Rachel's Work
Wellness Speaking
About Rachel:
Rachel is a wellness expert (wellness coach/speaker/yoga + mindfulness teacher), author + award-winning journalist who specialises in health writing.
Rachel comes from a background of 30-years’ experience in the media industry as a writer and columnist for a string of NZ’s biggest media organisations. She won New Zealand’s best social issues journalist of the year award during her journalism career. She still writes for magazines in the niche of wellness.
However, these days, Rachel is more often the one being interviewed by media as a wellness expert, who runs her own company Inspired Health NZ. A wellness coach and yoga & mindfulness teacher, she runs corporate wellness workshops and speaks at events, festivals, and expos on how to elevate your wellbeing. Her advice is always research-backed and highly relatable. She runs retreats to help Kiwis with relatable tools on how to be more resilient, healthier, and happier. She has co-led many retreats over the last six years with top reviews. She has been a judge for the Keep NZ Beautiful Awards and a judge for Good Magazine’s annual Natural Awards. She has a keen eye on sustainability and more “conscious living”.
Rachel has found herself viewed by companies and brands as a “wellness influencer” and has loved trying lots of new products out on the market. This has led to her partnering with a long list of brands that care about elevating the wellbeing of Kiwis.
Ultimately, Rachel wants to inspire Kiwis to live life more in balance one tiny step at a time. Focus on progression, not perfectionism.
A published author, Beatnik Publishing released Rachel’s book Balance: Food, Health + Happiness three years ago, which includes 30 global experts sharing research-backed advice on how to live life healthier, happier, and more mindfully. The book includes advice from nutritionists, psychologists, professors, neuroscientists, emotional intelligence experts to happiness researchers, as well as hacks on more sustainable living.
Rachel is a mum to three boys (aged 18,16 and 12) and runs her own business. She practices trying to live a life more in balance on the daily and admits this is not always easy. But she knows now how to drop that “the busy badge of honour”.
Clients
Yoga + Mindfulness workshops
Join Rachel’s weekly Yoga + Mindfulness class from anywhere in NZ – or overseas! Held on Wednesday nights 6pm-7pm via zoom. If you are in Auckland, you can attend a Monday night Yoga + Mindfulness class, 7pm-8pm, held at a gym in St Johns, Auckland. Email Rachel to attend. [email protected]
Yoga and mindfulness isn’t hard. Nor is it about moving your body so it bends into a “human pretzel”. The essence of these tools is that they can change the way how you move, think and feel. Rachel can tailor-make yoga + mindfulness workshops for groups and corporates. You can also add a speaking element too ie around wellness topics like resilience, health + happiness tools, de-stress techniques… to how to start a fitness journey from scratch to uplift your health. Her teachings are underpinned by science, psychology, research, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence… Companies who have enjoyed working with Rachel include a Rotorua Tourism group, Sony Pictures, clients of the retreats at the Polynesian Spa tourism and spa destination, just to name some. She has helped to co-lead wellness events for beauty brands to tourism destinations, to fitness events. Her events can be small and intimate or she can speak in front of large audiences in an interactive and informative, fun way so the knowledge “sticks”.
Blogging + Influencer work
Rachel is viewed by many brands as a top wellness influencer who is not just inspiring and authentic, but importantly has qualifications in the wellness field and a rich depth of science-backed knowledge to share that’s across all wellness dimensions (ie not just how to eat well, move well and think well… by shares the “why’s” and “how’s”). Rachel works with brands in a way that best syncs with their plans. She can create digital content on social media and her blog (or for client’s own platforms), she can run FaceTime lives, has appeared on TV and radio for brands, etc. Here are just some names of brands that have enjoyed working with Rachel: Lewis Road Creamery, Naturalea Icelandic Yoghurt, the Polynesian Spa, beauty brand Linden Leaves, My Food Bag, New World, John West, New Balance, to a string of marathon and fitness and food style events.
Coaching
Do you want to fit your jeans better? Do you want to look in the mirror and say “I really like me”. Do you want to be able to move your body in a way that it was meant to move and that makes you feel damn good? Sign up for Rachel’s wellness coaching course. The wellness world is confusing and Rachel decodes it all to get you on a tailor made plan just for you, your lifestyle and your personal goals. Research backs that if you have a coach then you get to your goals smarter – and faster. Rachel gets how hard and scary this is. She has transformed herself (from an unfit mum who was confused about how to eat well and think well and move well)….. so she’ll take you down a road she knows well. and how to conquer. She’ll set you up for success during the 12-weeks you work with her – and you’ll walk away with all the tools you need to continue. This costs $1499 for the course which includes seeing/or zooming with Rachel weekly. Read a couple of Rachel’s coaching success stories on this website. They’re real people who feel noticeably better after being with Rachel and conquering their goals. Rachel can work with your team too if you prefer – onsite or via zoom.
Coaching Success Stories
Testimonial 25 May, 2023
“The regular sessions meant that I could work towards small goals that added up to big improvements,” – says wellness coaching client Debbie.
Businesswoman Debbie shows that if you mindfully take time out for your own wellbeing regularly then you can get big improvements in your health over time. Her wellness journey is awesome.
Debbie came to me wanting to work on her wellbeing. Over a 18 months we worked on her running, strength, mobility, nutrition, work-life balance and mindset.
Debbie can now run a 5km distance with ease. She knows how to swing a 12kg kettlebell and and move 8kg weights with great form to build tone and strength, she can rock out 10 burpees at a time (with gritted teeth, of course!) and she can do a yoga flow with grace and make healthy food choices around enjoying a delicious glass of wine. #balance
I coached Debbie via zoom or in person, alternating every second week.
Debbie has been an absolute star committing time for her wellbeing around her successful business and being a great mum. The juggle is real, but she proves you can do it.
I love how Debbie has such a growth-mindset around fitness and health learning. She knows how to nurture her wellbeing now so well and understands if she puts on her own oxygen mask on first then she feels healthier and happier and can help the people she loves around her even more.
I’m excited to see this mum’s next goal she wants to crush. I know she will be successful at whatever she sets her mind towards.
Debbie answers some questions below about how she found the Inspired Health wellness coaching:
Name: Debbie
Industry/job/role: Business owner
What has been the hardest part of your wellness/fitness journey?
The hardest part of my wellness/fitness journey has been learning to prioritise myself. I feel a strong pull to take care of my family and my business, often at the expense of myself. To be perfectly honest, I probably use that as an excuse as well, to not have to actually put in the time to sleep, exercise or eat well!
What helped you on your journey?
My wellness/fitness journey really benefited from having a coach like Rachel. I work better and stick to commitments if I’m held accountable and the regular sessions meant that I could work towards small goals that added up to big improvements.
What do you love about your wellness journey?
I think I now have a more holistic view on health, wellbeing and fitness — it’s less about the scales and more about how I feel.
What’s your advice to others wishing to be fitter or healthier?
Consider getting a coach — someone who can help guide you, create personalised programmes, advise on all aspects of wellbeing including nutrition and psychology, and to also be your cheerleader!
Rachel’s Book
Balance: Food, Health + Happiness
Respected journalist Rachel Grunwell interviews 30 experts globally to get the best of tips on how to uplift your mind, body and soul so that you can live your best life. Along the way, Rachel also shares her story on how she went from being an unfit, stressed- out investigative journalist and mother, to someone who is now a multi-marathoner and wellness expert who coaches others with fitness and lifestyle plans.