what is a health coach?
Health Coaching is a growing area in the field of health. Perhaps you've heard the term and wondered what it means. Or perhaps you have health concerns that you'd like to address and you're wondering whether a health coach could help. I'd like to explain what a health coach does and how they could help you.
A health coach who's studied on an accredited course (like that from the College of Naturopathic Medicine where I studied) will be trained in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle issues and coaching. This means that they will be able to advise in all of these areas, help you build a comprehensive health plan, and launch you on your way to achieving your health goals.
Nutrition
Nutrition is so key to your overall health: it is the fuel that powers you every day and enables you to get up in the morning and do what you need to do. Or doesn't if it's not working well! Which is where a health coach comes in. They will look at your diet and health issues, like feeling sluggish or bloated or gaining weight, and see where manageable changes can be made. They will look at what you eat, when you eat, and how much. Sometimes we know what changes need to be made but need support and someone to keep us accountable while we start our new habits. A health coach will be by your side while you do this.
Fitness
Health coaches are trained to know which type of fitness would best suit you as an individual. They know that resistance exercise is important to maintain muscle tone, and that HIIT is fantastic for anti-aging. They also know that for someone who is highly stressed, yoga may be more suitable than running 10K. In this way they can advise you how best to start exercising to support your health goals, whether that is weight loss or simply regaining your get up and go! And if you're already exercising but it's not working for you, they can help you find ways to tweak your regime to optimise it for time, energy or whichever other goal you're working towards.
Lifestyle
There are so many areas that the term lifestyle covers, and they all play such an important role in your overall health picture - if one isn't working it can affect all the others. A lot of people come to me severely depleted in energy. It's so hard to work on your goals, your job, your relationships, and your fitness, when your energy is low. Nutrition and fitness have a big role to play, of course, but so do other lifestyle areas such as sleep and stress. A health coach is trained to look at the balance of your life and see where it may need re-aligning. Perhaps you have prioritised your work at the expense of your sleep, leading to more stress and an inability to wind down. Perhaps juggling children, work and looking after elderly parents has left you stressed and unable to find time to look after yourself. A health coach can help you prioritise and re-balance in favour of your needs. Sometimes it's important to hear someone else say that you need to look after yourself!
Coaching
A health coach is also trained in how to coach. Coaching involves getting the best out of whoever you are working with. It involves deeply listening, understanding, and working together with your client to come up with a plan. And that plan must be realistic, practical and specific to a person's needs. It is no good coming up with a plan that would suit an olympic athlete when your client would be more suited to 'Couch to 5K'! There are coaching techniques that can help people with all areas of their lives, that help them realise where their goals and potential lie, and empower them to make the changes that will lead to greater health and happiness. One great tool is called The Wheel of Life. This gives people a snap-shot of where they are in their lives right now and can be a springboard for further discussion and planning. Why not try this out on the CNM website to see how you feel about your life right now?
What a Health Coach is Not
· A health coach is not a medical doctor so they won't offer a diagnosis, but they can help you alleviate certain conditions through nutrition, fitness and lifestyle.
· A health coach is not a nutritionist. Although they are trained in nutrition they don't offer detailed meal plans or supplement recommendations, prefering to use whole food for its nutritional benefits.
· A health coach is not a personal trainer. They are trained in the best kinds of fitness but don't offer personal training plans (unless they also have a PT qualification).
· A health coach is not a guru or mentor. They will offer health support and advice, but they do not teach a 'one size fits all' philosophy. It is your own inner wisdom that a coach will tap into to find the best way forward for you as an individual.
Why I Chose to Become a Health Coach
I have been a homeopath for nearly 10 years now and it is extremely rewarding. For some clients, homeopathy is all that they need. However, for others I have felt that there were blockages to progress or that more was needed to enable them to move forward. I picture taking a homeopathy remedy as like sowing a seed. With the right soil, water, sunlight and care, it can become a beautiful, strong plant. But without those things, it may not grow at all, or at least may not reach its full potential. If someone takes a homeopathic remedy but has poor nutrition and an unhealthy gut, the healing power of the remedy won't reach its full potential either. If someone isn't looking after their basic health needs, homeopathy can only go so far. That is where my health coach training comes in. Being able to advise on nutrition especially is invaluable, but fitness and lifestyle areas are also really important.
I also find that some people need or want to make goals and plans. There can be a danger that the client becomes a bit disconnected from the process of healing if they simply passively take the remedies a homeopath gives. As a coach I encourage people to come up with their own plan for their health. This enables them to make more progress than they would otherwise, and really empowers people to take charge of their own health. This has to be the ultimate goal!
I hope that explains what a health coach is and how one might be able to benefit you. If you're looking to make some health changes, would like some support and feel you’d like a plan that is completely tailored to your individual needs, health coaching is for you! And if you're reading this because you're lacking in energy, feel sluggish and heavy and would like to get your mojo back, I would love to help!
Why not book a free discovery call and have a chat about how I can help?