On January 1, 2025, I decided to make a change. I set a daily calorie target around 2,000 and tracked my macros — 40% carbs, 35% protein, 25% fat. The goal wasn’t perfection or a sprint; it was learning to eat like someone who plans to do this for life. I had to figure out what one serving actually looked like, when I was eating out of habit instead of hunger, and how to enjoy the quiet wins that come from restraint.

I paired that with a steady workout rhythm: weights three times a week, swimming three times a week. The only way it worked was getting up at 4:30 a.m. — not glamorous, but it got the job done.

By the end of eight months, I had dropped 35 pounds and completely changed my body composition. My short-term goal had been to reach a healthy body-fat percentage for my age; my long-term goal was bigger — to stack the odds toward living a long, healthy life and being present for my wife and kids. I think of it as basic stewardship — taking care of what I’ve been given without making fitness the center of my identity.

When Amanda accepted a full-time position with the school district this fall, our family life changed overnight. Up until then, she’d split her time between work and home, and that rhythm worked well for the kids. Her new role was a great step for her and the right move for us, but it meant reworking how we handled the week. I stepped away from my full-time job at Movebees, moved into contract work for media and content creation, and took on the weekday parenting role.

That shift brought its own learning curve. I started to understand what it really takes to keep the house running and kids fed, dressed, and sane. Amanda was learning a new rhythm too, adjusting to the pace of full-time work with little ones waiting at home.

Somewhere in those first weeks, she suggested I take over dinner planning to help both with grocery prep and daily flow. It made sense — I was home, and we needed predictability. I’d never been in charge of planning our family dinners before, so I treated it like a new project.

What made it interesting was that it couldn’t just be any meal plan. It had to check a few boxes at once:

• KID-FRIENDLY: Ideally everyone eats the same thing, but we take the small wins. If the kids get fish sticks while Amanda and I have salmon, that’s fine. Close enough counts.

• MACRO-FRIENDLY: I still wanted to eat foods that supported my goals — lean protein, smart carbs, lighter fats, and minimal processed stuff.

• ENJOYABLE FOR AMANDA: She didn’t sign up for my macros, and dinner shouldn’t feel like a “dad diet” project. The meals had to be good on their own terms.

• PRACTICAL: At 4 p.m., the twins start hanging on my legs. I can’t be standing over a pan of hot oil or juggling knives. The meals needed to be oven-ready, air-fryer simple, or prep-ahead and freeze-friendly. Nothing fancy — just doable.

• REPEATABLE & ORGANIZED: I wanted every recipe’s ingredients confirmed, the stores identified, and the links organized in one place. This site makes it simple — I can tap through, fill a grocery cart, and do pickup with the kids in tow. It’s built for my convenience, but anyone can use it the same way.