Rachael Recommends May 2023

Posted by Rachael McDonald on May 9, 2023

Hello hello! 


It’s time for this month’s installment of ‘Rachael Recommends!’. I only have two recommendations for you this month, but they are powerful ones. In this case, I think less is more as I share a prime fat loss strategy that's often overlooked and a book that has greatly impacted my life these past few weeks. 


All-Day Movement

For the past 9 weeks, I've been leading a weekly accountability group focused on fat loss. As I've been preparing for the weekly meetings, I've been reviewing research and revisiting my training on this subject matter. At times, fat loss can seem very complex (I mean, it is elusive for so many of us, right?), but many of the principles to achieve lasting fat loss are rather simple. One I want to highlight today is called 'all-day movement’. 


When your goal is fat loss, increasing movement throughout the day can be highly beneficial. Working out is great, but if your body is used to your workout routine, it may not be giving you the extra push that your body needs to achieve notable fat loss. (Switching up the style of our workouts is beneficial, too!). Think about adding things like:

  • A standing desk
  • A Swiss ball chair at your desk 
  • A short walk after meals
  • A longer walk once a day
  • An "integrated interval" - Take a break from work and perform 5-7 minutes of lunges, toe touches, cobras, push-ups, jogging in place, etc.
  • Take the stairs 
  • Play active games with your kids (jump on the trampoline, go for a bike ride)
  • Anything else you can think of that gets you up and moving!


For more ideas, check out this article from the University of Michigan. Whatever you choose, be consistent. A couple of attempts at ‘all-day movement’ won't get you results - have a more long-term vision with it. 


There are more benefits to you other than just fat loss. This increased activity can help you experience better focus, increased energy, better sleep, and more! 


The Toxin Solution

For the past 4 weeks, I have been lucky enough to participate in a physician-led cleanse. This isn't just your typical back-from-vacation juice cleanse. This is a serious program with incredible results . It's a 9-week cleanse that addresses toxicity in the body at a deep level. 


We started by tackling gut toxicity and then will next move to detoxifying the liver and kidneys. While the book, ‘The Toxin Solution’ by Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., shares the plan in detail each step of the way, I have been participating in the cleanse alongside several others under physician supervision (the doctors and Living Light Naturopathic Clinic in Flagstaff have been guiding us throughout). 


As weeks have gone by, I've been reading through ‘The Toxin Solution’ in tandem with the doctor's instruction. It's been enlightening and very compelling. While the book provides all the information and details of the cleanse, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I do think it best to perform a cleanse under physician supervision.


Participating in a cleanse like this one takes a lot of dedication and discipline. It's not for everyone, all the time. However, if you struggle with stubborn weight or fat, chronic health conditions, chronic fatigue, etc., I recommend looking into this as a potential solution. Purchasing and reading the book would be an excellent place to start. 


Buy the book 


I hope you found these recommendations encouraging and helpful. As always, thanks for reading. See you again in June!

In health,

Rachael