If you're participating in the current March 2014 Challenge then you're already aware that we've switched up Week 2 by doing a bit of a mashup with menu planning and food journaling.  As I went through the week I found myself seeing some pros and cons from the switch.  I've decided to take today and do a bit of a review of my experience with our Week 2 Bonus this round.

MENU PLANNING

I've come to realize that I really kinda stink at menu planning...well, at least when I haven't gone grocery shopping and had spring break fall on the same week.  Yeah...that may have had some impact on my lack of follow-through.  I may have also been taking the wrong approach for my lifestyle.  I found myself scrambling last minute every day to figure out what I would be making for meals for the following day.  I think a much better way (for me) would have been to just take the 10 min to look in my fridge and pantry and make a plan for what I could put together for the entire week, rather that trying to figure it out day by day.  Yeah...I guess that's why we call it meal planning.

WHAT I REALLY LIKED ABOUT IT

Having some kind of plan helped me at least start to move in the right direction every day.  I also really liked these snazzy menu planners that Valerie put together for us.  Seriously, who doesn't love a freebie?!?

DOWNLOAD WEEKLY MENU PLANNER

DOWNLOAD DAILY MENU PLANNER

FOOD JOURNALING/REPORTING

I LOVE the accountability of knowing that I have to actually tell someone what I consumed!  Honestly, that kept me away from lots of naughty food over this past week.  Ahh...spring break, you can be brutal!

WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:

When we were putting the Bonus together it didn't seem like it would be all that "busy" but once it came to actually do it, it felt really busy in the reporting department.  I'm sure that had a lot to do with me waiting for those last moments to tell my team my plan, then having to tell them how well I did or didn't do, which then felt like double duty.  I bet was just me though, huh?  The rest of you probably had a perfect little menu ready to roll Sunday night and then only had to report once a day, right?  Ah, yes, someday when I grow up, I want to be just like you. :)

In the end, the experience taught me where I needed to make some personal improvements and allowed me the opportunity to get to know my teammates a little better by trusting them to encourage me when I've had a rough day.  It also helped me to see where we can make some improvements to the Weekly Bonus for the future to make it more effective and not just feel like busy work.  

What did you think of last week's bonus?  Was it helpful?  Do you have suggestions for setting it up differently?  We'd love to hear them!  It's kinda our thing.  We enjoy not only teaching you, but learning from you as well, so feel free to speak up!  We're listening.