Bustin' a Move Three (3!!) Weeks Out and Weekend Wrap Up

Whoa! What a weekend! While I usually use the weekends to focus on fitness, getting in a couple really good workouts, this weekend was on a totally different level. On Saturday I participated in the BC Bust a Move for Breast Health- a fundraiser I have been raising money for over the past year. I started fundraising for events like these a few years ago after a very close friend, Leanna, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Together Leanna and I raised money to do the Walk to End Women’s Cancer in 2010 and 2011. The Walk was a 60K course around Vancouver over 2 days (with a night camping out in tents in between- not my usual style ;)). The first time we did it, Leanna was literally in the middle of chemeo. We walked all day Saturday and Sunday, and she went in for treatment Monday. I spent most of the time telling her to slow down and take a break because I couldn’t keep up. To say that her strength and determination was inspiring is an understatement. In 2011, we raised even more money, and were signed up to participate again. Unfortunately, a couple weeks before the Walk, Leanna was hospitalized due to complications with her treatment. In the end, she was unable to participate. While I knew she was in rough shape, I really didn’t know or believe how bad she really was. During the Walk (which I completed with her friends and family keeping me company throughout the different parts of the course), Leanna got worse, and eventually passed away the next evening. That weekend was such a physical and emotional drain. After the 2011 Walk, they discontinued the Walk and introduced the Bust a Move event, which I signed up for, alone, as a way to keep Leanna’s fight alive. While I was excited for this new event, I also knew it’d be filled with a lot of memories and emotion- and it was! But not like I expected.

In January I approached my training team and coach about participating in this event, I thought maybe, since this was a fitness event, a couple of the ladies were already signed up and we could go together. Never, ever, did I expected six of them to sign up and take on the fundraising themselves! And, never, ever, did I expect other members of our team to be so generous with their support and their hearts!! Sharing this event, and this aspect of my life with those ladies, meant so much to me. Instead of being sad about loss, I was motivated by strength and support. I can never thank them enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Even better, together we raised over $7000 and the Blessed Bodies team had a blast while bustin’ some moves and kickin’ some ass. Donning blonde wigs and white wings, we got our exercise on doing Zumba, pilates and yoga, hip hop, tabata, Bollywood, and, the highlight- Tommy Europe’s SHRED bootcamp! It. Was. Awesome!

Planking it out during Bootcamp



Refueling competition prep style in between classes



Team Blessed Bodies wigs and wings costume :)

We even got a team pic with Tommy himself… and then I got one with him on my own :)

 

 

 

What a hottie, right? He’s not too bad either :)

Sharing this day with such an amazing group of ladies was so special to me. Team Blessed Bodies has already signed up for next year, so watch out!!

 

That was Saturday. Sunday was more like usual- full of a morning workout, protein pancake(s) (yes, I ate two in one day... I missed my Saturday pancake), and food prep for the week.

Overall, things are starting to get more intense. With only 20 more days until the show (and 13 to my first photo shoot!), there is a lot to do. I need to book and confirm times for hair, makeup, tanning and nail appointments for both the shoot and the show, to start planning the day-of-show timeline (the show starts at 9am- so early!) and keep up with my full training schedule (on top of working full time). My training program for the month just got switched up as well, which is great, but means new routines/ moves to learn and get used to. I’m excited though! Big changes ahead- I know it!

XOXO
J

Interested in learning more about Bust a Move and breast health? Check out their site here.