Maybe a thousand reasons to work with a Health Coach would have been more accurate; as our individuality dictates that the list is far from exhaustive. But hey, I want to connect with you, not send you to sleep.

Instead, here are my top picks: the reasons why most of the people I work with choose to hire a coach:

 

1. You never learned to eat properly:

It’s very common for parents to pass-on poor eating habits, and fail to teach their kids how to make healthy choices. Goodness knows, schools aren’t much better; given the fast-food choices they provide at mealtime. It’s not like even the health service has done anything that would quell the obesity epidemic, with it’s questionable guidelines.

A coach will help you create an effortless relationship with food; enabling you to make intelligent and informed choices about what your body needs for optimum health. A little education and guidance here, ensures a lifetime of control is firmly within your grasp.

 

2. You have trouble sticking with healthy eating:

Part of the problem here is what people mean when they say ‘healthy’. For the majority, healthy eating is associated with deprivation, hunger, and self-blame. We’re conditioned to believe that diets are hard, and that most people fail. Hardly effective motivation now, is it? Healthy eating doesn’t mean endless plates of wholemeal pasta or lettuce leaves.

Healthy food choices are delicious, nutrient dense, and what’s more: they actually keep you satisfied….for ages. What this means for you is more energy, more choice, and NO HUNGER! When food is treating you this well, it’s really not difficult to eat healthily.

 

3. Nothing has worked for you in the past:

I get it: it’s difficult to keep motivated when all the advice you’ve received in the past has led to nought. Why set yourself up for more disappointment, right? But that kind of thinking does nothing other than hold you back; waiting to waste away, just like you’re expected to do.

A Health Coach will show you that all those false starts and disappointments were learning opportunities. You can use them to your advantage, as they provide a rich library of information about what doesn’t work for you. This allows you to pursue what WILL work, as you and your coach build a strategy for success; based on you as an individual.

 

4. You have ‘diet-fatigue’:

Or more appropriately: you’re sick and tired of all the gimmicks, fads and trends that endlessly circulate the fitness and weight-loss industry. Because, let’s be brutally honest here: it IS an industry, with a lot of money at stake for the brand with the most ‘pull’. What we invariably end up with are products with a broad template, aimed at attracting as many clients as possible for maximum financial gain. To do this effectively, they’re usually accompanied by wild claims and exaggerated (if not altogether false) promises. It’s no wonder you’re sick of it all.

You are unique! Any coach worth their salt will appreciate this, and tailor their approach specifically for you. Yes there is a plan in place: because what works ISN’T a gimmick, and it CAN work for everyone. The difference here is that your coach will help you set realistic expectations that allow you to both succeed, and maintain your success long-term. Remember, this isn’t a diet; this is a sustainable lifestyle. Your coach is here to motivate and inspire you; creating a positive, forward mindset, that is such an integral part of your journey.

 

5. You want a permanent solution:

I never use the word ‘diet’. It conjures-up associations with temporary, short-term goal-oriented meal plans. You follow a diet, typically based upon severe caloric restriction, until you achieve your goal; at which point you regress to your previous eating habits. Bingo, you’re back to where you started; probably worse off because you lost much-needed muscle in the process.

Healthy eating is something you get to do for the rest of your life. It supports and nurtures your body, leading it to a state of harmony. A healthy eating-pattern enables you to become knowledgeable about the nutrition you choose; receiving feedback from your body that creates a kind of intuition that further guides your choices. An effortless relationship with food IS permanent!

 

6. You need support and accountability:

It can be hard, going it alone. Especially when you don’t yet have the confidence or know-how to fly solo. And let’s be honest: accountability to one’s self is always up for negotiation on the promise that tomorrow will be better.

A health coach cares enough about you to hold you accountable throughout your time together. There’s no punishment, penalty or berating for transgression. But they will force you to analyse your decisions for greater understanding and future learning. Any journey is easier when you’re not alone. With your coach by your side, you can share the triumphs and spread the load when the going gets tough.

A great coach is like a dynamo of enthusiasm and encouragement, there to keep you on track, and reinforce your learning; giving you what you need, when you need it.

 

7. You need new skills:

If what you’ve been doing so far hasn’t gotten you the results you want, then it stands to reason that you need a whole new skill-set. Or at least learn to use the ones already at your disposal to better effect. It’s easy to think that you’re doing everything wrong, or make the assumption that you simply aren’t good enough.

A Health Coach will not only help you develop a new tool-box of personal resources, they’ll also help you to recognise and acknowledge the wonderful skills and capabilities you already possess; enabling you to direct them productively in the pursuit of your goal.

 

8. It’s too expensive to eat well:

This is one of the all-time greatest myths about healthy eating. Let me ask you this: how much does a bar of chocolate cost? A bag of crisps? A takeaway meal? A can of soda? I’m willing to bet that you’ll be surprised how much money you spend each month on unnecessary food that doesn’t serve any nutritional purpose, or support your body’s optimum functionality. Just redirecting the ‘junk-budget’ and spending it on good quality, nutritious food, is but one way to bust this particular myth.

There are many strategies to reduce the cost of healthy eating. In fact, it’s very often cheaper to eat healthily; picking nutrient dense foods that keep you feeling satisfied for longer.

 

9. You don’t feel invested:

Human beings are weird. If something is given away for free, then it’s perceived as having no value. Support and motivation aside: everything a health coach will teach you, can be found on the internet at zero cost. As if wasting the opportunity to maximise one’s life isn’t motivation enough, we have to feel as though we’re risking something tangible before we’ll turn up with real intent. Granted, a health coach will massively streamline the process, and help you cut through the jungle of information; providing structure and a progressive path. But essentially, you could go it alone if you wanted.

A good coach will challenge you on your level of commitment, and demand high standards. They genuinely want the very best for you, and I guarantee, will be investing a great deal in you.

 

10. You need balance:

Eating right is only one part of the equation. Sleep, exercise, stress-management, work, relationships; they all play a part, and when any one of them is out of line, it creates a domino effect.

A great Health Coach isn’t focused solely upon nutrition and exercise. Instead, they understand how those components fit within the bigger picture; enabling you to recognise other areas within your life that can be improved to create overall balance. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes is all that’s needed to provide huge insights that can change your life forever.

 

Pin It on Pinterest