College students often question if they chose the correct major for themselves. For LSU alumna Rachel Johnston, there was no question whether or not she was on the right path.
The 22-year-old graduated with a Bachelor of Science in nutrition, health and society in 2022. Johnston has turned to social media to share her knowledge on all things related to health and wellness. The influencer has gained roughly 49,000 followers on TikTok and over 137,000 on Instagram since starting her online fitness journey in college.
“There has always been a part of me that wanted to have an online presence, but I never knew in what capacity,” Johnston says. “When I found my passion for health and wellness, it was definitely a dream of mine to somehow turn both into a career.”
Johnston came to LSU as an out-of-state student from Pennsylvania, and moved back to begin her career post-graduation; however, she did not expect this amount of attention from her fitness pages.
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“I started posting on Instagram during my time at LSU,” Johnston explains. “It began as a personal outlet for me to keep track of my fitness journey. When the page gained some traction, I decided to start sharing even more about what I was learning.”
The official start in Johnston’s health journey began way before even thinking about college. She first started doing research around the topic at age 14. Like most teenagers, Johnston struggled with acne, and was desperate to find a solution.
“I stumbled down the rabbit hole of nutrition and knew there was passion to be found there,” Johnston said. “From then on, I experimented with different foods, diets and holistic remedies. My skin cleared, and I felt empowered by choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.”
The content creator has always been active, but she did not find her favorite workout until she attended LSU. She started strength training to achieve her physique goals. She still reminisces on her time spent in the UREC. The UREC’s vast capacity gave Johnston a chance to build her online fitness community.
“My favorite part was how expansive it was. In the UREC, you have access to all the equipment you could need, along with different rooms and areas to use,” Johnston says. “For me, it was perfect to record my workouts with different backgrounds without feeling like I was interrupting anybody else’s workout experience.”
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Johnston was shocked to find out that her body was not the only thing that transformed once she began lifting weights. Her mental toughness skyrocketed too. After this realization, her goal now is to encourage any and every woman to find their strength, inside and out of the gym.
“There was less anxiety, less reactivity, more confidence and more calm,” Johnston explained. “I was also able to pair nutrition with fitness in such a seamless way. I went from eating a lower calorie diet that felt restrictive, to finding true food freedom and balance all while reaching my physique goal.”
Balance is one of the most difficult things to make peace within a healthy lifestyle. Johnston says it is important to keep a strong sense of self to come back to. She was able to maintain a balanced lifestyle in college because working towards a goal each day brought her so much confidence. She has learned over all these years to put her mental health first.
However, it is not always easy.
“For a long time, I didn’t have much balance at all,” Johnston shared. “I followed an all-or-nothing mentality that left me feeling drained and disempowered. I learned to create a mental contract of things that held the highest priority in my life.”
Johnston’s mental contract consists of moving her body, putting effort towards her career goals and maintaining strong relationships with loved ones. One of the hardest challenges for her was learning to accept the ebbs and flows that naturally come with day-to-day life. She says some days, there has to be a sacrifice in one priority to uphold another. For instance, schoolwork was a major priority during her time as an LSU student.
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“My studies at LSU gave me a solid base of knowledge for my career as a fitness professional and online coach; however, the most valuable skills were the ones I learned simply from being on my own in a new environment,” Johnston explains. “At LSU, I thrived on the independence, and being able to prioritize my days the way I felt best was huge.”
Not all of the influencer’s knowledge of fitness came from online research and college. A lot came from working with clients through her online coaching business. One of the most important things she has learned is that women are way too hard on themselves.
“It’s nice to have a great physique, but when you’re 80-years-old looking back on your life, you’re not going to care about that extra two lbs of fat you couldn’t seem to lose,” Johnston explains. “Pursue your goals, work hard, always strive for self growth, but please don’t sacrifice all the good times and memories for a physique when you don’t have to. Balance exists, and life is too short.”
To follow the rest of Johnston’s fitness journey, she can be found on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
