Let’s face it your doctor, if you are lucky, may spend 15 to 20 minutes with you when you visit and will often tell you that you are overweight, your HBA1C or your cholesterol is out of control, or you need to manage your stress better! The list goes on and on. Is it because your doctor doesn’t care? Not at all – they won’t have the time or the specialist knowledge to help and guide you to make these changes and will often give you a prescription to help you manage the symptoms.
What can a Health Coach do for you?
Working with a Health Coach is a way of helping a person to gain the knowledge, skills, tools and confidence to take an active part in their health care. Change is often difficult, even when it’s something we want. Sometimes it even feels downright impossible. The benefit of health coaching is having someone in your corner. A Health Coach provides clarity and inspiration and walks alongside you to help you with long-term and sustainable behaviour change. A health coach will work with you, your doctor, and your support network to help you achieve better health outcomes.
A health coach can provide the following:
- Accountability: Knowing that you have to check in with another person about your progress and give you the push you need to keep moving forward
- Encouragement: Health Coaches are your cheerleaders to pick you up when you have not had a great day.
- Nonjudgment Support: A Health Coach has a vested interest in the health and well-being of their clients and won’t judge your actions, helping you come to your own conclusions about what works and what doesn’t in reaching your goals
Support Improved Life Balance
Health and wellness is so much more than physical activity and nutrition. It’s about nurturing a balance between the physical, emotional, social, occupational, intellectual and spiritual aspects of life. Setting and reaching health goals can be challenging, and a health coach can help you overcome barriers. Switching to a healthier lifestyle can affect everything. With increased energy and motivation, you’ll be able to do more, be there for others and live life to the fullest.
What should you look for in a Health Coach?
Find a health coach whose personality and interests resonate with you or who has been through the same challenges you’re currently going through! There are health coaches for just about any specific goal you may have, so don’t be afraid to ask a potential health coach questions. Look for someone who can support your journey in an open, warm, welcoming, and positive way while helping you get results.
Check that the health coach you are considering working with has had professional training with an accredited provider; this ensures that your coach meets a higher level of ongoing training and credibility; for example, in NZ & Australia, you can check if your coach is a member of HCANZ, the Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association, that sets the standards for training and ensures the credibility of Health Coaches in those countries.
If you have any questions or thoughts, please leave a comment below or email [email protected]