I rocked it.

I have played competitive hockey since I was 6 years old, practice 2- 3 times a week, games 2-3 times a week, weekend tournaments up to 5 games in two days...this went on for 14 years. Seasons typically go from August training begins; this usually consisted of dry land training, weight training and on ice training, then the season begins October and we will not quit until Provincials end in April. This doesn't mean I get the summer off to relax, it simple means I go to try-outs in May for the next season, then soccer and summer hockey camps for the rest of my summer...and don't forget the Volleyball, Basketball, High Jump, Sprinting, Long Distance Running and school hockey team in between all of this...so you ask me, what's my point?...I'm an athlete.

When I finally decided to quit hockey in my early twenties it was one of the hardest moments, it was my passion...my life but I never gave up on my strength, my abilities and my will to want to stay healthy and fit. I continued to run...not just a light jog up the street and back, I was into long distance running, 12k, 13k, 14k....22k? by the end of it, my knees were done...I was injured. The worst possible thing that could have happened to an athlete especially a knee injury. So I slacked off for a year and the best advice I can give someone is do not give up completely because it is harder to get back in shape then it is to stay in shape.

My 30 day challenge is complete!....I rocked it! It was self motivation, self control and my abilities that got me through each and every day. I know throughout this entire challenge I've had support and a lot of questions such as what kind of exercise am I doing...what diet am I on...was this all my idea...? So I'm here to answer all those questions so you can get out there and do it yourself!

My goal: to lose 15lbs and 6% body fat.
My Plan: to work out every day for 30 days and then work out 3-4 days a week after the challenge.
Advice:
get a gym membership...take advantage of the classes!
get a gym partner and do workouts together to push eachother
drink LOTS of water (5-6 bottles of water a day) add lemon for a change!
print out the class schedules and post them in a place where you will look at them everyday
atleast one hour a day....that's it!
buy the women's / men's health magazine training guide...it really works! ($12.99)
keep your goal in mind and remind yourself that it won't happen overnight...but you are on the right track!
try on a pair of shorts or jeans that you don't fit into anymore and every 2 weeks try them on again...see if you feel a difference!
get a pair of sexy stiletto's on when you go out with your girls and dance!!

My 30 day Challenge Activities:
RPM (spin class) 2x - 3x a week for 45mins to 60mins...your butt will love you!
All Terrain Class (spin class) 1x 45 mins
30mins running intervals
to start:
week 1 - run 2 min, walk 3 mins repeat 6 times
week 2 - run 3mins, walk 3 mins repeat 5 times
week 3- run 5 mins, walk 2 mins repeat 4 times
week 4 - run 7 mins, walk 3 mins repeat 3 times
week 5- run 8 mins, walk 2 mins repeat 3 times
week 6- run 9mins, walk 1 min repeat 3 times
week 7- run for 30 mins

OR

Melt your middle running intervals
week 1- max effort 1 min, easy pace 2 mins 5 reps
week 2- max effort 1 min, easy pace 90 seconds 6 reps
week 3 - max effort 1 min, easy pace 1 min 8 reps
week 4- max effort 75 seconds, easy pace 1 min 10 reps
week 5- max 75 secs, 1 min 10 reps
week 6- 90 sec, 1min 10 reps

Pilates/Yoga
Body Step 60 mins classes
Ab workouts and weight training 30mins after cardio 30mins
Elyptical machine Intervals, cross country etc. 30 - 45 mins
Body Pump 50mins

My Diet:
First I started off with "how the Rich get Thin" ' 3 day Calcium diet '

Breakfast
1 O-Mega 3 egg prepared without butter or oil. boiled or scrambled
8 ounces of plain low fat yogurt
1 cup of green tea
1 large glass of water

Morning snack
2 ounces of low fat cheese
several glasses of water spaced out over the course of the morning

Lunch
4 ounces of tuna, turkey or salmon with lemon and pepper
glass of water

lunch snack
8 ounces of low fat cottage cheese with cauliflour or broccoli spears (raw)
water

dinner
2 cups of salad greens with 1 tbl spoon of ginger soy dressing/balsamic and lemon
4 ounces of broiled or grilled fish (sub: turkey or chicken)
1/2 cup of broccoli, asparagus,green beans, spinach with lemon juice
water

before retiring
8 ounces of plain low fat yogurt

x3
total calories 1,225
105 grams of protien

That's the jump start to your diet, don't kid yourself and think that's it! you have to keep it up and add more healthy choices to your diet, just remember don't be a gonna be a do'er, maintain portion sizes and drink a lot of water! Check out the book How the rich get thin and the magazine Women's health for the rest of the diet plan and great meal ideas!

Toned, tanned, fit and ready! It's summer time and I've never felt so GOOD.

mj.

the world is your runway.

Seasons...they are always changing, from summer to fall...fall to winter...winter to spring and spring to summer, it's constant but never consistent. We have concreate days that notify us that 'summer...fall...winter and spring begin' but in reality it has a mind of it's own, it is unexpected and free.

As the seasons change so does fashion, it follows the pattern of nature, designers set out organized plans, patterns, fabrics designed for us to dress to impress. As much as I believe that fashion is out there to steer us in a direction, a direction known as 'trends' I still strongly believe that fashion is free, independent and unexpected. It gives people an oppurtunity,a choice and a chance to express ourselves in various ways that we may not be able to describe when we first open our mouths to make that ever so,daunting, first impression. The greatest part about fashion is the diversity, it is represented all over the world. The reason I have found such a passion and love for this industry is the fact that no matter where I travel throughout the world Paris, London, Milan, Toyoko, New York, L.A and not to say just the major cities even small towns across the world. I am always inspired by the presence of fashion...Im also shocked by some fashion but that's what I mean by unexpected. It is an art, an emotion and a way to represent not only ourselves but it can also represent a sudden change in life or even the economy. For example, during the Recession women wear mini skirts and bright colours are in every store across North America...coincidence?...I think NOT! You may underestimate the power of fashion or the people within this industry, but we are smart.

"every day is a fashion show & the world is your runway"

I've recently been inspired to really start to consider my options, I'm 23 years old and like I stated, the world is my runway. I would like to make a plan for myself instead of staying within this box I created for myself, I would like to give myself an oppurtunity to travel the world...look at the different seasons of life and see what can come from it. I'am not the typical back packer, I will not venture throughout Europe with my clothes and personal belongings strapped to my back in hopes of seeing it all at once while staying in hostels. Don't get me wrong, there isn't anything wrong with it, I encourage it, but after that movie "Hostel" I only encourage others to do so...I'm entirely way to scared of horror films to do it on my own. I also have my own style of travelling the world...one step at a time, comfortable, effortless and fun; even though the Amazing Race seems like SO much fun, I'm going to have to pass on the million. Don't worry, Im not going to jump on another plane and take off any time soon, I will plan this right and in a timely fashion...even though there is one stop I plan to make sooner than later! I want to enjoy life and what it has to offer me, I don't want to settle for anything less than what I deserve and I would like to continue to gain knowledge from this world and this industry that I have willingly put myself into...because of the love...not because of the money or the status.

I've been labelled 'Holt Renfrew style'; or princess but I still have no idea where that comes from!; so I embrace who I am knowing that I love Toronto, it is a great city to return to and call home, it will always be here. Seasons change, they come and go, they are unexpected, free and in every city around the world, they are ever changing but always the same. On to the next chapter...

mj.

**dedicated to 2 people; first person said "sit down with wine and just write!!" thanks for the help, you are very smart and full of great ideas and information!; and the other...this was inspired by you. **

Top trends for Spring/Summer 2010

1. Clean Energy - white, khaki, beige clean cut dresses skirts and shirts
2. Game Theory- sports and fashion; big shoulders (football) sexy scuba dresses and surfing and skateboarding — made them chicer than they have any right to be.
3. Marching order - Military style/influence khaki green, black
4. Pastoral Interlude - embellished dresses and bell skirts
5. Pattern Play - digital designs
6. The Big reveal - lingerie style, delicate fabrics and exposed brassieres

www.style.com - Spring 2010 Trend Report

how the rich get thin.

you can never be too rich or too thin...or so I hear.

When I moved away from home I lost both of those aspects in my life...I would say the two worst things a girl can lose from their life...forget the ex-boyfriend...I gained weight and lost all my money! Wow, how incredibly...mind my french...STUPID I am to let myself get caught up in the stresses of life.

So I forget the past and start my new journey, the 30 day challenge, sounds scary or some might even say terrifying but to me it's just one major part of my life that I lost for the past 4 months and I want it back!

Today, is day 5, spin class which I can say I happily completed this morning, piece of cake...or extra lean turkey...which fits better because for the next 25 days that is all I will be eating. 'A diet' one of the most petrifying words in the girls dictionary (yes, we have a dictionary, many other words in the dictionary come to mind such as douche bag and asshole but that's another topic for another day) my diet is called the calcium diet, it consists of low fat cheese, fat free plain yogurt, green veggies, extra lean turkey or fish and A LOT OF WATER. It's not so bad, I deserve it after all the partying, eating out daily and days of not exercising. Well those days are behind me and say hello to the Get it Done phase! So let's get'er done, 15lbs in 25 days...isn't so bad after all...right?

'the outside is a mirror of your inside'


"youth is something very new. twenty years ago, no one mentioned it. Nature gives you the face your have at twenty, it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty"- Coco Chanel

mj.

I heart bows.

We are going bow crazyyy!!

mj.

breakeven.

what am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you? Well...that's been a question I've been asking myself for a few months until the day I decided that I've got time...and he's got freedom, so I'll take that time.

"I hear that when the hearts breaks it don't break even..." I can say from experience, that statement is true but who wants to be the person with the lesser half. I can confidently say that I am simply happy, no complications, no stress, no drama, I left that all behind me. I have learned a lot from the experiences, I would never say it was a waste of time, because time isnt for wasting, its only there for us to build moments and live by those moments.

My first thought when I ventured back to my home, was it is all mine, nobody else's, I have space. Space is to seperate or keep apart, it is also this massively big place above us that is totally unknown to us in so many ways, which in both ways kinda sounds like my life. I like the feeling of unknown, the feeling of independence and freedom, I dont want my life to be mapped out, where's the excitement, the suspense...the risk. Unfortunately, the risks I take don't always go in the right direction but I stay positive and always remember that one day it will all be mine...he will always be mine.

So...Hello Toronto! I am back, don't let me down again because this time I may not be able to forgive you. Thank God, Toronto is a Canadian Fashionista's dream city because if it wasn't...it wouldnt be so easy and there is only two things in the world that I can forgive that easily...no explanations needed.

I have many dreams, goals, ideas that throughout the summer I will put into action...with no attachments...and not only will I be busy with this entire business plan, I will continue to write and inspire others to do the same because it's never too late to make something happen. Always have a back up plan...and never forget what inspired you at the time to make this all happen...it was the last song.

mj.

Chapter 2: living the life of the classy and fabulous...coming soon.