Why You Need a Health Coach & How to Find (a Good) One

First of all, let's go over what exactly a health coach DOES.

Online health coaching has become increasingly more popular. It provides a client with an easy to follow training and nutrition plan that is tailored to their distinct goals, body, age, likes, dislikes, schedule, etc.

You do your training and follow your nutrition recommendations and check in with your coach via phone call/text/email once per week (at least) to go over how you did and make plan adjustments. 

So, what are the benefits of this:

1. Your plan is specifically made FOR YOU.

Your plan caters to your needs as an individual. Every person has a different metabolism. That's why, if you've tried a cookie cutter diet plan you found on the internet, you might not lose weight on that. It's not tailored to YOUR metabolism and YOUR training schedule. 

One person might lose 2 lb a week eating 1500 calories each day while another might gain .5 lb on that same diet. Someone who is training 5x a week would also respond differently to this plan than someone who does not exercise at all. 

A health coach will know how to manipulate a training and diet plan to get YOUR specific body the results you desire. 

2. Accountability is everything. 

Most people think the main reason to get a coach is to have them give you the nutrition and exercise program. I personally disagree. While having a program that is tailored to you is a great start, YOU have to be fully committed to the plan. You could Google the world's best training and nutrition plan, but if you can't stick to it, you still won't get results.

Having a health coach means you're checking in with someone at least once a week - someone who worked really really hard on creating your unique program because they want so badly for you to transform your body and change your life. I get personally invested in the success of my clients. Having an extra person who is a part of your goals and counting on your success will make you work harder.

When you know you have to check in with your weight and your progress photos, you're far less likely to go on a crazy food binge. And if you do, you know you'll get a loving kick in the butt from your coach to get back on track.

3. It Saves You Time Spent Trying and Failing

The sooner you invest in a coach, the more time you save that would have been spent with trial and error. Nobody starts out with all the answers. Without guidance, you can learn how to change your body but it will take a lot more time.

A health coach has already been there, done that. They have the knowledge base to answer your questions and address your struggles ASAP so you can avoid making common gym beginner mistakes. 

Rather than spending time on the Internet trying to figure out how the heck to take the pounds off, you can fully focus on following the plan they give you. Let them do the heavy lifting when it comes to program design and you can focus on..well... heavy lifting. 

So How Do I Find a GOOD Health Coach?

There are a few things you should look for when it comes to signing on with a health coach. 

1. They should get back to you quickly.

Pay attention to how they respond to your inquiry. It will say a lot about how communicative they will be as a coach. As a general rule, I get in touch with coaching applicants within 24 hours of application receipt and take the time to discuss their background. 

This conversation allows me to screen potential clients and only take on clients that will be a good fit for my program specifically. That way, I can give all clients and applicants the attention they deserve quickly and effectively. 

This quick and frequent communication should continue after you sign on as a client.

All of my clients receive their workout programs through an online portal where we can chat instantly and I can monitor their consistency. Clients mark workouts completed or skipped and ask questions here, which I see daily to ensure they have the accountability they need to succeed.

2. They should ask you a lot of questions via initial application, initial introductions, and new client questionnaires. 

If they aren't asking you about your diet and training history, personal struggles, time constraints, and goals, they aren't able to create a program that is tailored to YOU. 

They should be thorough in their approach to your program creation by asking you enough questions to address your individual needs.

Say good bye to cookie cutter plans!

3. They Should Be Able to Explain WHY

Do they send you your plan without explanation? Do they send any extra reading materials? They should always be able to explain why what they're asking you to do works. And if they don't do this automatically or something seems unclear, you should feel comfortable enough with them to ask!

With each plan, I send a worksheet with exercise terms to know as well as an eBook on Flexible Dieting. As we adjust the nutrition and training, I always explain WHY and HOW your body is affected. 

I can't expect you to maintain your results after the program if you don't know how to change your diet and training to fit different goals or body changes. 

4. They should be thorough in their check ins. 

Do you just send them your weight and nothing else? Do they ask how you're FEELING?

There's more to your program than the number on the scale. 

Ideally, they should be using some sort of check in worksheet that asks you to discuss different successes and obstacles throughout the week, questions you might have, energy levels, and overall satisfaction with your weekly performance. 

This allows the coach to further discuss strategies for program adherence and areas of opportunity plus get many of your burning questions answered at once. 

Need help reaching your body goals?

Are you feeling overwhelmed and lost on where to start? Want a concrete, easy to follow plan for your body transformation? 

My customized training and nutrition programs are designed to take the guess work out of permanent weight loss.

If you’re looking for concrete guidance and a smooth plan for long term results, APPLY HERE for a customized training and nutrition program tailored to your body, time commitment, likes, and dislikes.

Once your application is received, if I believe you’re a good fit for this program, I will reach out with information regarding packages, pricing, and what to expect as we work to achieve a healthier, happier you. I can’t wait to help you finally achieve the body of your dreams!