You Might Need a Health Coach If…

By: Tonja Hancock, Personal Trainer. Re-posted with permission from her blog. 

Wikipedia defines Health Coaching as a process that facilitates healthy, sustainable behavior change by challenging a client to develop their inner wisdom, identify their values, and transform their goals into action. 

That sounds pretty cool, right? But what exactly does that mean for you? 

Let me break down the myriad of reasons you might need a Health Coach. 

1. You’ve Been Diagnosed with an Illness by a Doctor and Need Help Following a Protocol

For example, one study on type 2 diabetes concludes that after six months, individuals who were coached showed improvement in medication adherence. Coaching had a positive effect on patients’ knowledge, skill, self-efficacy, and behavior change while a non-coached control group did not show any improvement. 

2. You Want to Save Money on Medical Bills

Let’s just take heart disease – it’s expensive! After adding up the EMS ride, hospital stay, surgery (stints/bypass), follow-up visits, medication, etc., a Health Coach seems like a pretty good investment! A study on coronary heart disease indicated that patients in a coaching program achieved a significantly greater change in total cholesterol than non-coached patients, with a considerable reduction in LDL-C. Those involved in the coaching program showed improvements in secondary outcomes such as weight loss, increased exercise, improved quality of life, less anxiety, and improvement in overall health and mood. 

3. You Want to Lose Weight

Another study shows that coaching is an effective program for assisting individuals with self-efficacy and weight loss. Confidence to lose weight increased from a baseline of 60% to 71% at three months, 76% at 6 months and 79% at 12 months. The average body mass index significantly decreased during this interactive coaching study. 

Okay, enough of the studies – you get my point. Here are just a few more practical reasons you may consider getting help with your health goals. 

You Might Need a Health Coach if You: 

» Want to get off the weight-loss roller coaster. You have spent years losing weight with some fad diet, only to put the weight back on again…and then some. If you are considering a diet to lose weight, Health Coaches study many different dietary theories and can help you figure out what is right for you.

» Desire to have increased energy. You are tired of the crashes around 3pm every day.

» Have chronic health issues and have no idea where to start to get your life back on track.

» Need accountability. This is the number one reason many people fail at achieving their goals. A coach is someone who can hold you accountable week by week, or even day by day if necessary so that you get the results you desire.

» Want access to educational resources on lifestyle changes involving nutrition, fitness, spirituality, and relationships.

» Want to make nutritional changes for your family and you aren’t sure where to start or what to do.

» Really just want someone to listen to you! 

If any of these resonate with you, it may be time to take the next step! Don’t let more time pass before you decide to get healthy. Now is the time. Your future self will thank you!

“Health and Wellness Coaches work with individuals and shift them from being passive recipients of expensive health care interventions to adopting a responsible, self-directed, proactive stances that facilitates lasting positive change. It is vital that Health and Wellness Coaches continue to expand their good work, the nation needs it.” 
– US Rep Tim Ryan – Ohio SOURCE – BusinessWire

Have More Questions about Health Coaching? 

Schedule a free 30-minute consult with a Castle Hill Fitness Health Coach!

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