Rachel Cunningham
Nurse Health Consultant
My Story
My younger years were filled with middle of the road nutrition. I was blessed to have a mom cooking me wholesome meals and a dessert sure to follow if I cleaned my plate. Like many households, we snacked to satisfaction and never thought twice about portions. It wasn’t until my young adulthood that I started paying more attention to what I was putting in my body. I had always been moderately athletic but had never felt truly healthy. Societal pressure of what a woman is supposed to look like mixed with our toxic food supply never seemed to run parallel.
As I started using much of my energy for advanced education, marriage and children, my health took a serious dive. I had massive weight gain with each pregnancy, always holding onto 20+ pounds, which compounded with each of my babies. Between stress, lack of sleep, anxiety, depression, poor eating habits and inconsistent exercise, my body was suffering and so was my mental health. Every attempt I made at losing weight fell short of any visible result.
I had become so uncomfortable in my own body, I felt hopeless. One day, I took a look in the mirror and thought to myself, “I’ve had enough.” I didn’t even have a plan, but I knew the only way to change how I felt, was to put one foot in front of the other and do it. I just started, quite literally in that moment. I found a set of 5 pound weights in the back of my closet and I did a few sets of some basic arm exercises. It was such an insignificant workout, but the most significant moment in my journey. It was the decision to start. I began to incorporate precise nutrition, exercise and self care into my daily life. As a nurse, education and research has become second nature. I got excited about the possibility of transformation, and decided to trust the process. Over time, I developed the mindset I needed to be consistent and push through plateaus and set-backs.
Today, I can proudly say, I have lost over 100 pounds from my heaviest weight. I did not “diet” to get here. I did not follow an “influencers workout program.” I applied very basic scientific principles to my lifestyle. What’s more important, was I didn’t give up. Consistency truly is everything. Believe me when I say, it’s a constant work in progress. Once you gain the knowledge, and apply the skills, you can be unstoppable too!
My Approach
My favorite client is someone who is motivated and eager. Connecting with people and meeting them on their level is my forte. I often talk with people who have a dream, but have convinced themself it seems impossible. There is nothing that I love more, than igniting someone’s spark to conquer their dreams. I am a problem solver to my core and very much an out of the box thinker. I am insightful and encouraging. I find that with any journey in life, you will be much more likely to succeed with sincere support. My goal is to be your voice of reason when you are feeling discouraged. I am here to remind you that you don’t need to worry about doing it well, JUST DO IT. Instead of perfection, I guide you to focus on progress. Life is full of obstacles, but when you learn to stop accepting your own excuses, you can climb that mountain and see the other side. My story has one consistent theme. I’ve always pushed myself out of my comfort zone, in order to grow. There hasn’t been a single accomplishment in my life, that came with zero discomfort. We transform when we reach the point that we are forced to step outside our zone of familiarity. Don’t take the journey alone, navigate your obstacles with guidance.
