Today is a solo episode about the decision to grow your family -- or not. I was recently cleaning out the boys' closets and posted a question box on my stories asking people if they felt sad putting away old clothes, knowing you are done having kids, OR if you're conflicted about what to do. The response was overwhelming. I heard from SO many of you that you also struggled with the decision to be done (and I know for many it is NOT a choice -- loss, infertility, divorce, illness, etc.) Truly, this is a complicated topic for everyone. I shared some of my vulnerable thoughts and feelings around this topic as someone with a medically complex child as their second and last, and how that has impacted me emotionally in a way I didn't expect.

I hope this resonates with some of you and helps you feel less alone if you're struggling with these feelings, too! XOXO

Thanks for listening, mamas.

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

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Solo pod today all about healthy snacking! This is something I often got questions about from clients when working as a dietitian.

Questions I addressed:

• How many snacks a day should I be eating?
• What should snacks consist of?
• What are some examples of healthy snacks?
• What can I snack on all day long without gaining weight?
• Does snacking lead to weight gain?
• AND SO MUCH MORE!

I hope you will find this short-ish episode helpful!!! LMK if you have any questions.

Resources // relevant affiliate links & codes:

• Blog post I'm referencing: https://wellnessforthewin.com/dietitian-approved-healthy-snacks/
• While you're there, check out my blog for lots of healthy recipe ideas that actually taste good and are family-friendly!
• Clean Simple Eats affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN to save on delicious protein powders -- shop here
• ALOHA plant-based protein bars -- code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN

Please share my podcast with a friend who might enjoy it! Thanks for listening, chat soon! XO

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!

Today is a quick-ish solo episode!

I'm looking back on my 2024 ins & outs -- what to keep & what to ditch, plus my 2025 word of the year, what I'm looking forward to, and other reflections!

Plus 4 years of motherhood, and other randomness! ENJOY!

AFFILIATE LINKS:

• Clean Simple Eats code: WELLNESSFORTHEWIN - shop here
• Expecting & Empowered workout app: code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!

Today is a solo episode! Per usual -- all over the place. Just answering a bunch of random Q&A I've gotten recently!

What I covered:

• Big boy bed transition with Rhett -- how it started & how it's going
• Holiday appetizer ideas -- (easy cinnamon rolls, apps, pumpkin crescent rolls) -- head to wellnessforthewin.com for recipes!
• toddler discipline -- how we approach it
• places that have larger adaptive outfits - target, gerber, H&M, onesie extenders for tall babies
• freezer staples I always keep on hand + some easy meal ideas
• red light mask -- @ameskiefer rec
• random Costco favorites
• Levi tooth update lol
• What are my biggest insecurities?
• How do I turn a sad day around?
• When to buy BF/pumping bras -- do your boobs change sizes a lot?
• Favorite non-nursing bras
• Corporate world vs. being a stay at home mom

AFFILIATES/SPONSORS:

• @expectingandempowered workout program - code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN to save on annual app subscription
• @primallypure -- code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN for 10% off
• @cleansimpleeats -- code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN for 10% off

Please share the podcast on your IG stories or with a friend if you enjoy it! Thank you for listening and Merry Christmas! XO

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!

This episode with the licensed therapists from The Counseling Co. is all about the "happiness trap" -- AKA, how our beliefs around happiness can get in the way of our expectations and also… the difference between fulfillment and happiness. Are YOU truly happy in your life? Does being content mean you've "settled"?

This is a loaded topic that applies to all of us! I hope you find value in this conversation!

What we discussed:

• Happiness vs. fulfillment vs. contentment
• Does being content mean you’re “settling” for less in life
• How to stop striving for perfection / shifting expectations of what happiness “should” look like
• Acceptance is a practice - not a destination
• Tips if you’re struggling with comparison, especially on social media
• Comparative suffering – “well, this isn’t a big deal, but…” “someone else is going through something harder…”
• When reality doesn’t meet expectations in marriage
• What about when you’re happy with your life BUT it feels overly full / busy / overwhelming
• The power of saying NO and checking in with your values
• Tips for moms struggling with their identity in motherhood
• How to find happiness when you’re navigating a new normal // major life change (i.e. having a medically complex child, becoming a caregiver for an aging parent, etc.)

How to connect with The Counseling Co:

• Find them on Instagram @thecounselingco
• Visit their website for services & resources: https://www.thecounselingco.com/

Affiliate Links/Sponsors:

• Shop Clean Simple Eats Black Friday sale using my affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN -- shop here
• Shop Harper Wilde Black Friday sale using my affiliate link here
• Get 20% off the Expecting and Empowered mobile app (annual subscription) through the end of November 2024 with my affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN - sign up here

Thank you for listening and happy Thanksgiving!

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!

So excited to have my good friend, neighbor and PUBLISHED AUTHOR Bianca Miller on the pod today! This one is slightly chaotic -- enjoy ; )

What we covered:

• How and why she decided to step away from teaching & her career journey that led her to becoming a full-time author
• How long were you planning / writing Diving In (your debut novel) before it was officially published?
• The first draft of a book vs. the finished product and the editing process
• What is her dream goal as an author
• What does her writing process look like
• Little sneak peek into book 2: The Breath Between Us (coming soon!)
• Best piece of advice Bianca has ever received

PS: THERE IS CURSING. DON'T LISTEN WITH LITTLE EARS. WE'RE SORRY.

ASK THE NEIGHBORS / ADVICE SEGMENT WITH SHAN + B!

• Advice for a teacher who wants to leave teaching
• New mom feeling like she is losing friends postpartum – lots of tips & advice for moms and women navigating friendships
  • Shout out @kcmomsclub !!! for mom get togethers!
• What is your guilty pleasure?
• Tell us about your friendship – Shanna + Bianca
• Instagram vs. reality – mental health / thoughts

CONNECT WITH BIANCA:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/biancamillerwrites
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorbiancamiller

AFFILIATE LINKS/SPONSORS:

• Save on your annual app subscription of Expecting and Empowered (pregnancy and postpartum workouts) with affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN - buy here
• Save on Clean Simple Eats proteins / other products & OffBeat Butters with affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN -- shop here!
• Shop my LTK page
• Shop my Amazon Storefront

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!

I'm SO excited to have Kellie Bullard-Kelley BACK on the podcast today for part 2! She was on waaaaay back on episode 6 of the podcast, so today is a little life update several years later.

We talk about life after losing her husband at age 26, dating and remarrying as a young widow, how she navigated her grief then and now, tips for dealing with grief or supporting loved ones through it, leaning on faith, and more.

What we covered:

• How her new husband supports her through grief
• Does it help your grief that Connor knew Alex?
• How does Connor feel when she posts heartfelt things about Alex?
• Do the kids call Connor “dad”?
• Are you and Connor hoping to have kids in the future?
• Did you feel guilt dating again after losing Alex?
• Were family and friends supportive when you shared that you and Connor were dating?
• How her faith played into her grief journey & carried her through it
• Did you ever turn away from God after losing Alex?
• New / additional tips on how to support people going through grief
• How relationships can change - for better or for worse - after grief
• How to keep going after a great loss
• How to talk to kids about grief + death + loss and strategies she used
• Any special tributes or traditions for Alex moving forward?
• How to continue taking care of YOUR health through things like fitness, etc. when you’re going through grief
• What she’s looking forward to + what’s next for her family

CONNECT WITH KELLIE:

• Follow her on Instagram at @kelliebullard
• Purchase her book "Behind My Smile" here (affiliate link)

Affiliate Links & Sponsors:

• Save on Primally Pure nontoxic beauty products with my affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN - shop here
• Save on your annual app subscription of Expecting and Empowered (pregnancy and postpartum workouts) with affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN - buy here
• Shop my LTK page
• Shop my Amazon Storefront

BOOKS KELLIE LOVES FOR KIDS ON GRIEF/LOSS:

• The Invisible String (favorite)
• God Gave Us Heaven (favorite)
• Goodbye to Goodbyes
• Heaven is for Real (kids version)
• The Memory Box
• Something Very Sad Happened

Thank you so much for listening & supporting the show. Please share in your IG stories & tag us so we can see -- appreciate you all! XO

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!

Solo episode today!

What I covered:

• NAPA – Levi’s therapy intensive in Colorado – recap
  • Goals now that we’re home

Random Q&A:

• Do we need to avoid gluten and dairy?
• Basic tips for someone looking to start eating healthier
• What I’m doing to lower my cholesterol
• C-section scar – how has it healed almost 17 months postpartum?
• Dream podcast guests I’d love to have on
• How do you take care of yourself as a (medical) mom?
• Stroller wagon feedback / recommendations
• Tips for going to the store with special needs / low tone kiddos who can’t sit up in a cart – helpful alternatives

AFFILIATE LINKS MENTIONED:

• Clean Simple Eats -- affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN for 10% off CSE proteins, other products and OffBeat Butters. Shop here
• Expecting and Empowered -- affiliate code WELLNESSFORTHEWIN to save on your annual app subscription for their pregnancy/postpartum/advanced pp workouts -- more info here
• Shop my LTK profile
• Shop my Amazon storefront

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! XOXO

• Follow me on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @wellnessforthewinpod
• Check out my blog for healthy recipes & wellness tips!

JOIN MY EMAIL LIST HERE!

Please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast!