When I first joined as a Coach, I wasn’t interested in actually coaching anyone. I simply joined because there was a discount associated with the membership. Months later, I started to get interested once I saw what was possible.
I would see women just like me who were healthy, happy and living a life that I was candidly jealous of. They were free from schedules, traveled often and every once in awhile I saw a coach take their team on a retreat.
I was drawn to it all, especially because I love to travel and make friends, but the idea of being able to gift an experience like that to girls you care about really stood out to me.
I knew that it wouldn’t come easy or happen over night. A lot of work, mistakes, failures, sacrifice and discouragement stood between then and now, but I never gave up.
Earlier this year, I knew my Team had potential to get to the next level so I shared my vision with them. I simply told them what I wanted for our Team, the future coaches we would bring on and what I knew we were capable of accomplishing together.
We locked arms and worked really hard together, and landed the status of an Elite Team in July (which means we are ranked in the Top 0.001% of the entire company of Coaches).
There was no question that we had to celebrate in some way, so why not host the retreat that had been on my vision board for years?!
When it came time to decide on where to host it, Captiva was the first place that came to mind. If you guys know me, you know that my husband and I have been going down there for years! We got engaged & married at Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa back in 2015 and have been going back ever since.
>> You can check out my Sanibel & Captiva Island Travel Guide here, or my Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa Review from earlier this year, here. Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa is actually offering all of my readers 10% off of their stay with the code “BEACHBODY” from 11/5-1/30, excluding Blackout Dates (11/26-11/30; 12/24-1/1<<
Even though I was familiar with the resort, it was important to me to have a house where we could all connect, workout, have workshops and just enjoy the island together.
After asking around, I learned that Sanibel Captiva Island Vacation Rentals is part of Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts (Tween Waters Resort and Spa, West Wind Inn, Beachview Cottages and Castaways Cottages). They have over 40 years of hospitality experience on the islands and are extremely proud that their vacation rental division has been so successful in just 3 years, with over 100 properties on both Captiva and Sanibel.
It was a no brainer to book with them, especially because we were able to use the amenities the resort and have renters rewards for dining/activities!
We stayed at the “White Ibis,” which was located at the secluded north end of Captiva. The moment we pulled into the driveway was breathtaking. The towering 3-story coastal home overlooked Bryant Bayou and was surrounded by the lush tropical landscape. We even had two resident Ospreys perched out by the private dock!
The house was enormous!
We had 5 bedrooms, which included two masters with a 3rd floor balcony overlooking the bay and a bonus room off of the master, which was Jack’s private nursery throughout the trip. There was plenty of space in all of the living areas, but we used the screened in 2nd floor deck often for our meals and work sessions! You can check out the home in more detail here.
Once the girls got there, the fun began!
We were poolside, beachside, getting our sweat on and apparently ordering every kind of cake from the Bubble Room in no time.
So who are these women that earned this retreat anyways?
All of these women are so different, and many never knew each another prior to being on the team – but somehow, it’s like we’ve always been friends. Some were from various points in my life, while others were strangers that met on social media.
Some are nurses, physician assistants, teachers, photographers, interior designers and stay at home moms. Between all of us, we have 15 kiddos and 1 grand-baby. Two of them have ONLY been coaching LESS than a year!
Would you believe that only 3 of them joined as coaches with the intention of actually coaching? The rest were only interested in the discount – funny how that happens, ha!
And get this – together, we’ve cumulatively lost >300 lbs!
I know it’s easy to get intimidated by the word “coach” or the idea of coaching, but we truly are normal people who are busy, tired, googling our way through parenting and trying to survive most days!
These girls make surviving mom-hood so much fun and I honestly can’t remember a time in my life where I laughed harder.
We laughed, we cried, we learned and we created a vision for our futures – both for our individual teams and families!
And we did a LOTTT, so here’s a round up of places we ate and places we went!
Restaurants
- The Bubble Room – just get all of the cake! If you can only have 1 piece, I recommend getting something unique that you wouldn’t normally see at home! The Orange Crush was my favorite!
- The Mucky Duck – this is hands down the place to go at Sunset. Parking is tricky, so if you don’t have to bring a car – don’t, but there’s usually parking at the marina for a small fee. They have an outside bar/patio to have some drinks beachside while you wait for your table. My dinner recommendation is hands down the duck!
- Keylime Bistro
- Doc Fords
- The Old Captiva House – This place is near & dear to our hearts! We’ve been making this an annual visit since our engagement. They recently underwent a complete renovation and it is a dream if you love timeless coastal decor & design (I need to find that wallpaper!!). Everything on the menu is exceptional, but they have the best Keylime Martinis ever, so make sure you get one (or two) of those!
- Cantina Captiva
- The Crows Nest
Things We Did!
- Shelling at Lighthouse Beach
- Visited Tween Waters Island & Resort & Spa
- Team Dinner hosted at The Old Captiva House at Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa
- Photoshoot with Milissa Sprecher at our White Ibis home – Milissa has been my go-to photographer since getting engaged in 2014. Couldn’t recommend anyone more if you are visiting the island!
- Crab Races at The Crows Nest – this is just something you have to do when you’re in Captiva. Bring a good sense of humor, a name for your crab and follow the “rules” ha!
This trip was a dream come true and I honestly can’t wait to do this again next year! I don’t know how it can be topped, but I think we’re certainly up for the challenge!
If you’ve ever been interested in coaching or simply being a part of my team – I’m just a message away from learning more about it.
And just a reminder, Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa is actually offering all of my readers 10% off of their stay with the code “BEACHBODY” from 11/5-1/30, excluding Blackout Dates (11/26-11/30; 12/24-1/1
Chat soon,
Meghan
Next up will be a complete Travel Guide to staying in a Home Vacation Rental with friends and/or children on the island!
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