, fun couple. How did you end up together?

LH: We were connected by a mutual friend. I was introduced to him on a vacation in Vegas and I was there with someone so I didn’t think anything of it. Then Lenny convinced our mutual friend to get me to come to Miami for his annual Halloween party, which is now our annual Halloween party. And it was kind of a blind date situation then. There was supposed to be a group dinner and he arranged it so it just ended up being me and him. There was a whole scheme to get me down there. After that first date we were hooked and we have been together ever since. It was 5 years as of yesterday since our first date.

BBH: What is your advice for a single girl trying to land a great man?

LH: I would say stop going to the club to look for a potential husband.  Go to the gym, the type of guy you want is the guy that goes to the gym before work, 7-9am or after work. NOT in the middle of the day. Guys who go to the gym in the middle of the day normally have nothing going on.  Go to the places where a career, family oriented business man would go.

Also in the grocery stores if you see a guy getting his own groceries he’s most likely single. And again, watch for times where they aren’t supposed to be at work.

Guys, beware of women that carry Chanel bags, wear Louboutins and travel frequently. That’s a red flag.

BBH: And finally, what can we look forward to for the rest of the season?

LH: Moving on there are all these women with big egos and bigger personalities. It’s interesting to see how they’re at each other’s throats and picking at each other as these alliances are formed. With me you’ll see my dynamic with my mother-in-law. She can be tough but I think everyone has in-laws that have a similar situation. Also, you’ll see my struggles to start a family and different things we are doing to try to make that happen.

BBH: Lisa, thank you for chatting with me. You’re a great addition to the Real Housewives of Miami and I look forward to the rest of the season

Catch more of Lisa talking beauty, fitness and more on LisaMarieHochstein.com and follow @LisaHochstein on Twitter.

 Have you seen something on the Real Housewives or any other Reality TV fashion you can’t live without? Post a comment below, tweet @BigBlondeHair or leave a comment on  The Big Blonde Hair Blog’s Facebook page.