Fit with Rachel: Health coach uses Instagram

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- For Rachel, fitness is all about #mindbodyspirit. And the so-called "insta" coach is helping people achieve that connection on Instagram.

Rachel tells us, "You can follow or not follow. So the people that were following me were the ones that were feeling what I was doing."

She has uploaded about 75 exercises, so you can get fit with Rachel at your fingertips.

"I like to explain the way to do it so people feel comfortable enough to do it in their own home," Rachel explained.

Marie Friedman of Manayunk uses Rachel's workouts to stay in shape. She says, "I will go to her exercise archive and pick out a few of the moves and create my own circuit and do it at home."

Rachel also offers classes at three local facilities, helping create an in-person connection.

Mother of four Catie Haig loves that she has ditched the cardio.

"Some people think I am not getting my cardio because I am not on the treadmill running," Haig said. "Well, that's silly, because my heart rate goes through the roof in her classes."

Rachel specializes in kettle bells, which are essentially weights with handles. She says the goal is to get OFF of exercise machines and get the whole body moving.

"Instead of statically using one muscle group at a time you are using multiple muscle groups so you get a total body workout," Rachel said.

Follow Fit with Rachel on Instagram and you can also follow her journey through pregnancy. Her classes are packed with new moms like Friedman.

Friedman says, "I have an 11-month old and my body has done wonders since working out with Rachel."

As a new mom myself, Rachel's positive mental push is just as inspiring as her physical one.

"Don't beat yourself up," says Rachel. "It's about being patient with yourself and respect your body and love yourself and take control of that."

Some of my favorite moves of hers - the Housewife Exercise, where you can work your core and clean the floor, and how to incorporate your child, which builds shoulder strength.

You can find her workouts as well as recipes for healthy living by visiting her blog,

fitnesswithrachel.com.