An Aussie fitness trainer has revealed the six rules she’s following to maintain her enviable figure, including less cardio and more rest days – after admitting she’s gone to “extremes” in the past to stay fit.
Queensland’s Rachel Dillon has abandoned the “all-or-nothing” approach to her health she adopted eight years ago while preparing for fitness competitions that she described as “unsustainable”.
In a post on Instagram, Rachel shared a before and after photo showing how her body has changed since 2015, as she’s been “kinder” to herself in her diet and exercise routine.
Before and after: Fitness instructor Rachell Dillon (pictured) admitted she was following “extreme” diets eight years ago and shared the rules she now follows to maintain her physique
Fitness Instructor Rachel Dillon’s six rules for staying healthy
“I love no photo more than the other. I love myself and where I’ve been on my journey in these two photos,” she wrote in the caption.
“Even so, I’ve progressed and I’m so proud of how far I’ve come both physically and mentally.”
Rachel said she makes sure to eat all foods in moderation, as well as a variety of exercise and exercise styles.
She’s also getting more rest days, doing less cardio exercise, and said she’s embracing her body and loving her strength.
“Most importantly, I’ve never been kinder to myself and can say I’ve totally accepted that this is a LIFETIME journey and I love the ride!” she said.
When the first photo was taken in 2015, Rachel was preparing for her first fitness competition and said she went to extreme lengths to stay fit.
“I was 100 percent guilty of following the ALL OR NOHING approach. Honestly, it’s pretty awful when I think about some of the extremes I used to go to,” she confessed.
She said she would eat “boiled plain fish” for breakfast every day before starting work at 5 a.m.
“Honestly, everything about my first exam prep was exaggerated, but being new and uneducated I didn’t question it. I followed EVERYTHING to the tee,” explained Rachel.
2015 vs. now: She’s abandoned the “all-or-nothing” approach to her health she adopted eight years ago while preparing for fitness competitions, which she described as “unsustainable.”
“Have I seen great results? Sure, but was it sustainable in any way? Definitely not.’
In the years since, Rachel said she’s worked to create a lifestyle that she enjoys while meeting her fitness goals.
“I didn’t really think it was possible either, but the more I learned and the more I tried, the closer I got to what worked best for me and my ideal lifestyle,” she said.
“Eight years later, five pre-contests later and I’m proud to say that I’m constantly enjoying and honing the lifestyle I live every day and couldn’t be happier.”
Rachel said she makes sure to eat all foods in moderation, as well as a variety of exercise and exercise styles. She’s also getting more rest days and doing less cardio exercise
Previously, the fitness guru shared exactly what she eats in a day to feel full and look good, as well as the nutrition trick she swears by.
Rachel said the easiest way to avoid feeling like you’re depriving yourself is to follow a dieting approach called “volume eating.”
This means you focus on filling your diet with foods that are higher in volume (size) but lower in density (or calories).
Previously, Rachel shared her day on a plate and said the easiest way to avoid feeling self-deprived is to follow a diet approach called “volume eating.”
With volume eating, she focuses on filling her diet with foods that are higher in volume (size) but lower in density (or calories).
She said non-starchy foods like tomatoes, spinach and broccolini can be freely added to your diet and don’t need to be counted in your calorie intake
Rachel Dillon’s tag on a plate revealed
* BREAKFAST: Slice of whole grain toast with egg white, avocado and a handful of strawberries and blueberries.
* MORNING SNACK: Four rice cakes with cream cheese and cucumber.
* LUNCH: Protein pasta, tuna, broccolini, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and tomato pasta sauce.
* AFTERNOON SNACK: Smoothie made with chia seeds, raspberries, sugar-free maple syrup and almond milk.
* DINNER: Ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, soy sauce, chili, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower.
“What I often hear from women when they first start a program is that they can’t believe how much food they can eat with fewer calories,” Rachel posted on Instagram.
“To feel full, I could opt for four rice cakes with toppings over half a bagel to fill me up for the same amount of calories.”
On a typical day, Rachel eats around 1,800-2,000 calories.
These include high protein, complex carbohydrates, green leafy vegetables, and high-fiber foods.
“I focus on adding high-fiber foods like whole grains, vegetables, and chia seeds to my meals to help me feel fuller longer,” she said.
Breakfast might be something like a slice of whole wheat toast, some egg white, avocado, a handful of strawberries, and a handful of blueberries.
When it comes to lunchtime, Rachel likes to have something energetic to carry her through a workout session.
On this special day, she enjoyed protein pasta, tuna, broccolini, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and tomato pasta sauce.
“Non-starchy vegetables like broccolini, green beans, and tomatoes are high in fiber and extremely low in calories,” Rachel said.
Rachel likes to eat lots of high-fiber fruits and vegetables like raspberries and blueberries, as these help keep her feeling full for longer
Foods like tuna, high-protein pasta, and ground turkey are fantastic options to fill you up
This makes them an excellent addition to any meal as you don’t really need to count their calories.
“I find foods like broccolini and tomatoes perfect for bulking up meals to make me feel full, and they’re packed with micronutrients and delicious,” Rachel said.
In the morning she snacks on four rice cakes with cream cheese and cucumber, in the afternoon she has a smoothie made from chia seeds, raspberries, sugar-free maple syrup and almond milk.
Dinner for Rachel that special day consisted of ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, soy sauce, chili, snow peas, broccoli, and cauliflower.
If she still feels like something sweet after dinner, the fitness coach doesn’t want to miss out on a piece of chocolate or two.