The Blog
Notes from Rachael
Weekly notes on strength, habits, and real-life fitness.
Why I still schedule my workouts after 17 years
This week I was updating my website on a day I'd planned to do a workout. I got into it, and my workout window came and went.
The 3 PM crash is usually a food problem
A lot of the people I work with eat most of their protein at dinner. Breakfast is coffee and not much else, lunch is whatever gets eaten between tasks.
A list of nine things, and where I'd start
A post has been going around this week from Dr. Stacy Sims, a researcher who has published widely on women's health.
More protein isn't the answer
"Just eat more protein" is everywhere right now. It's even in chips and water! Protein does matter, but that's only half the story.
An Experiment
Let's run an experiment today. Set a timer for 10 minutes and go for a walk. Nothing but your thoughts, leave your phone quiet.
What contributes to obesity
Obesity is complex. Behavior and psychology (stress, mental health) play a role. So does genetics and medications like antidepressants and insulin.
The Messy Desk Version of Consistency
A woman stopped to talk to me at a vendor event I was set up at this past weekend. At some point, she said something I hear more than almost anything else.
Did you really fall off, or did you just stop
A client sent me a message last week that started with "I know I shouldn't have skipped two weeks, but..." I stopped her right there.
The thing apps miss
I had a client tell me this week that work was about to get intense. Brutal, even. The kind of week where everything else falls away.
Is your air filter clogged
I took my car in for an oil change yesterday. While I was waiting, the mechanic came out holding my air filter and asked if I knew what I was looking at.
The scale isn't your friend
Three times this past month someone came to me discouraged that the scale either wasn't moving or was going up.
Stress needs movement
This week I stood at the front of a room of ~30 people I like, admire, and enjoy being around and delivered a presentation about myself and my business.
Why eating less isn't always the answer
In a world full of "eat less, move more" messaging, that can feel like a strange thing to hear.
Gentle Coaching Standard
I said I have a gentle coaching style. Then someone called me out.
Pomodoro Creativity Walk
Have you heard of the Pomodoro Method for time management?
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining
John F. Kennedy said that. He was talking about the economy, but applies to just about everything, including your health.
The habit nobody talks about
I was working with a client recently who was doing everything right, or so she thought. She wasn't bingeing. She wasn't eating junk.
10 swaps to lose weight after 40
Protein shakes/bars → real food. Because real food keeps you fuller longer, supports blood sugar better, and gives your body the nutrients it actually needs.
You might be measuring consistency wrong
Most people measure consistency by whether they did everything. Every workout completed, every meal on plan, every habit checked off the list.
Fitness is Magic
Sometimes I struggle with trying to "sell" people on fitness. It's not a massage, a shirt, or a plant.
For something to be prioritized it first has to be valued
Before we talk about meal plans or workout schedules or step counts, I want to ask you something that most fitness professionals skip entirely.
Firsts
The first of anything is always hard.