Liz H

Working with Rachel was something I wanted to do for a long time, but kept putting off because I was scared to fully commit to change. I would get into a cycle of training and eating well for a couple of months, and then go on vacation, get sick or get stressed and stop everything. I had an all or nothing mentality that wasn’t helping me progress or reach my goals. 

Last November I decided enough was enough and I was ready to commit to change, even though I was still nervous. I needed it to be structured out for me so I didn’t have to think too much and to also have accountability. I chose to apply to Rachel’s program based off of the quality and messaging of her online content, and felt like it would be the best approach to push me towards my goals.

I started the program over the Holiday break, which let me tell you, I had so much anxiety over. I felt a lot of guilt about wanting to do the meal plan and training 100% perfectly, but knowing I also wanted to eat all of the holiday treats and enjoy time with family and friends I don’t normally get to see but 1x a year. I told Rachel this, and that I was nervous about starting at that time while traveling, and immediately the mindset coaching was put into work. My all or nothing mentality was keeping me from feeling proud about any effort or progress, and Rachel encouraged me that implementing anything, even if it was just snacks and breakfasts and a few of my training sessions was so much better than nothing at all.

And so that’s what I did, and I felt SO GOOD by the time I came back home from break! It was the first time I did any training over a holiday break, and even more so, because of the mindset coaching and learning about my hunger cues and stressful eating habits, I didn’t succumb to pigging out like I have on past holidays. I wasn’t “perfect” but I was more in tune with my body, which lead to better balanced food choices as a whole and to a couple extra training sessions and almost daily walks. It also led to some extra mindfulness practice which helped calm some family stress I was experiencing as most visiting family do. I came back proud of my progress and even more motivated to keep working on my goals with Rachel back home.

And really, it was the mindset coaching that helped me so much throughout this process. Yes, I did learn a lot about nutrition, the importance of eating protein for muscle growth, and how macros matter way more than just hitting calorie goals. And yes, I learned a lot about training, taking appropriate rest times for better performance and improving my VO2 max. However, what really cemented my new habits came down to the mindset coaching. I am so much more mindful of my body, aware of when it’s actually hungry and craving protein or carbs, or when it has extra energy or needs some extra rest. I prioritize my sleep and nutrition now and don’t feel like I have to make up for a cheat meal by training extra, because I know training isn’t punishment, but rather a way to feel great in my body. Now I have better habits in place, and none of this feels like a chore, but rather a way to take care and love myself better.

After my coaching with Rachel, I feel so comfortable in my body. I didn’t lose crazy amounts of weight, but I definitely am much stronger and leaner. Rachel worked with my needs of IBS as well, and my digestion is much more stable that it was prior to working together. My body actually craves healthy foods and exercise, because I'm thriving in this new lifestyle. I still have cookies and treat meals, but I also focus on nutrient dense foods way more than I ever have before.

I rave about Rachel to all of my friends so much, my husband even wanted to work with her and is now in his first month of coaching and loving it. If you’ve been on the fence about applying, just do it. It’s so worth the investment in yourself, your mental wellbeing, and your future.