“one size fits all?”
No, it doesn’t. Which is precisely why diets do not work, and the diet industry is a booming, yet failing one. I’ve spent the last couple of years studying holistic nutrition, modern diet trends, fluctuating “fad” diets, WHO and other federal organizational recommendations, as well as my own experience with food to learn as much as I could. To say I learned a lot while simultaneously learning nothing? I know, it sounds insane.
We live in a time during which convenience foods are no longer a luxury, they’re a standard and cooking at home has become the luxury for most of us. My partner and I were cooking at home once or twice a week on average for any of our three daily meals, which between the two of us over 21 meals is a little disheartening. He relied on a lot of frozen and prepared meals, and I relied on a lot of salad bars and hot bars at grocery stores. Neither of us really liked it and we probably could have saved ourselves a lot of money by cooking at home, but we had jobs and responsibilities and blah, blah, blah…
So the question becomes “how can I cook or prepare food for myself in a world where we thrive on convenience?”
Ultimately, it depends on your determination. I know that’s not the answer everyone is looking for. It wasn’t the answer I was looking for - I wanted the quick fix solution, the one I could do in my sleep, a plug-and-play option that required little effort on my part. No such luck. I tested and tried and experimented and figured through years of trial and error what worked for me, and then I kept doing those things for years and eventually I saw and felt the results I was waiting for, the results I had desired. It wasn’t a quick fix, because it wasn’t a small problem.
what is health coaching?
To me, it’s as simple as guiding an individual through the trial and error process, cutting out the years and years of turmoil that I experienced personally to achieve my success. It’s working through the outside stuff, the inside stuff, and everything in-between that impacts what we eat and why we eat it. It’s working on all of the things that impact our food choices that are not about food. For me, it’s as simple as having a helping hand to keep you on path towards where you want to be, so you’re not trying to navigate a trail you’ve never hiked before blindfolded and barefoot.
This doesn’t mean that everyone is on the same journey, and it doesn’t look that same for every person. Not everyone will desire weight loss. Not everyone will desire improved fitness. Some may desire weight gain or lower cholesterol. Some may need coaching on balancing mealtimes, eating consistently throughout the day, portioning, or other things outside of weight or body composition. For others, it’s altering lifestyle factors unrelated to food that impacts their overall health, because we are “health” coaching, not just diet coaching. That might look like building a more consistent daily schedule, reducing bad habits and building positive habits, reducing stress, goal planning, etc.
how does it work?
Prior to signing a program contract, I offer a free consultation, during which time we meet for 30-minutes over the phone to discuss your goals and setbacks. I will explain the process of the program based on your specific needs, discuss the cost of the program, and the contract information. If you decide to proceed, 50% of the total cost is due prior to our first meeting. Through the duration of your program, eight weeks, we will meet once per week to discuss multiple factors of your health journey. Our first meeting (in addition to the eight aforementioned) will be a health history screening and questionnaire, which gives me the opportunity to learn more about you, your history, and what your goals are for the duration of the program. It also gives me the opportunity to lay out expectations for you. Each week we will have a scheduled zoom meeting, during which time we will check in and discuss your progress, goals, setbacks, etc. These meetings will range from 1-2 hours depending on your specific plan bracket, the goals we have set for you, and the level of coaching you’re receiving.
Upon completing your eight week program, I will review your file with you to go over your progress, your improvements, your overall setbacks, where you have room to continue to grow, etc. We’ll also develop an action plan for you to continue to work on your goals outside of the program. Additionally, we’ll schedule a zoom call for 3-months out, as well as 12-months out for a check-in, so I can see how you’re doing towards achieving your goals.
how do I get started?
Click the link below for the free health history and coaching consultation, and we can connect further to discuss whether we can work together to help you achieve your goals!
