rachelwillbe

[rachelwillbe]

The second I started weight training as an adult, I was constantly thinking “why isn’t everyone doing this??” I’m trying not to harass the people around me about lifting heavy though😂

I can't stress enough how much weight training is good for women and totally overlooked for really dumb reasons like wanting to be slimmer rather than focusing on health

Like I don't think there's anything wrong with having body goals but doing only cardio really doesn't capture a full picture of good health and it's such a pushed thing in our culture to have women eating salads and running into oblivion and not even getting results they hope for

I was at the gym almost a full year doing just cardio and seeing no progress at all with how I felt it looked and it wasn't till after a lot of pushing from my husband that I started training muscle instead and after a year of focusing on that I can say that I really feel and look different and am finally seeing the change and progress and it's so kind blowing to realize 90% of the women who go to my current gym never ever leave the upstairs cardio section

The reason so many women develop health problems in middle age is because they never got enough nutrients or protein and then their muscles can't protect their organs or bodies in general cause they never had any

It's such a clusterfuck and I wish I could put every woman I meet onto weight training with me because it's truly amazing

[rachelwillbe]

Anyone else’s week feel kinda like these sad, frozen plants?😂

Marcus has kinda fallen apart mentally, I’ve straight up fallen apart physically, and the dog is still a menace

Happy February!?

[rachelwillbe]

I’m making a real, adult attempt at a green thumb and feel wildly out of my depth. I’ve kept two African violets alive for 7 months and semi-recently bought a pothos and a palm, both of whom are still living. I just ordered a “pack” of 6 small plants online and most of them arrived dead (frozen) so I got a refund and hopefully a couple will survive. It sounds dumb to order plants via mail and not expect them to freeze in Michigan but I live in the literal middle of nowhere (most remote part of the contiguous US) and had the pothos and palm shipped without freezing so I know it’s possible! There’s just nowhere around for us to get plants locally, unfortunately

I’m pretty hell bent on creating a more “indoor jungle” aesthetic in our house because I abhor the millennial gray paint currently on the walls. But we can’t afford to paint yet so we’ll try a green thumb with a few fake plants sprinkled in and hopefully we can find more art that we like. Reeeeeally taking my time making this house a home because my mental health was in such horrible shape when we moved. But we’ll get there and my mans is staying very patient with me haha

[rachelwillbe]

I’m hoping to start the gym again this week, even though my leg is still in pretty bad shape, focusing on upper body. My routine and mood have really suffered without structured exercise so fingers crossed. I’m also noting some mild trouble keeping weight on (extremely abnormal for me) so now I’m packing tons of healthful food everyday and hoping I actually eat it. This has to relate to my stress levels being at their lowest in like 20 years and it’s been a weird experience

This week was snow carnival and I love that they have to create a party for the absolutely obscene amount of snow that falls here to ward off SAD

Cancelled plans with new friends related to leg and mood and I’m ready to be back to 100%, I’m losing it

[rachelwillbe]

I was in my gym routine for a whopping three weeks before Basil (the canine) took out my knee while we were snowshoeing. She didn’t break this one but I’ll be out of the gym for awhile

And working in a warehouse sucks with a bum leg. I’m useless at the co-op😂

[rachelwillbe]

I’ve lost 35 lbs since August ‘24 through the amazing effects of Adderall (new ADHD diagnosis) and overall huge lifestyle changes. The appetite suppression from Adderall has largely worn off but between work, the gym, and general life in the artic, I’ve been maintaining. Oh and I essentially cut out alcohol. Not sure if this is a long-term weight for me but it’s been interesting to see my relationship with my body not change one bit as the numbers on the scale went down (which I always thought would be a given)

I’ve been journaling and cooking healthy meals and doing all the self care for the brain. It actually helps, wild

[rachelwillbe]

I’ve been having a super emotionally healing past few months with my only responsibilities being working at the Co-op and settling us into Michigan

It feels almost irresponsible to still not have my Michigan nursing license and be looking for jobs but I don’t have that in me right now so we’re chillin

[rachelwillbe]

January is long in the UP but the animal friends help keep the seasonal depression at bay

And snowshoeing with new human friends in a blizzard

[rachelwillbe]

Basil straight up fractured my tibia while we were in the middle of moving to Upper Peninsula Michigan. But we made it!

[rachelwillbe]

Oh man are we going through life. We move to Michigan UP in about two weeks, Basil destroyed my knee, I missed my last week of work due to COVID, and we have the most incredible friends giving us a million send-offs

[rachelwillbe]

We have an obscene amount going on right now but here is Oregon: sunny and 85 in the valley, 60 and cloudy on the coast

[rachelwillbe]

Spring🌷

[rachelwillbe]

[rachelwillbe]

Just out here livin our life❤️

[rachelwillbe]

[rachelwillbe]

My in-laws came to visit us in Oregon so I used that as an excuse to plan a little vacation over the weekend (Crater Lake, Gold Beach, Newport Beach, Agness)