What is a Health Coach? When I tell people I’m a Health Coach, the most common response is “What is a Health Coach”? So, if you were wondering the same thing, this post is for you. Have you ever lost weight, only to find the pounds slowly return? Do you know what you should be eating, but find yourself making the wrong choices anyway (and then feeling guilty about it)? Do you lack energy and can’t figure out why? Do you wish you could get your children to eat healthier food but are fought every step of the way? If any of these apply to you, then a Health Coach might be right for you. A relatively new resource, "a health coach is trained to help you break your goal into manageable steps, track your progress, and identify and overcome personal roadblocks," says Karen Lawson, MD, program director for the health coaching track at the University of Minnesota. There are many factors that contribute to how healthy (or unhealthy) we are. The food we eat is certainly a key factor. Since no two people are exactly the same, no one diet will work for everyone. This is one reason why there are over a hundred different dietary theories, many of which I’ve been trained on. And is it just me, or do you often wonder at the fact that they all contradict each other? Some people would have you believe that maintaining a healthy weight is just about calories in and calories out. Our bodies are not bank accounts...they are chemistry labs. Different foods have different effects on the body and we need a variety of nutrients to be healthy. And beyond that, some foods are healthy for one person, but not another. Things like underlying health conditions must be taken into account, and sometimes unknown food intolerances can be a factor. Working with a Health Coach one on one can help you uncover what will work best for you. It is about more than just getting the right information. It is about getting serious about your goals, and working with someone trained to help you put a plan into action and follow through. Since the food we eat is only one factor in our health, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I earned my Health Coach certificate, calls this type of food “secondary food”. There are many other factors, or “primary foods” in life that nourish us. Things like healthy relationships, physical activities we enjoy, a career we are passionate about, a meaningful spiritual practice or a fulfilling social life can make our lives truly enjoyable. On the flip side, if we have a job we dread going to each day, a toxic relationship, or a stressful family life, these things can deplete our energy, affect our mood and more. When we use secondary food as a way to satisfy our hunger for primary food that is lacking in our lives, there are consequences. Weight gain is one, but there are many other diet-related diseases that can follow. And we all know that stress has many negative health consequences. That is why health coaches are trained not just on nutrition, but on fitness, stress reduction and other holistic lifestyle factors. Those of you who have seen my previous posts “Gratitude” and “Passion” have seen a glimpse of that already. So if working with someone to achieve your health goals appeals to you, contact me to learn about my six month program that will help you transform your goals into action for sustainable results. Confidential contact link: dawn-parker.healthcoach.integrativenutrition/contact-dawn-parker
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 21:47:46 +0000