Ep 25: Final photoshoot prep update | Dealing with back pain

"A healthy body is a responsive body." Have you ever found yourself frustrated with a body composition or fat loss goal - you feel like you're doing everything right but not seeing the results you want? It could be that you're missing some of the foundational health principles that will help encourage body composition changes. Many of the most important factors for fat loss or muscle gain - things like proper nutrition, recovery, rest, hormonal health, stress management, and more - are ignored in favor of sexier things like new workout plans, but the fact remains: a healthy, well-fed and recovered body will respond better to new challenges than an undernourished, overworked one. This is what Ashleigh and Rachel chat about in today's episode as Ashleigh talks about the final week of prep before her photoshoot; they discuss what went well, what didn't, how she feels, and what comes next. Rachel also talks about some injury recovery, how to manage back pain, and the two coaches share some painfully hilarious fitness-related stories.  Send in your feedback and podcast questions or comments to musclescience4women@gmail.com. Add your name to the waitlist for their new Grow your Glutes workshop, coming soon: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality beef protein isolate in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. Beef protein is often easier to digest than whey protein for many people, and it's high in glycine, an amino acid that is the main building block for collagen and can help improve sleep and muscle building. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 and use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Thank you to our sponsor BUBS Naturals! They offer the best quality collagen and powdered MCT on the market, and they give 10% of their earnings to charity-supporting veterans. They've also recently launched some new products, including their Origin Blend coffee beans, so now they're a one-stop shop for your boosted caffeine needs :) Try their new brews and related products at https://www.bubsnaturals.com/ and get a full 20% off your order with the code MSW20. Follow and learn more about Rachel at https://www.rgfit.com/ and on IG at https://www.instagram.com/rachelgregory.cns/ Follow and learn more about Ashleigh at https://ashleighvanhouten.com/ and on IG https://www.instagram.com/themusclemaven/