Year in Review: Eat the Gains in 2018

Year in Review: Eat the Gains in 2018  – a look back on 2018 with  everything that happened and a business update for Eat the Gains!

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2018! Where did you go?! I can’t believe the year is over already. It feels like we just moved into our house and just started planning our wedding. I did this last year and figured it would be fun to do again! So we are going to recap some things that happened for me personally, along with some business things, some favorite recipes, and what’s to come.

Looking back also helps you realize how far you come and all the amazing progress you had over the year. I know I get so caught up in trying to do the next best thing, so sometimes it has to be right in front of your face to see it ya know. So let’s get into it all!

Life Happenings

So majorly awesome things went down this year that didn’t have to do anything with business!

1. WE GOT MARRIED!! Funny, cause on this post last year, I wrote we got engaged haha (engagement story is here if you are wondering). After my parents (thanks mom) pushed us to actually start planning our wedding, we got married this past November. I really didn’t like the wedding planning process (except maybe the food and cake tasting), but the wedding was literally one of the best days of my life. We had a blast and were surrounded by our friends and family. Full reap (and pictures!!) coming early next year!
2. We made our house feel like home. We bought last November and are officially done decorating (except our bedroom). I absolutely love what we did to it, although it wasn’t much. I think I’ll do a home update soon, as that is the only post I have about our house!
3. I took over the @whole30recipes feed again! What a freaking week!! I absolutely loved sharing my recipes and meals with the Whole30 community and they are pretty much the best community. I had so much fun and couldn’t be more thankful for the Whole30 team for allowing me to do so.
4. We traveled to some cool places – Fredericksburg with my parents, Chicago for the first time, San Diego for a wedding, Rochester, NY for a work trip, back to the east coast to hang with my family for a week in Delaware, Scottsdale for my bachelorette, and Cabo for our mini-honeymoon. I really do love traveling and hope we can do more of it in 2019.
5. WE GOT A PUPPY! Second best thing to happen to us this year. Cashew brings us so much happiness and I can’t really imagine life without him now.
6. I turned 30!! I was actually pretty excited for this. I feel like I finally find my stride in my business and life and can’t wait to see what my 30s are going to bring.

Content

I really planned to share some more lifestyle things this past year, but I didn’t share as much as I would have liked. I started with sharing my health & fitness journey, but really want to dive into some topics like hormones, seed cycling, safer beauty, balancing work and life, nutrition, counting macros, and more. I obviously love food and working out, but wellness is so much more than that.

But…let’s get into the most popular recipes this past year!

Top 5 recipes posted in 2018:

1. 6 Whole30 Sauces that aren’t Mayo
2. Meal Prep Chicken Burrito Bowls
3. Whole30 Chicken Marinade 5 Ways
4. Chocolate Beet Smoothie – this was an older recipe, but updated and reposted in 2018
5. Whole30 Italian beef Zucchini Boats

5 most popular recipes from ETG for 2018 (from a reader’s standpoint):

1. 6 Whole30 Sauces that aren’t Mayo
2. Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding
3. Watermelon Lime Sorbet
4. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Proteins Muffins
5. Avocado Cauliflower Rice

My top 3 favorite recipes of 2018:

1. Paleo Sun Dried Tomato Burger with Avocado Basil Aioli – I can’t get enough of that sauce
2. Meal Prep Whole30 Greek Lamb Meatball Bowls
3. Paleo Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Whole30)

Michael’s top 3 favorite recipes of 2018:

1. Paleo Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Whole30)
2. BBQ Chicken Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
3. Paleo Loaded Roasted Potato Salad

Balance

Oh man. I could write a whole post on balance (maybe I will). This is the one things I struggle with the most. I feel like there is always something to do – recipe to test, pictures to edit, posts to write, people to email (always), be present on social media…the list can go on and on. It is just me running this business and there is just so much to do.  Last year I wrote that I really wanted to try to be more present in my personal life and I really don’t know if I can actually say I was.

While there are times I was, I am constantly working. Friday night while “watching TV”, I will have my laptop on me, Sunday I would be meal prepping, many of late nights of me trying to finish a few things up. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE doing what I do and most of the time I don’t feel like it is actual work, but there needs to be a cut off time.

My brain is always on and it causes some unwanted stress and anxiety. I feel like I am always on edge. I don’t like living my life like this. I used to be a really laid back person (I still am in some ways) but now the littlest things can make me upset.

I truly would like to cut back my working in 2019 and I know that giving up some of my tasks to others will be the main way to do that. I want to be more present in my life – watch TV with Michael, take Cashew to the park, hang out with friends, or just sit and do absolutely nothing (not sure the last time I did that was).

Growth

2018 was another great year for growth. My page views continued to rise, my photography and videos improved, I did some more freelance work, and my organic growth is continuing to grow. I still have a long way to go though!

Going off above and from a financial standpoint, it was a good year for me. Last year was the first year I actually started making money from my business, so I really only had up to go. I am happy to say that I grew my income streams and was able to build a business I could actually live off of (last year would have been doable, but difficult). I also invested the most in my business I ever have – from courses, coaching, and more – it really is true that you have to invest in yourself to help you grow. I am hoping to expand my revenue streams in 2019 and continue to grow my business.

I can’t say I am even close to having it all figured out though, but I learning. I am struggling to balance it all and at times have some bad anxiety with everything I have to get done. I am hoping to expand ETG in 2019 by adding someone to the team! Or at least outsourcing some of the things that I don’t need to be focusing on (Pinterest anyone?). As much as I am OCD about everything and kind of am a control freak, I know this will be the best move for my business and will only help me grow.

What is coming in 2019

I kind of preluded to it earlier, but I would really like to start sharing some more lifestyle things this coming year. The focus is still on recipes, but I will be mixing in some other content as well.

I am hoping to expand my nutrition coaching services and scale back my meal prep services. Meal prep is fun and all, but man it is draining. It pretty much leaves me without a weekend as well. I need to give myself time off work so I can put my best foot forward when I am working.

I am planning on launching and ebook soon as well. And who knows, maybe some meal prep classes?! Dream big you know!

And hopefully adding someone to the team!

THANK YOU!

Most importantly, I need to thank every single one of you. For trying my recipes, sharing my website to your friends and family, commenting and messaging me on Instagram, and more. It was an amazing year and while somedays I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, y’all keep me coming back. I’m sure most of you won’t even see this post, but it’s because of you I keep pushing along.  It’s the little things that get me so excited to keep perusing my dreams and I have to thank every single one of you for helping me do so.

Also, a huge thank you for Michael for putting up with my shit and allowing me to pursue my dreams. I know I’m not always the easier to get along with, but I don’t know what I would do without your support and trust in me.

Another huge thank you to my parents. I still believe that somedays you don’t have a clue on what I’m doing, but your support is not unnoticed. You also gave me the wedding of my dreams this year and I don’t think I will ever be able to thank you, but I’m working on it 😊

Now here’s to a kick ass 2019!! Let’s do this!!

PS – to help make ETG better, I would greatly appreciate it if you filled out this survey. It takes less than 2 minutes and will help me provide content that you want. THANK YOU!!