Who wants to try some new recipes?

Good Morning! 

As I'm sitting at the computer trying to figure out how to improve this blog thingy, that apparently is a little harder than it looks, I'm also trying to get my meal plan figured out. I'm currently using the 21 Day Fix plan to get the next couple weeks planned out, or at least for the most part figured out. Since my husband doesn't need to worry about losing weight, I still want to make sure all our meals are family friendly, but mainly dinner time! So I've entered the world of Pinterest to search out as many recipes as I can, that will also keep everyone happy and full. Yesterday I decided to try making Spaghetti Squash with sauce and meatballs in the crockpot. I'd never made that type of squash before, so I was a bit worried if we'd like it. The kids actually liked it! I was so happy! Even better, the husband said he'd eat it again. That's good enough for me! I'll be getting another squash to bake this time, and even better, find more recipes to incorporate into. 

I'll be making another post sharing some of the recipes I come up with, along with my meal plan. I'm so glad I tried out the 21 Day Fix because it really has helped me so much with portion control. The containers that come with it (pictured below) are bigger than they look. Not necessarily in size, but the amount of food you can put in them is way more than expected! Which is great because as long as it fits, you can have it all! I also labeled my containers once I figured out how much of each I'd get every day. Really helps me with it but everyone has their own system of what works for them. 

While I was browsing Facebook for...who knows for what (don't deny it, we all are on there every day checking things out :) ) I saw that Rachel Ray had posted a link for some recipes. The title is 11 Healthy Recipes for the New Year! So I decided to check it out and see what I could find. They all sound so yummy and a few of them have the spaghetti squash that I'm wanting to try in more recipes! I thought I'd share it with you guys in case one of the recipes sounds good for dinner! All you have to do is click on the link and it will take you right to the recipes.

If you think the 21 Day Fix is something you'd like to try, please let me know! I'd love to chat with you about some groups we have going on to help you meet your goals. The link is posted at the top if you'd like to see what's included. Plus, this month only, you can get the 21 Day Fix for just $10 when you purchase it with a Challenge Pack! Make sure to add me as your coach (coach ID # 504231) so I can add you to our groups and help you with your new adventure! 

Hope everyone is staying warm with this lovely cold front coming through. I know my crockpot will be getting some good use this week with soups, chilis, and even some chicken and dumplings! It's almost the weekend so I think I'll make some meals ahead of time so we can just enjoy some activities inside!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year everyone!!! 

I hope you all have had a wonderful winter break. 

I feel like Christmas came so quickly and then just as fast, it was over and done with! That's how life is though. We are always trying to hurry up, get things ready, get things done....and then what? Relax? Not always the case. Especially not with kids. I was SO excited for Christmas, just like the kids were. I got all the presents looking pretty, everything just right for Santa's big visit, and the joy that the kids showed was TOTALLY worth every penny and time spent for it. After about 2 hours, the presents had all been opened and then everyone went their separate ways to play with new toys, or read new books.

 Just like that, Christmas was over! It was back to cleaning up everything, making food, doing dishes, and planning for the next event. :) 

Our New Year's eve was very simple. It was supposed to be a big party, but that fell apart due to unforeseen circumstances. Turned out being 2 other couples and their kids, but honestly, it turned out great! All the kids got to play, no extra stress with trying to have everything "perfect" for so many people. No running around. Just played games, had some drinks, and rang in the New Year with poppers and horns!  

I'm not a big one when it comes to resolutions. I like to make goals. Who wants to beat themselves up for not keeping the resolution that they made? So some of my goals that I've decided to put out there for myself for this coming year are:

1) Take more PICTURES! I got a new camera for Christmas, and I still need to learn how to work all the functions on it, but I want to figure it out. I want to enjoy all the little things! Better yet, I want to take pictures of those little things so that I can remember them forever. So if any of you out there have some tips for a newbie DSLR owner, by all means, share away!! :) 

2) Get ORGANIZED! I've started by getting a new planner and some highlighters. I always have a planner for bills each month, but this time I got a weekly/daily planner as well. My goal is to track my food, water, and exercise, along with day to day reminders. Something else I plan to do is get a binder to put all of my coaching goals and plans together. Along with organizing my healthy recipes for Shakeology and other family meals. Eventually I plan to get this blog turned into a more professional and helpful website so we can all see and share recipes, tips, goals, and future programs to try out. 

3) Be INVOLVED! I'm already involved with my kids of course. I'm a stay at home mom! But I want to be more involved with my customers (which are also my friends!) and I want to get more involved in the community. Take classes that I've never taken. Meet new people in the area. Volunteer for something new. Part of being involved goes for my coaching as well. I want to put together some new challenge groups and encourage other people on their fitness journeys. :) 

As the year goes on, plans and life changes. So there are always new goals to make and achieve. Some "side goals" I'd like to have happen are to lose another 15 pounds by the end of the year. Preferably by summer, but I can't beat myself up if that doesn't happen. I want to get tone and slimmer, but consistency is key. That's something I feel we all struggle with, and I hope to get involved with enough people this year that we can form a group to truly help each other make that happen.

I would love to hear about your goals for the year! If one of them is to get fit, there are some challenge groups going on currently that you still have time to get in on. There is another challenge group going on starting January 19th for the 3 Day Refresh that I'd love for you to join us to get that jump start you need. 

On that note, if you have any tips for being more organized, any groups that you know of to check out, or tips on how to take better pictures, I look forward to hearing from you! My e-mail is :  Rmewife129@gmail.com

My beachbody website is :  www.beachbodycoach.com/rmewife129 

HERE'S TO AN AMAZING 2015 YEAR!!!!

Welcome to my first blog!

    Hello everyone and welcome! I am new to this whole blogging world, so bear with me while I start learning more about it. :) I recently became a Beachbody Coach to try and improve on my own personal fitness. I decided it might be a good idea to write down my journey in the hopes that it may encourage other people to help themselves, or even to help myself by connecting with other people who need that extra push, which a lot of us usually need. Even if it's to lose those extra 5 pounds you've been fighting with for years or a completely new mindset to begin your weight loss journey, I'll be right there with you the whole time. I've been on the "yo-yo of weight loss" for many years. Not a ton of weight, but after having 2 babies, LOTS of moves and traveling, the weight comes and goes.

     There are a lot of challenges that come with being a military spouse. If you currently are a military spouse, part of a military family, or just coming into the crazy world of military...welcome! It's a wild ride with lots of ups and downs, also some random loops that make your stomach flip, but part of it is surviving through it all. It's okay to have moments that you feel like yelling from the rooftops, but know that your soldier probably wants to do the same at times and just can't. :) In between trying to keep up with the curve balls military throws at us, we also have to keep up with taking care of our families, on top of keeping up with the house and all the other fun stuff that comes with being a grown up! Remember back when we were young and we would say, "I can't wait to be a grown up!" Yeah...that comes all too quickly. :) So now we're here! Real life! Daily struggles, stresses, craziness...but then there's the joys in life. Those "up" moments make up for the "down" moments. Children have a way of making you want to pull your hair out, and then 5 minutes later make you smile and give you cuddles! Everyone takes the good with the bad, but every now and then we focus more on the bad than the good. I'm guilty of it, who isn't?

    It's time to change that mind set! Look forward to the day, embrace the challenges that come our way, and don't beat ourselves up so much if everything doesn't go to plan. None of us are perfect. We all have different goals in mind, we all live different lifestyles, but we can all help each other. Whether it's helping by sharing a recipe on here (to make our day go a little easier), or if it's posting about what a CRAZY day you've had (to make us all laugh and feel normal that we had something similar happen), even sharing a healthy tip you found out to encourage us all to keep trying to improve inside and outside. My goal is to make this a place where people can come, feel motivated, comfortable and maybe get advice from other families, but above all help each other in succeeding with their goals.

    I am just beginning on my journey to eating healthy, working out regularly, and improving my overall fitness. I'm not looking to become a body builder. I don't expect to be at the weight that I was in high school. It's about eating better, feeling healthy, and not being so hard on ourselves that we put ourselves down when we have a bad day. It happens, so we pick it back up the next day and do better. I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you that passes by this page and I truly hope that you'll join me on this fitness journey. Let the next ride of your life begin!!!

Marissa Reynolds