By Lori Laliberte, Certified Health Coach
Is there a meal plan I follow? What exactly is a health coach and what will you do for me? Do I get food, pills? Will you guarantee results?
These are all questions I get when explaining what a health coach is. It’s very hard for people to wrap their head around that it’s about supporting and helping someone reach their goals there’s no quick fix, no promises of losing 20 lbs in 4 weeks. We are so programmed by the diet industry to want to know what the results are going to be, and most of us measure results in pounds lost. We think being strict and rigid with ourselves is the only way to lose weight and achieve our goals, is that really true? Maybe for the short term but definitely not for the long term. What happened to enjoying the journey and the things we learn about ourselves along the way?
Health coaching is about making smaller steps to live long changes. It’s about uncovering the roadblocks preventing you from losing weight and living the life you want. It’s about being kind to yourself. It’s taking into account how your relationships, career and spirituality affect your food and ability to render self-care. It’s about actually having someone who truly cares and has the information to help you, listen to your needs and not just give you a diet plan to follow only to feel bad when you don’t follow it to a T. It’s getting the support you need to set and accomplish your goals in areas such as achieving optimal weight, food cravings, sleep and energy. It’s about how all parts of your life affect your health as a whole. It’s about the concept of bio-individuality, that each person has her or his own food and lifestyle needs. A health coach is a wellness guide and supportive mentor. If you want to go the gentler, kinder route, want to explore new foods, want to end dieting for good, then working with a health coach may be just the answer you’ve been looking for.
