Have you ever tried a diet or workout plan that someone told you would work, and it didn’t? Maybe it worked for a little while, but eventually you realized that it wasn’t sustainable, you couldn’t keep up with it, or it made you miserable. You might have thought, “I just don’t have the willpower to stick to it,” or “My life is too crazy right now, I’ll wait until things are less hectic,” but then “less hectic” never comes. The truth is, it’s not your fault that the plan didn’t work. It wasn’t tailored to YOU, YOUR life, and YOUR needs. Prescribed plans don’t account for the reality of life. 

Lasting health behavior change works when you create a plan FOR you, BY you, that takes into account your priorities, values and circumstances. By creating a customized plan, you can decide what works best for YOU, because you and your life are different from anyone else’s.

Health & wellness coaching is a process in which a coach and a client work together to create a customized client-centered plan to support client needs and health goals and create lasting health behavior change. Based in research and science, coaches train in behavior change theories, motivational strategies, and health education and promotion. They use these tools and strategies to facilitate the creation and development of health-related goals and form and carry out a plan for achieving these goals. The coach’s role is to support the client in exploring what they want for their health, enhancing skills and obtaining knowledge, creating action steps, and helping them achieve desired outcomes.

A good health coach:

• Acts as a guide, putting the client in the driver’s seat. The health coach is the co-pilot, but the client ultimately has control of where they want to go.
• Never tells the client what to do. 
• Works with the client to create a plan based on their priorities, circumstances, and values.
• Supports and encourages the client, helping them to overcome obstacles and challenges.
• Respects the client and offers a safe, non-judgmental space for the client to explore thought-provoking ideas and reflections.

So what can a health & wellness coach help with? Health & wellness coaching can improve health behaviors such as physical activity, nutrition, smoking cessation, stress management, and sleep hygiene, amongst others. Coaching can also improve self-awareness, self-efficacy, perceived competence, health knowledge, and confidence in making health decisions.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your health and make long-term, lasting changes, health coaching could be for you. Whenever you’re ready, you can email La Maison Health & Fitness Health Coach, Jacquie at jacquiem@clublamaison.com.

Sign up for our HealthStart program. This 8-week wellness program incorporates the behavioral, fitness, and medical components of health and wellness for a whole-person approach to making lasting changes. Learn more here. 

References

An, S., & Song, R. (2020). Effects of health coaching on behavioral modification among adults with cardiovascular risk factors: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(10), 2029–2038.

Bezner, J. R., Franklin, K. A., Lloyd, L. K., & Crixell, S. H. (2018). Effect of group health behaviour change coaching on psychosocial constructs associated with physical activity among university employees. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 18(1), 93-107.