Seizing the Years with Rachel Marshall
Rachel Marshall has been thinking about nutrition longer than she realized. She laughs when she remembers her dad teasing her that at age twelve she was already scolding him about his cholesterol. In her teens she was the kind of kid who downed a liter of milk every morning, convinced she was fortifying her bones for life. “Ridiculous,” she admits, “but it shows I was always interested in the science of food.”
Still, she didn’t set out to become a nutritionist. After a food technology degree, she found herself more interested in applying nutrition than living in the academic deep dive. It wasn’t until 2008–2009, when she stepped into a technical role in the U.S., that protein became the center of her professional world. Her job? Making protein bars, at a time when granola bars were familiar, but protein bars were barely on the minds of mainstream consumers.
“Coming from New Zealand, where sports nutrition was limited, I didn’t even know protein bars were a thing,” she says. But the timing was perfect.
Protein was beginning its march into the mainstream, and Rachel was right there, translating emerging science into real products. She leveraged the work of thought leaders like Stu Phillips and Don Layman, bridging research and commercialization, helping customers understand why protein mattered and how much the body really needs.
Even back then, she recalls, myths about protein were everywhere: too much protein damages kidneys, weakens bones, or simply turns into fat. “None of that is true,” she explains. In fact, protein supports bone health, and unless someone already has kidney disease, there’s little to fear. “You’re going to feel full before you can overdo it.”
Her role became part myth-busting, part evangelism. The message was simple: spread your intake throughout the day, aim for roughly 30 grams per meal, and let protein do its work on strength, recovery, and even weight management. Fifteen years later, Rachel is still living by that rule herself.
“I never thought I’d be the kind of person who uses protein powders,” she says. “Now it’s second nature.” For her, protein is no longer about restriction or fear, but about fueling her best self today and into the future.
Diligence has become Rachel’s quiet superpower. Once she saw the benefits of steady protein intake, she doubled down, not just in her diet but in her training. She laughs, “I’m not throwing around massive weights. But lifting has become part of my rhythm, and I know recovery and protein go hand in hand.” That curiosity has carried her beyond protein into other corners of sports nutrition. Creatine, for example, was once off-limits in her mind. “It scared me,” she admits. “There was this idea that it would bulk you up, and I didn’t want that.” But as the science evolved, so did she. Attending global nutrition conferences, she learned about creatine’s broader benefits for the brain, aging, and overall resilience.
Today, she takes 10 grams of creatine a day. “The cognitive side is what sold me,” she says. “I realized it wasn’t about bulk, it was about longevity.”
Meanwhile, she watched protein itself shift from a niche sports fuel to a cultural movement. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, protein was still pigeonholed as the domain of bodybuilders, while endurance athletes were laser-focused on carbs. “I remember a friend running the Chicago Marathon,” Rachel recalls. “She was fueling on protein, but at the finish line, there was nothing but carbs. No protein recovery options… which makes no sense, because muscle is key for every sport.”
The education gap was huge. Older consumers were being told they needed more protein for healthy aging, but many were wary of red meat. “There’s this tension,” she explains. “People categorize all animal proteins together, when actually eggs and dairy are much more renewable and far more efficient calorie-for-calorie.” Protein powders and dairy proteins, she argues, offer a way to meet needs without the baggage of cholesterol or excess calories.
But mainstream adoption was never going to happen on science alone. It took a cultural rebrand. Chobani made Greek yogurt a protein hero, proudly printing “protein” on the front of its packaging. Muscle Milk gained mass market visibility by stamping sports team logos on bottles and partnering with PepsiCo, which put it on their delivery trucks alongside everyday beverage offerings.
“That made people curious,” Marshall says. “Suddenly protein wasn’t just for hardcore bodybuilders.”
The industry began chasing accessibility. Taste mattered. Convenience mattered. “There used to be this mindset with hardcore sports; if it doesn’t taste bad, it can’t be good for me,” she says. “That’s gone now.” Through the 2010s, protein crept into every aisle: cereals, oatmeal, cookies, even candy bars boasting a meager five grams. “The dose efficacy wasn’t always there, but consumers had gotten the message. Protein was good for them. Even if they didn’t fully understand why.”
Brands that resisted narrow messaging thrived. Premier Protein, for example, skipped the jargon. No medical connotations, no weight-loss stigma, no hyper-muscular branding. Just: here’s how much protein, here’s how little sugar. Consumers got to decide whether it was about satiety, fitness, or simply better nutrition. “That’s the genius,” Rachel notes.
“It’s the same playbook General Mills used with Fiber One. They let the consumer assign the ‘why.’ That makes a brand universally friendly.”
Rachel draws a clear line from simple, approachable nutrition to long-term strength. “The bars tasted great. They sold like hot cakes,” she recalls of early fiber-forward products. Consumers didn’t need a deep explanation of why fiber mattered; they just knew it was healthy. Similarly, Premier Protein and other brands succeeded by getting the basics right: taste, price, and a simple nutrient callout. Education could happen online or in targeted materials, but the first interaction (the front-of-pack clarity) was enough to grab attention.
Over the last decade, protein has become far more than a bodybuilding staple. With weight management trends like GLP-1 therapies, mainstream fitness, and a growing female strength movement, protein is now front-of-mind. “Somewhere in the last ten years, 'strong' became the new 'skinny’,” Rachel notes. Women have embraced weightlifting for strength, bone health, and longevity, and the protein conversation has evolved to match. Personal trainers and medical professionals have increasingly championed its role not just in performance, but in proactive aging and sustained health.
At the heart of Rachel’s vision is a focus on health span over lifespan. “From the time I was 14 drinking a liter of milk a day, I’ve been thinking about how to age well,” she says. Muscle building isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about maintaining mobility, independence, and vitality well into one’s later years.
She references a simple yet powerful model: muscle builds rapidly in adolescence and young adulthood, plateaus in the 20s and 30s, and starts a gradual decline in the 30s and 40s. Without exercise and adequate nutrition, this decline can lead to sarcopenia, immobility, and reduced quality of life.
Her aspiration is for a shift from a reactive generation (those scrambling to regain strength later in life) to a proactive generation focused on long-term resilience.
Protein, paired with supplements like creatine, plays a central role in this proactive approach. “If we live the right lifestyles, we can move the point of needing to react much later,” Rachel says. She frames longevity as functionality; being your best self, active and engaged, rather than merely surviving into old age. Health span, she emphasizes, matters more than lifespan alone. It’s about quality, not just quantity.
The cultural readiness for protein, she observes, has been shaped by decades of shifting trends. “Even in the late 2010s, some people weren’t ready, but the message is starting to get through,” she says. The early low-fat, weight-loss-focused era left consumers with minimal understanding of protein’s importance beyond survival. Slowly, insights from sports nutrition and research on multiple dosing, muscle maintenance, and functional aging have permeated mainstream awareness. Protein, once a niche tool for athletes, has now become a foundation for health, performance, and longevity for all ages.
Rachel reflects on the shifting dietary landscapes that paved the way for protein’s mainstream rise. “The Atkins diet was massive back then,” she laughs, recalling a Missouri billboard that spoofed the craze: ‘Buy our low carb carpet.’ (Haha!) Even for those who didn’t follow Atkins or keto strictly, the cultural messaging (that fewer carbs and more protein were “good for you”) laid the groundwork for broader acceptance. These trends, combined with the recent plant-forward movement, created a mix of curiosity, confusion, and opportunity in the consumer mind.
“Young people are thinking about strength and health in a proactive way,” Rachel notes. “It’s not just about vanity or hitting retirement age. They want to be strong and healthy now.” She observes friends in their 50s and 60s embracing protein shakes, understanding that maintaining muscle is crucial through menopause and beyond. Yet, public perception often still conflates strength with extreme bodybuilding or energy with vitality. “They’re confusing mental energy with physical energy or actual strength,” she says. Protein and supplements like creatine, she emphasizes, address the more fundamental, “foundational” energy that supports real-world functionality.
Rachel also addresses common misunderstandings around protein. Many consumers fear that high intake will cause harm, from kidney strain to unwanted bulk. “The average person really struggles to consume enough to overdose,” she reassures. Excess protein is simply converted to energy, while optimal intake fuels muscle growth, especially when paired with strength-building activity. Protein powders and bars, she emphasizes, offer a practical, low-calorie, and cost-effective way to meet these needs, without resorting to expensive meats or complex preparation.
She also points out that marketing can be misleading. Labels may boast “high protein” when the actual content is minimal, leaving consumers unsure how to navigate their daily requirements. Yet, with the right education, Rachel sees an opportunity to simplify: protein should be accessible, convenient, and integrated into daily routines, not a source of stress or confusion.
As she puts it, protein is powerful, but context is everything. “It’s not a silver bullet,” she says. The real magic happens when protein meets movement: building and maintaining muscle is the foundation for everything from weight management to long-term vitality. Even the seemingly small choices (actually including protein cookies, shakes, or bars) matter. “They’re better than a standard cookie, but watch calories and actual protein content,” she advises, highlighting the need for thoughtful balance in our daily rituals. Extreme diets, she notes, often miss the bigger picture. Protein shines brightest when paired with fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, forming the backbone of a truly resilient diet.
Her supplement stack is practical, intentional, and tailored to real life: creatine, protein powders, a multivitamin, magnesium, vitamin D, fish oil, collagen, and a few targeted menopause-support products. “I throw a handful of things in my mouth,” she laughs, a nod to the trial-and-error nature of self-care. Each choice serves a purpose, whether relieving cramps, supporting joints, or fueling the brain, without overcomplicating daily life.
Looking ahead, Rachel sees a shift in the public conversation around creatine, echoing protein’s rise from niche supplement to mainstream staple.
“If the messaging is clear, relatable, and backed by science, creatine can be for everyone, not just gym enthusiasts,” she says. The opportunity lies in convenience and simplicity: front-of-pack clarity, approachable branding, and focusing on the few benefits that truly matter to everyday consumers.
My takeaway from speaking with Rachel is this: strength and longevity aren’t shortcuts; they’re built in layers, over years, with small, deliberate choices. Protein and creatine are tools, yes, but their true power emerges when they’re part of a lifestyle that values movement, balance, and enjoyment. For the proactive generation, those seeking not just longer lives but fuller, stronger, more vibrant ones, these supplements are a beginning, not the whole story.
Thank you so much, Rachel, for sharing your story with us!
If you would like to be featured or know someone who would be great to feature, please don’t hesitate to email rachael@jenerise.com 😊
We all rise together,
Rachael Jennings | Co-Founder + CBO, Jenerise
