The health of our bodies and minds is essential to the quality of our lives. Naturally, health coaches in Nashville recommend we eat healthy foods because food (including water) is the only thing that provides fuel and rebuilding materials for our body. Without a healthy diet, our health naturally declines with age. This is why eating healthy and maintaining regular exercise is so important over time.
For decades, nutritionists and health coaches have urged people to quit smoking, eat more greens and vegetables, and exercise. Although this is great medical advice, many people fail to listen and regret it later in life.
“I know what I should do, I just don’t do it.”
Investing in a health coach could be a good solution to this problem!
What is health coaching?
How does health coaching work?
This will probably be easier if we break it down:
As a basic definition, health coaching is the act of improving your health by utilizing information and developing new behaviors.
Nashville health coaches are responsible for assisting their clients with reaching their health goals. A personal health support system can help you identify and overcome obstacles to improving your health.
Most nutrition coaches have a strong relationship with their clients based on accountability. It is also the coach’s responsibility to focus on the client’s needs and goals, and to guide her to achieve the health goals set by herself and her healthcare providers.
Education traditionally involves providing as much information to patients as needed. In health coaching or motivational interviewing, patients are asked to identify and discuss their health concerns and identify the changes they would like to feel better and make to improve their health.
What To Look For In A Health Coach
Below are a few qualities of an ideal health coach. Qualifications and experience are also important when choosing a health coach.
- An understanding of people, as well as the ability to communicate well with them
An empathic trainer is essential. To be a good health coach, your coach must understand your story, feelings, concerns, and attitude. Understanding is the foundation of the relationship between a client and health coach.
This is where experience comes into play. When a health coach has worked with hundreds – or in some cases, thousands – of people, he’ll understand common struggles, triggers, and situations that keep many people just like you stuck. More importantly, your coach will have tools and skills to get you un-stuck!
- Good listening skills
Since people have varying levels of communication skills, it is vital for a health coach or fitness professional to listen attentively and effectively. A coach needs to be aware of the different needs in their client base, and the way in which their communication and listening skills impact their interactions.
The best nutrition coaches will be completely nonjudgmental when they coach clients. It is important to leave personal opinions and agendas out of coaching sessions. Feedback or guidance based on “shoulds” or the coach’s personal beliefs are inappropriate for a personal trainer or health coach. A good health coach meets the client wherever he or she is on their journey, and starts from there. You have nothing to be ashamed of!
- Protection of client’s personal information
Coaches maintain complete confidentiality about their clients at all times. Personal and nutrition coaching relationships are based on trust. You should feel confident that your coach or trainer can be trusted with your private information.
- Exhibiting the qualities of a mentor, a coach, and a cheerleader.
Coaches and trainers should allow their clients some input over the agenda for their sessions, while still providing guidance on how to best maximize the discussion.
Goals are set by the client with the help of their health coach. It is the coach’s role to dial in a client’s goals that are too vague or unrealistic. While a client has their eyes set on an end result, a good health coach will suggest bite-sized goals that can be achieved along the way.
Next, let’s dig a bit deeper into the differences between a health coach and a personal trainer.
Personal Trainer vs Health Coach
If you’re seeking to make a change in your life, should you work with a Health Coach or a personal trainer?
Health Coaches are wellness experts and mentors who empower clients to make personalized lifestyle changes that meet their unique physical, emotional, and dietary goals and requirements. Health Coaches work with clients to help them discover the healthiest nutrition systems for their lifestyle, and find the best wellness routines to fit their specific needs.
Health Coaches can also help with other kinds of health goals like emotional eating, spiritual wellness, ergonomics, or stress management.
Traditionally, personal trainers focus on the exercise aspect of a client’s wellness regimen. Strength, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, posture, functional exercise, and injury prevention are all in the purview of the personal trainer.
A personal trainer will also do some basic nutrition coaching, and offer some help and support with other lifestyle improvements.
While the goal of a healthy lifestyle for the client is similar, physical trainers focus more on exercise instruction and exercise programs – How your body works.
Personal trainers design a physical exercise plan for their clients. They also guide their clients step-by-step through it. The trainer motivates, educates, and demonstrates the exercises in the program designed to meet a client’s needs and wants.
While a personal trainer’s main role is within the gym or training studio, Health Coaches typically do not meet clients on the gym floor. Health coaching sessions are typically held in a private office (if in-person) or by phone or zoom if remote. While Health Coaches can be employed by gyms, their work is separate from that of the personal trainers. Coaching sessions occur either before or after a training session, or on separate schedules.
Do I Need A Health Coach?
Is it fair to say that at some point in your life you have tried a diet but found it difficult to stick to it?
Or attempted to achieve a better body shape but failed?
Did you ever have trouble keeping up with an exercise plan?
Do you find that you are unable to follow the recommendations from your doctor or chiropractor for improving your health?
Are you looking for ways to lead a healthier lifestyle?
If this is the case, I strongly recommend that you seek the assistance of a health coach or personal trainer. We can meet with you in-person in Nashville, or by phone or zoom anywhere in the world! Drop us a note and let us know what you need help with.