Rachel Brathen in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares "Self-Love" Message

Rachel Brathen is sharing a message of self-love and self-care – in her workout gear. In a new social media post the "Yoga Girl" shows off her amazing figure in yoga clothes during, while opening up about her struggle to love herself. "Self love is just a small fix away. Right?" she asks. "For most of my life, that critical voice in the back of my head has been loud. Always telling me I'm not good enough. I'm close though – if I just change a little bit. Go on that diet. Work out a little more. Get better at putting on makeup, do my hair just right. Relief just around the corner. If I just improve this one thing, then self-love will come. Everything will fall into place and I'll feel free. I'll be at ease. At home. Finally, I'll be lovable. Worthy. Deserving. It's just a small fix away. The thing about that fix though… It's imaginary. Truth is, when I look back at my life I can't ever recall a time where some version of that voice wasn't there. And even if I did successfully change something at some point in my life, that voice would jump straight to the next thing to fix," she continues. She points out that the "times in your life when you've felt a true sense of freedom in your body," have nothing to do "what my body looks like or whether or not is fits in with society's current standard of beauty," but instead, are more about feeling. "Swimming naked in the lake. Giving birth.Dancing to live music. Running through desert trails. Lying in Savasana at the end of yoga practice. Watching the sunrise with my baby in my arms," she writes. "What if instead of focusing on the incessant, futile path of trying to stop life from showing on our faces and bodies, we started looking for what makes us come alive? What if every time we heard that critical voice in the back of our heads getting loud we went inward, instead of outside of ourselves? What if self-love isn't a small fix away, but available here, now?" How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits. 

Rachel opened up about her diet to StyleCaster. She starts her day with a cup of hot water with lemon "before my yoga practice, and a big green juice made of kale, spinach, apple, lemon, and ginger afterward," she says. "A little later I snacked on a fruit salad and had some green tea in front of my computer. I get up early and like to spread my breakfast out in the morning!"

For lunch she has homemade carrot soup. "I make a huge pot of soup every week and keep leftovers in the fridge for an easy lunch. I'm in a bit of a soup phase now, I'll admit. The carrot soup I make is vegan, full of goodness, and so incredibly delicious—and super easy to make. I love to make big batches of food in the evenings that I can easily heat up for lunch," she says. 

For dinner she enjoys a Japanese meal. "Veggie sushi: miso soup, edamame, a veggie roll, and avocado nigiri," she reveals. 

Rachel makes sure to hydrate throughout the day. "I drink mostly regular water throughout the day, sometimes with a squeeze of lemon. Other than that, green juice and coconut water," she says. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is important for a variety of reasons. Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.

Unsurprisingly, Rachel's favorite workout is yoga. "A sweaty vinyasa class is my all-time favorite way to move," she says. There is a laundry list of reasons to do yoga, explains Harvard Health. "Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years, gained less weight during middle adulthood," they said. "People who were overweight actually lost weight. Overall, those who practiced yoga had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with those who did not practice yoga. Researchers attributed this to mindfulness. Mindful eating can lead to a more positive relationship with food and eating."

"Start each day by doing something that makes you feel good. Don't just rush out the door—make sure you dedicate time to you," Rachel recommends. "If that's yoga, meditation, lighting candles for a mindful breakfast, or having a mini dance party in your living room before you hop in the shower, just do at least one thing that's dedicated to making you feel good. It will help you set the tone for a happy day!"