LLN Episode #196: Rachel Lavin – Simple Steps To Loving & Honoring Your Body More

About Rachel Lavin:

Rachel Lavin is a Published author of The Doughnut Diaries, Professional Speaker, Body Love Coach, Certified Health Coach, Certified Personal Trainer. She grew up in Northern California and has lived in Hawaii, Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon and New York City. She currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina with her Partner. 

In 2000 Rachel began her career as an ACE certified group fitness instructor teaching a plethora of classes such as Aqua Aerobics, Bootcamp, Jazzercise, Dance Aerobics, Stretch and Chair classes. In 2007 she was certified as an ACE Personal Trainer working at big box gyms in NYC and becoming an independent trainer in 2012. Rachel wanted to take her passion for helping people to the next level and became an ACE certified Health Coach in 2018. 

In 2020 Rachel wrote her first book "The Doughnut Diaries" about her own struggles with her weight and restrictive diets which lasted for over thirty years.  

As Rachel turned 40 the expression, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired hit home and she decided to take her power back and heal from decades of negative thinking and self-sabotage. Rachel began to do the work on my mind, body and soul. Writing her book was her way of sharing my message to women that you are not alone! Now using her book Rachel wants to help people who have had or a still experiencing negative body image. By using what she now refers to as my three pillars of fitness; Nourishment for both the mind and body, Movement & Rest. 

“My mission is to create a safe space for all women to feel whole in their own body” – Rachel Lavin

What We Discuss In This Episode:

Rachel shares her personal story of what she went through for the first half of her life with not only just the way she felt about herself, but the way she felt about her body, When she turned 40, she decided she wanted to be happy - just living her life to the fullest.  Rachel took some time, for a lot of self-reflection and dealing with her past. 

Rachel shares how ditching that “diet mentality” is something we all need to do. Many of us have forgotten how to trust our body. What does that mean? It’s really reintroducing that relationship to your body, knowing your hunger signals are real.  Think of it like this, you don't have to tell your body when it's tired.  It goes to sleep. You don't have to tell your body when to go to the bathroom. If you go to the bathroom, you have signals that tell you what your body needs.  And your hunger is no different. Our stomach growls for a reason. It’s trying to let you know it needs some nutritional foods. 

Rachel shares her belief that often we’re forcing ourselves to eat goods we don’t enjoy. She encourages women to broaden their horizons when it comes to food.  She shares how to take note of how we feel when we eat certain foods. Did it disrupt your digestion? Did it make you feel bloated?  Did it make me have a stomachache or headaches or other things you experienced? Once you figure it out, you just don't have to think about it anymore. 

Lynne and Rachell tackle the huge issue that we have about how we love ourselves. Maybe you've got a bulging belly because that often comes in midlife or maybe you've got a lot of birth scars. Often, we look at our body and don’t like what stares back at us in the mirror. So how do we learn to love ourselves and love our bodies just as they are? 

Rachel shares how important it is to start understanding your body is a gift, but you've thought this way for so long that you need to change the narrative.  Rachel shares the steps she took to begin to see her body this way and to love her body again.  

Rachel then shares some easy ways to add movement into our life so that we increase our health and wellbeing.  

Rachel encourages us to just take a simple, simple step.  Find yourself any color post that you want, something bright and cheery, your favorite color, and just write something about yourself, something that you know that you don't believe.  And say it out loud to yourself for a week and see how you feel.  According to Rachel, you'll see and feel a difference.

Resource from Rachel Lavin:

Check out Rachel’s book, The Doughnut Diaries: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1945446943

Connect With Rachel Lavin:

Website: https://rachellavinwellness.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.lavin

Instagram: https://instagram.com/rachellavinwellness

Connect with Lynne:

If you're looking for a community of like-minded women on a journey - just like you are - to improved health and wellness, overall balance, and increased confidence, check out Lynne's private community in The Energized Healthy Women's Club. It's a supportive and collaborative community where the women in this group share tips and solutions for a healthy and holistic lifestyle. (Discussions include things like weight management, eliminating belly bloat, balancing hormones, wrangling sugar gremlins,  overcoming fatigue, recipes, strategies, and much more so women can feel energized, healthy, confident, and joyful each day.

Website:  https://holistic-healthandwellness.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holistichealthandwellnessllc

The Energized Healthy Women’s Club:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/energized.healthy.women

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnewadsworth

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewadsworth

Free Resources from Lynne Wadsworth:

How to Thrive in Menopause:  

MENOPAUSE Messing Up your life?  Maybe you’re seeing the number on the scale creep higher and higher and you're noticing your usual efforts to lose weight aren’t working. Then there’s the hot blazes, night sweats, and sleeping fitfully, not to mention that you’re fighting tears one moment, raging the next, and then, the shameful guilt sets in because you’ve just blasted your partner – for nothing…again!

Learn how to successfully and holistically navigate perimenopause and full-blown menopause, and even reconcile all the hormonal changes and challenges that go along with it.

You’ll be feeling energized, healthier, and more in control so you can take on your day confidently and live life joyfully – even in menopause. I've got this FREE solution tool for you. 

Download my guide here: https://holistic-healthandwellness.com/thrive-through-menopause/

5  Simple Steps to Gain Energy, Feel Great & Uplevel Your Health:

Are you ready to create a Healthier Lifestyle?  Would you like to feel lighter, more energized, and even add joy to your life? If it's time to find more balance of mind~body~soul, then I've got the perfect FREE resource to help.  In this guide, you'll find my most impactful strategies and I've made applying them in your life as simple as 1-2-3 (plus a couple more) to help you create a healthier, holistic lifestyle. Uplevel your holistic health and wellness and download the 5 Simple Steps to Health  here:  https://holistic-healthandwellness.com/5-simple-steps-to-a-healthier-you/

Did You Enjoy The Podcast?

If you enjoyed this episode please let us know! 5-star reviews for the Living Life Naturally podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or Stitcher are greatly appreciated. This helps us reach more women struggling to live through midlife and beyond. Thank you. Together, we make a difference!