You Wellness

02/08/2024

1 of 6 things I learned in my 30th revolution around the sun

1. You can get married and not tell anyone until 8 months later! Jesse and I eloped on December 4th, 2023 and just told our families last month. We honestly weren’t going to say anything for years, but we kept slipping up in public calling each other husband and wife. We just didn’t want a wedding, but we felt already married, so we decided to make it official. It was a Monday morning at Cambridge City Hall, and we went between meetings. I didn’t have any white so we both wore all black 😂

We’ve been celebrating with our friends and family, but probably won’t do anything big. Maybe we’ll do a vow renewal party in a few years, but for now we’re perfectly happy.

Grateful for you 💕

21/07/2024

Let me tell you something about my mom.

Yesterday we celebrated my mom’s retirement after 38 years as a primary care physician.

The first time I saw the impact my mom had on her patients was when I was 5. We were in the grocery store when someone shouted, “DR. DUNAL!” I remember my mom went up to the woman, who gave my mom the biggest hug and said “Thank you.” I don’t remember what it was for, but what stuck with me was how clear it was that my mom had a really big impact on that woman’s life.

I grew up wanting to do what my mom did. For awhile, I thought that meant be a doctor. But over the years of watching my mom wake up every day at 5 am and do notes until 11:30 pm, of hearing how happy she was to see her patients of 30 years, or how she never failed to run 45 minutes behind schedule because she listened to people - I learned that what my mom really does, and has elevated to an art form- is care about others.

My mom spent the last 38 years making people feel seen and heard, safe and valued by listening to them. And listen she did, even if she went over time, which in today’s state of for-profit medicine, always got her in trouble with the administrators- but she didn’t care. Completely listening to her patients was her standard.

What my mom has epitomized is what it means to be selfless. Upon the pursuit of being a relentlessly thorough diagnostician and cultivating deep relationships with her patients, she always put others first. Always. No matter how much time or energy it cost her, personally. She always sacrificed yourself, but never her family or patients.

And now mom, after caring for so many others for so long, you get to put yourself first. We are so proud of you for your extraordinary career, we couldn’t have had a better mom to raise us, and we’re so excited for you to live it up in your next chapter.

03/06/2024

Still smiling from this weekend’s race!

NYC was so much fun. I feel like I found my team- a sense of belonging and community in a sport that I didn’t know about just a year ago.

The great thing is that Hyrox is for everybody! You can walk it, run it, or even team up with 3 others and do a relay. There’s truly something for everyone.

Something else that makes Hyrox a special sport is the way spectators are able to cheer you on at every station. Unlike traditional running races where you might see your people for 5 seconds as you breeze past them, at Hyrox they’re there with you the whole time! said it was really fun being a spectator for this reason.

Try something new and sign up for a Hyrox race. Make an international trip out of it or check out the fall Chicago, Dallas, and Anaheim races. Use code RACHELLEE-10 for 10% off your ticket!

18/05/2024

Are your waistbands restricting your breathing?

All too often, the clothes we wear actually limit our diaphragmatic expansion, preventing us from taking a deep breath!

I’m a huge fan of for their breathable fabrics and styles that allow me to breathe fully, whether it’s during a breath mechanics workout like this one, a workout, or a meeting!

Check out their May Meltdown sale, with 30-60% off happening NOW! Catch items before your size sells out and LAYER my code RACHEL10 for an additional 10% off!

More breath work workshops for June to be announced! I’m now taking 1:1 appointments as well. Link in bio to learn more.

01/05/2024

April album drop: this month was a dream.

Feeling beyond lucky to spend every day with my person and to be connecting with so many absolutely incredible people through .

From Japan to Kripalu assisting my amazing friend to , my heart is bursting with gratitude 🥹

24/04/2024

Here’s why eating in Japan is a nutrition coach’s dream!

🥬 They use high quality, super fresh ingredients.

🥢 Eating is done slowly & mindfully so you’re never too full. You eat with gratitude and say thank you before (ititakimas) and after (gochisosama) a meal. Chopsticks also help you take smaller bites. 

🍱 Every meal is packed with micronutrients (pickled vegetables, fresh salads, miso & other soups), plus naturally balanced with protein (tofu, fish, or meat), carbs (rice, noodles), and fat (sesame seed, oils).

🍰 There’s not a lot of sugar unless you seek it out, are eating a ton of mochi, or it’s in red bean desserts (which also have protein and fiber). 

☕️ You drink a ton of tea and stay hydrated.

We can learn a lot from these concepts, which help us experience food as intentional and delightful fuel. And when I say delightful, I mean everything we ate was incredible.

Highlights pictured: 

1-3: Tsukiji Outer Market, Tokyo ft. fresh 7am bluefin sashimi, tamagoyaki (rolled omellete), BBQ scallops & squid, giant oysters, sushi breakfast, & the greatest strawberry of my life

4: Our one fancy meal. We unintentionally got to be the only two guests and talk to the chef & owner for 2 hours at Funaokayama Shimizu, Kyoto. 

5: All. Of. The. Noodles! Love that they give you noodle bibs 😂. Cold soba is delicious. Didn’t know Japanese curry was a thing but it’s SO good. Ramen galore. 

6: Japanese BBQ & a local Kyoto spot where we tried okonomiyaki (savory pancake) for the first time. 

7: Nishiki Market in Kyoto. Super cool food stalls and was thrilled to find BBQ chicken on a stick.

8: Matcha & tea things. Tea ceremonies are so beautifully intentional- every movement has a meaning. Our instructor gave us the beautiful hand made calligraphy card. 

9: Even buffets are super healthy & 7/11 onigiri was delicious on the Shinkasen

10: our incredible cooking class with and the joy of meeting Ryoji at . Grateful that Google translate allowed us to learn that he is a drummer who takes ice baths after every one of his shows!

14/01/2024

What else makes up health besides diet, exercise, and sleep?

It’s something that left alone, contributes to every major chronic disease.

It’s something that you deal with every day.

And it’s something we always let fall to the bottom of the list.

It’s stress management.

And it could be the game changer for you. It was for me.

Because when you think back to the things that dictate whether or not you’ll exercise or eat well, they probably come back to how you deal with stressful obstacles.

So when you change how you handle stress, you change the many of your other behaviors.

That’s why stress management is one of the 7 parts of our True Preventative Health coaching framework. It’s a whole section we tackle directly because it matters!

For me, ice baths and cold showers have given me opportunities to practice handling stress in a low stakes environment. I’ve honestly never found a better tool for managing my anxiety.

Breathwork is amazing because it’s very accessible and cost effective compared to traditional therapy, yet there are several large reviews that have demonstrated its efficacy at relieving stress (PMID: 36624160 & 38137060).

I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to coach 23 incredible humans yesterday who decided to take time to level up their stress management.

The energy in that room as everyone cheered each other on, supported people they had just met, and connected over accomplishing 3 ice baths was amazing!!

If you’re not in the Boston area and was to work on practicing stress management at home, download my free Guide to Your First Ice Bath or Cold Shower in the free resources in my link in bio!

12/01/2024

Raise your hand if you’ve been in either of these moments before 🙋🏽‍♀️

Traditional diet methods tell women “don’t eat this” and “don’t eat that,” to the point that if we listened to every internet claim we’d just be left with air.

“But it works for *her* so it must work for me, right? And if I can’t do it that just means I’m weak.”

Sister, I’m here to tell you that just ain’t true.

It’s so hard to let go of a restrictive food mindset, but once you do, you’ll feel:

✨RELIEVED because you’re not worrying about food all the time

✨PICKY because suddenly the fat free, sugar free, and grocery store versions of your favorite foods suck compared to the REAL DEAL

✨CONFIDENT that you’re making intentional food choices and still making incredible mental & physical progress.

So please, I beg you, eat the cake, and enjoy the heck out of it.

P.S. if you’re looking for more motivation, guidance and support on your health journey with women just like you, check out in my link in bio 💕

03/01/2024

You usually have a "few" drinks a week. Should you do Dry January? What is it and what does it mean if you decide to participate? Are there differences in how alcohol affects women?

This blog article was personal for me- my grandfather was an alcoholic. I've always been curious about the genetics of alcoholism and how it interacts with mental health, especially as someone constantly looking to build a lifestyle free from the weight of anxiety and depression. This latest piece is a reflection of the latest research about alcohol and human health in women. But, if you're not ready to give up that glass of wine with dinner, don't worry- this article might surprise you!

If you’re thinking to yourself, “the holidays were a blast, but wow, that was a lot,” you may be among the millions of people around the world thinking about participating in Dry January, a month without a sip of wine, beer, or alcohol. And as a woman, you might be wondering if alcohol affects...

01/01/2024

What will you remember 2024 for?

I ask this because on a day when so many people set out after bland health goals, I think you deserve to remember your year for something meaningful, something that makes you proud, and something that you feel gives you purpose.

And research shows that the driving purpose behind a health goal significantly determines success. You need a strong enough motivation to keep you going when times get tough, something that you’ll still want to accomplish and makes you adapt to whatever life throws you.

So instead of going after a boring health goal, I applied the most effective strategies from behavior change research to help you craft an epic health goal and strategically plan for the habits necessary to accomplish it.

There are a million life planners out there, but as far as I could find on the internet, this is the only year long health goal & habit planner out there.

Whether you already have a goal or want to create one, this year long, 87 page planner is the key to ensuring that you have a health goal that excites you so much that it inspires you to sustainably adapt better habits that gradually transform your health.

This is included in the EmpowHERYOU membership, but I wanted everyone to be able to access it. Today only it’s on sale for 50% off for a grand total of $6.24!

Comment “GOALS” below for the link!

31/12/2023

Ditch bland New Year's resolutions and ask yourself: What will you remember 2024 for?

Will you actually remember it for "losing 10 pounds" or "going to the gym?" Or will you remember it for running your first 5k, hiking a 14er with your family in Colorado, or taking that trip backpacking around Vietnam?

I ask this because I think you deserve to remember your year for something meaningful, something that makes you proud, and something that you feel gives you purpose.

Learn what goal not to make and what you should do through these 24 fail-proof New Year's health resolutions that you can adopt.

Whether you make New Year's resolutions or not, most people take a second around this time to reflect on the highlights of the past year. What will you remember this past year for? Does a fond memory come up that that excites you and makes you proud or yourself come up? Or was this year just kind of...

27/12/2023

Feeling “omg blehhh” “mehhhh” or my personal fave, “arrgggguuhh,” post feast?

And know you have a tendency to go “all or nothing?”

And have this grand vision of what your health post new years will be like?

Yes, your body probably is craving the vitamins and minerals in fresh fruits and veggies, but let’s be real-

3 days of “chicken ceasar salad, dressing on side” and you’ll really be craving bread again.

That’s because a large body of research shows that the more we restrict foods that we enjoy, the more we crave them and the more likely we are to overeat them.

The problem? We restrict in contexts we can control, like our houses, but we can’t control every context, like your friend’s house or the office.

So instead, yes- prioritize fresh fruits and vegetables, high fiber complex carbs, whole proteins, and unsaturated fats. But allow yourself to savor moderate portions of your favorite foods.

Funny enough, the less restrictive mindset you take, the less special your favorite foods become. My clients are always amazed by how picky they get when the most common versions of foods just don’t hit the spot anymore. I had one client tell me that he grabbed a couple pieces of fun sized candy on his way out of an appointment to enjoy after lunch as something sweet, but after one piece he realized it wasn’t that good and didn’t want any more.

So skip the guilt and anxiety that will follow it. Remember, a week of good holiday food loving isn’t the end of the world! Find the real evidence to fight those cognitive distortions.

If you’re a woman who wants help getting healthier without wasting valuable time and money on over-restrictive approaches, join the EmpowHERYOU membership for just $24.99 a month. 3 live monthly group calls, 24/7 support group, access to 105+ nutrition, fitness, self-esteem, and stress management lessons in 5-minute article and audio formats. Link in bio to learn more!