So, what exactly is a Health Coach?
Great question! Let’s quickly look at what a Health Coach is and what a coach is not.
A health coach is a guide and a supportive mentor and also a wellness resource that helps others improve their lives with unique food and lifestyle changes that are not only attainable, but are realistic and sustainable. You and I will work together to set goals to accomplish changes that will take you from exactly where you are, to where you want to be with your overall health and lifestyle. A health coach is your accountability partner as you become empowered to finally take your health into your own hands.
I received my training through the Institute For Integrative Nutrition, which means I was trained to approach health in a holistic way and not just by what you are eating and drinking. The Institute is the largest Nutrition and Health Coaching school in the world, leading the Health Coaching industry for nearly 30 years. I studied under such well known and top notch health officials such as Mark Hyman M.D., Joshua Rosenthal (founder of IIN), Deepak Chopra M.D., Andrew Weil M.D., and David Wolfe among 80 other teachers and health professionals.
As an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach I can work with you to experiment with different foods or simply help you discover foods that may be causing you harm, that you may not be aware of. I can make suggestions to try out certain foods or to avoid certain foods to help pinpoint which might be a trigger or problem food. We can discuss techniques for stress reduction and management, time management, changes in a career or relationship. We can work with concerns about substance use and abuse; including sugar which is a huge form of addiction and over consumption. Maybe you need motivation and ideas for self care and exercise. The possibilities and conversations and support are waiting for you. I am here for YOU and your goals!
And now for what a Health Coach is NOT. As a health coach I am not here to diagnose, label, treat, or prescribe anything! I am not a doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, dietician, or a nutritionist. However, I am able to work with you on health recommendations that any of these medical professionals prescribe or suggest for you-especially regarding diet, stress management, and lifestyle changes.
Why should you work with a Health Coach?
Well, if you ask me, the reasons are endless! So often we set a goal or a plan, and we may get really excited about that shiny new goal, and maybe even the first week goes really well and you feel motivated~ Yay for you! AND then the next week comes and the slide starts. How do I know? Because I have been there many times myself. We are all human and we need to learn to cut ourselves some slack thinking we need to do it all on our own. The beautiful thing is you don’t have to! One of the hardest lessons I have learned in life is that it is OK to ask for help. Really, it is. I get it, trust me. I am fiercely independent and have lost a relationship or two over the years because of it. AND I am not saying that is a bad thing. Because independence is empowerment! But, do you know what else is empowering? Recognizing that you don’t have to do everything on your own. Especially if you don’t know where to start. Or you have started one too many times and you end up stuck or dropping off? Maybe time just doesn’t allow you to investigate every little thing and then try to decide how and when to implement all of that research into your daily routines. Maybe you just need someone to hold you accountable and to be there with you every step of the way?
Here are some other reasons you may be looking for a Holistic Wellness coach:
- Wanting to obtain a healthy weight in a sustainable way
- Wanting more energy during the day
- Perhaps you are having trouble sleeping and not feeling rested upon waking in the morning.
- You are dealing with hair and skin issues and can’t figure out what is happening.
- Feeling stressed out to the max and really need to find ways to slow down and practice self care
- G.I. issues too long to list? Maybe like me, you have been experiencing long periods of time suffering from consistent bloating and gas; constipation or diarrhea and you have no idea why.
- You are interested in eating better, but there is so much information out there on different “diets” that you don’t know which one to try. Or better yet, maybe you have been experimenting for years with diets looking for that “one great diet” that will finally work? (**psst. there isn’t one! There, go take a nap. You deserve it. It is exhausting trying, I know!)
- Or perhaps you are in recovery from substance abuse or disordered eating behaviors, and are looking for another form of support. I identify as a person in recovery form disordered eating (read about my journey) and also have spent a large portion of my life in relationships with people in active addiction and recovery from substances. I have taught trauma informed yoga and mindfulness in multiple treatment facilities as well as recovery meetings and hold special place in my heart for women in recovery. I know firsthand how improving my nutrition alone helped me to strengthen my recovery and to have a healthy relationship with food. We all know we can’t “quit eating”, but we can develop and strengthen the bond we have with our food to have it nourish us and also to have it be fun and taste food! And to break the cycle of shame and guilt and not to have us feel stressed or disappointed after we eat.
All of these are great and valid reasons to work with a Health Coach. (by the way, there are TONS of other reasons too!)
I invite you to take advantage of a Free 45 minute Discovery Call to discuss your health goals and concerns, as well as your current diet and lifestyle. From here, we can decide if we are a good fit and then we can get started with reasonable and sustainable, step by step plan that will help you reach your health and wellness goals-with me-right beside you every step of the way.
What are you waiting for? Book your call today and let’s get started. What will your life be like if you don’t?