So you’ve decided that enough is enough.
You’re finally ready to start creating healthy habits that will lead to weight loss. Maybe you want to get a handle on your emotional eating. Or maybe you’re tired of trying to incorporate some lifestyle changes only to be met with seemingly impossible roadblocks.
You’re always either too stressed or too busy or just plain old tired. You know that sustainable weight loss would be too difficult on your own. That realization is probably what brought you here.
If you’ve made it to this point, that means that you haven’t given up on yourself.
Finding a friendly, empathetic, knowledgeable professional to help you along your weight loss journey is your next step. A weight loss coach could be just the professional that you need.
But before you start Googling “find a weight loss coach near me,” let’s talk about the difference between a weight loss coach and a certified health and wellness coach.
A weight loss coach varies in the types of certifications they have. They might have no credentials other than a willingness to help people lose weight.
When you work with a certified health and wellness coach, you know that this person has had extensive training in all areas that are important in your weight loss journey.
What Does a Certified Health and Wellness Coach Do?
You’re here because you’ve decided to take your health into your own hands. Losing weight is most likely part of that journey. But there are so many different things that go into weight loss. It can be nearly impossible to tackle them all on your own.
That’s why working with a certified health and wellness coach can make a massive difference in your holistic health journey.
A certified health and wellness coach has passed the board certification exam overseen by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). The NBHWC collaborated with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to produce a comprehensive exam. You’ll know a health coach has passed this exam if they carry the credential NBC-HWC (National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach).
Certified health and wellness coaches are trained to guide you in all aspects of weight loss like:
Health coaches are trained to make sure that you stay in the driver’s seat. Throughout your coaching sessions, you’ll notice that your health coach doesn’t just prescribe a food or exercise program. Instead, you’ll work with your health coach to develop goals that support your weight loss plan.
Wellness coaching is also about working on your emotional health. For a lot of us, our motivation can slowly disappear depending on what obstacles life throws at us. Certified health and wellness coaches are trained to guide you through those times so that your health remains a priority.
So if you’ve ever been stuck in that dreaded weight loss plateau, you’ll be ecstatic that you now have a health coach to get you through.
Weight loss isn’t just about calorie counting and strict diets. So that’s not what health coaching focuses on. Health coaches work with their clients to help them create a healthy lifestyle that is sustainable and enjoyable.
Your health coach is in it with you for the long haul. You’ll see amazing results as you work one on one with your coach, planting the seeds for lasting changes.
The Benefits of Working with a Certified Health and Wellness Coach
Now that you know what a health coach does, here are some of the benefits of working with one:
Personalized Weight Loss Program: With a health coach, you won’t have to struggle to sift through the Internet for the best ways for you to lose weight. Through one-on-one coaching sessions, you’ll develop a plan of action to create healthy habits for life.
Accountability and Motivation: You can think of your health coach as your accountability coach. When life gets tough, it can be really easy to give up on your weight loss goals. It’s during these difficult times that a health coach can bring you back to your “why”.
When that reason is kept at the forefront of your weight loss journey, your motivation gets kicked into high gear. Weight loss becomes so much more attainable when you have a trained professional helping you take accountability.
Expert Guidance on Nutrition and Exercise: Weight loss coaching would be seriously lacking if nutrition and exercise weren’t addressed. Health coaches are there to make sure that you don’t get overwhelmed with all the advice out there. You’ll work together to find healthy food that you enjoy while improving your fitness level.
Although a health coach isn’t a certified personal trainer, they can set you down the right path in finding exercise that’s right for you. Also, because a big part of holistic health is moving your body, lots of health coaches are certified fitness experts too.
Emotional and Psychological Support: If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll need to take care of your emotional health too. Wellness coaching includes taking care of the whole person. So health coaches are trained to work with clients who need help with handling stress and other issues affecting their emotional health.
We all lead busy lives. Often, we overlook things that we struggle with on a daily basis. How do we handle stress related to work or our families? Or things we can’t easily avoid? Wellness coaching will teach you how to deal with these everyday things so that you can continue to lose weight healthily and happily.
Educating on Healthy Habits: Health coaches don’t simply prescribe a weight loss program. They guide their clients on creating healthy habits that stick.
Real Life Success Stories
Weight loss coaching is just what you need if you find yourself in a slump, unsure of how to achieve the health outcomes you want.
As a health and wellness coach, I’ve worked with clients who have struggled their whole lives to lose weight. Every single one of my clients have unique goals and challenges.
Take Madison, for example. Madison just moved from her hometown in Connecticut to New Mexico. She lives with her husband and her 2 daughters (7 and 3). Madison had been struggling with weight gain since the birth of her youngest daughter.
She was stressed out, over-worked, and felt like she was stuck in a rut.
When we first met, Madison was mostly interested in trying to create a simple workout schedule. She also struggled with her food choices during stressful times.
During our first session, we dug into her “why,” the main reason why she wanted to lose weight.
Madison wanted more energy to play with her kids. She was interested in feeling good and looking good. She also suffered from headaches and felt as though her poor nutrition was to blame. She didn’t want to cut any more calories (since she was already eating at a slight calorie deficit).
As our sessions continued, Madison wanted to dive deeper into making healthier choices. On most weekdays, Madison took her children to the park. But she often didn’t have the energy to play with them. Now, she wanted to make movement part of her own schedule every week.
So Madison and I began working on a plan together to help her reach her goals.
Part of the plan was for Madison to go grocery shopping on Saturday mornings. Her husband stayed home with the kids so that she could focus on purchasing healthy snacks.
We also worked on her communication skills. Clear communication was key for Madison to let her husband know how he could support her. Social and emotional health is also in a health coach’s wheelhouse since our client’s entire well-being is our priority.
This was just the first step.
Madison knew that healing her relationship with food would take a lot of work. That’s why we met at least once per week for the first 2 months. After that, we met every other week for the next 6 months.
Each time we met, we discussed her goals to make sure that they aligned with her overall goals. At the end of 6 months, Madison had lost 30 pounds. She reported having more energy to play with her kids, no more headaches, and was feeling much better overall.
The most positive change that Madison reported was in her self-confidence. She didn’t feel guilty anymore for taking time out of her day for self-care. The internal dialogue going through her head when she looked in the mirror wasn’t so critical anymore.
That’s what wellness coaching can do for you. When you find the right coach, you’re already halfway down the path to losing weight. Because half the struggle is mental.
Health and wellness coaches are able to adapt their coaching strategies according to what works best for different clients. From clients who struggle with food to those who want to focus more on their emotional needs, health coaches work with a diverse group of people.
How to Choose the Right Health & Wellness Coach
If you want to start losing weight with health coaching, there are a few main factors you need to look out for:
Credentials and Experience: Look for a coach that holds the credential NBC-HWC (National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach). This is the most widely acknowledged certification. That means that they have completed an NBHWC approved training program, have a minimum of 50 coaching sessions under their belt, and passed the national exam.
Compatibility and Communication: Choose a coach you feel comfortable with, someone who listens to you and communicates effectively. This rapport is important for having open and honest coaching conversations.
Setting Realistic Expectations: It’s important to have realistic expectations about what coaching can achieve. A good coach will help you set achievable goals and will be honest about the effort and time it will take to reach them.
Specialization and Approach: Different coaches have different areas of specialization. Some might focus on holistic wellness, while others might be more oriented towards nutrition or exercise. Choose a coach whose approach aligns with your personal health and wellness goals.
Flexibility and Accessibility: Does the coach offer flexible scheduling that fits your own schedule? Do they offer group coaching (if that’s something you’re interested in)? If considering an online weight loss coach, ensure their digital platform is accessible and convenient for you.
Reviews and Testimonials: Look at reviews and testimonials from previous clients. They can tell you a lot about the coach’s methods and success rate.
Initial Consultation: Many coaches offer a free initial consultation. Use this opportunity to ask questions. Make sure that their style of health coaching fits your needs.
Cost and Investment: There are tons of wellness coaches out there ready and willing to guide you through weight loss coaching. Consider treating the cost involved as an investment in your health. With remote coaching becoming so popular, you’re bound to find coaches that fit your budget.
A Health & Wellness Coach Will Make All The Difference in Your Health Journey
A health coach’s guidance can be a game-changer. But there’s also some work that needs to be done on your part. Taking charge of your well-being will take a bit of self-reflection. Here’s what you need to think about before starting health coaching:
First Steps: The first step in working with a coach is to clearly define your weight loss (or other) goals. Be honest about your current lifestyle, nutrition, and workout routine. The coach will use this information to create a personalized program that fits your needs.
Ongoing Collaboration: Regular communication is key. Your wellness coach can also play the role of your accountability coach, helping you to stay on track. A lot of coaches will keep the communication as simple as text messages.
Developing Long-Term Strategies: The ultimate goal is to develop strategies that lead to sustainable weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. This includes not only nutrition and physical activity but also understanding triggers for unhealthy habits like stress eating. You’ll work together to develop healthier habits to take the place of the old habits.
Adjusting to Lifestyle Changes: A coach helps you navigate the lifestyle changes required for weight loss. This might involve developing new habits around food, incorporating more physical activity into your day, or learning stress management techniques.
Measuring Success: Success isn’t just measured in pounds lost. It’s also about improved overall health, increased energy levels, and enhanced well-being. You’ll also notice that you’re able to deal with life’s stressors in healthier ways than before. A coach helps you recognize and celebrate these wins.
Maintaining Momentum: A coach helps you maintain momentum. Once you’ve reached initial goals, they can assist in setting new ones, ensuring continuous improvement and preventing backsliding.
How a Health & Wellness Coach Will Get You Through Life’s Roadblocks
You’re bound to run into obstacles at some point as you work towards losing weight. If you’ve been down this road before, you’re probably used to running into the same problems. But this time you’ve got health coaching on your side.
Plateaus in Weight Loss: Hitting a plateau can be discouraging, but it’s a common part of the weight loss process. A coach can help you understand why plateaus occur. Then they’ll make some adjustments like tweaking your eating habits or exercise program to help you blast through a plateau.
Dealing with Setbacks: Life is unpredictable which can lead to setbacks. A health coach offers guidance and support to help you navigate these challenges, encouraging resilience and a positive outlook. They assist you in identifying the factors that led to the setback and work with you to create a plan to get back on track.
Adapting to New Routines: Adapting to new eating and exercise habits can be challenging. A coach can help ease this transition, providing practical tips and support to integrate these new routines into your daily life. They can also offer strategies to deal with situations that might disrupt your routine, like travel or busy schedules.
Overcoming Emotional Hurdles: Emotional hurdles such as low self-confidence or negative self-talk can slow down your progress. Coaches are equipped to help you work through these mental barriers. They’ll use techniques that focus on improving self-esteem and cultivating a positive change in how you view yourself.
Building Resilience: A coach helps in building resilience, enabling you to better cope with future challenges. This involves developing a mindset that is focused on long-term goals and learning from experiences rather than being discouraged by them.
Maintaining Focus: Keeping focused on your goals is super important. A coach helps maintain this focus, reminding you of your objectives and the reasons behind them, which is particularly helpful during challenging times in your life.
Navigating Nutrition Confusion: With so much conflicting information about nutrition, it can be tough to know what to follow. A coach provides evidence-based advice to help you make informed decisions about your food choices.
Celebrating Progress: Recognizing and celebrating progress, no matter how small, is an important part of the journey. Your coach will celebrate these wins with you, reinforcing positive behaviors and boosting confidence.
Conclusion
Working with a certified health and wellness coach is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make about your well-being. They’re trained to work with clients using proven techniques to draw out your own motivation. You won’t have to rely on that mysterious, hard-to-grasp thing called willpower.
If you’re looking to add some accountability coaching to your weight loss or health journey, make sure you find someone whose style of coaching aligns with your goals. If you want to improve your relationship with food, there are coaches who specialize in this area. If you just want someone to help you become more physically active, many coaches also hold fitness certifications.
Depending on your needs, you might also benefit from seeing a therapist and a health coach. Both professions are becoming more aware of eating disorders and other concerns that require a therapist’s expertise.
With the explosion of telehealth, you’re no longer limited to finding a trained professional in your area.
I worked in an organization that offered health coaching and therapy. Most of my clients were seeing myself and a therapist every other week. When working together, I saw huge improvements in my clients.
As much as I would love to personally help every single one of my clients, some of them need support that’s outside of my scope of practice.
Here’s a quick recap of what a health coach can do for you:
Whether you’re at the beginning of your health journey or looking to overcome specific hurdles, a health coach can be a great resource. If you’re considering partnering with a certified health and wellness coach, this decision could be just what you need to lead a vibrant and healthy life.
Additional Resources
Before sitting for the national exam, coaches have to attend a NBHWC approved training program.
