Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD
Health coaching goes beyond diet and exercise advice.
To improve your health, a good health coach will not just consider your physical needs, but also your goals, personal preferences, and overall value system.
There are many reasons why you might decide to work with a health coach, but many people haven’t considered just how much a health coach can help—and how they can help.
Below, we’ll look at four ways a health coach can benefit you that you might not have known about.
First, what is a health coach?
A health coach is a guide, someone who assists you in cultivating and maintaining healthy habits to meet your individual needs and goals. They collaborate with you to set personalized goals, devise actionable plans, establish accountability, and make sure you understand the strategies you’ll use to create positive change.
Health coaches address diverse health concerns. Their role goes beyond giving advice—they actively support you in implementing sustainable lifestyle changes.
From weight loss to stress relief or managing a health crisis, a health coach can help you take charge of your life for the better.
4 lesser-known reasons to work with a health coach
There are many reasons to hire a health coach, but here are some you may not have considered.
Reason #1: You’re recovering from an injury that impacts your movement.
If you’ve already completed physical therapy, engaging a health coach can be a logical next step for lasting recovery. Health coaches aren’t a substitute for medical care. However, they can support individuals looking to maintain—or even gain— mobility, muscle mass, and overall athletic ability.
A health coach will collaborate with you to develop a personalized plan that aligns with your physical capabilities as well as any restrictions cautioned by your doctor or physical therapist. They can guide you toward healthy movement patterns through tailored exercises and lifestyle adjustments that complement your recovery.
Many health coaches are experts in post-injury recovery. They provide support and motivation to help you navigate the challenges of rebuilding strength and mobility post-injury. They also know how to address the mental and emotional dimensions of recovery for your overall well-being, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
Reason #2: You’re interested in improving your Deep Health.
While you might have heard that health coaches can assist with fitness and nutrition, what may separate them from many personal trainers or dieticians is their holistic approach.
Health coaches recognize the interconnectedness of different factors that contribute to your overall well-being, including stress, sleep, and mental health.
They work with you to identify areas that may be impacting your overall wellness, including your job and relationships, and collaboratively devise strategies to address them.
(To read more about Deep Health, PN’s term for thriving in all areas of life, check out: The Deep Health Assessment: How’s your health… REALLY?)
Reason #3: You want to be an active participant in your health and wellness.
Partnering with a health coach offers you the opportunity to have a more active role in your health. This dynamic relationship allows you to take control of your well-being while also benefiting from the guidance and expertise of a professional.
A health coach can help you discover and develop your “owner’s manual,” and you can use this self-knowledge and awareness to keep making decisions that support your unique needs and goals.
Your health coach serves as a resource to provide you with valuable insights and knowledge about self-care and goal setting. They’ll share with you the tools to understand your own needs better so you can make informed choices that align with your health objectives. Through two-way communication, your feedback, questions, concerns, and thoughts are actively integrated into your wellness process.
Reason #4: You’re focused on your long-term health.
While immediate health concerns often drive individuals to seek support, the lasting impact of a health coach lies in their ability to guide you toward practices that prevent chronic illnesses and negative health impacts for the rest of your life.
In addition to healthy nutrition practices, this includes maintaining your muscle tone to increase your balance and stability, thereby helping to prevent falls or other injuries as you get older.
A health coach will work with you to develop sustainable habits tailored to your lifestyle, abilities, preferences, stage of life, what foods you enjoy or avoid, and more.
Think of a health coach as an investment in your well-being for many years to come.
How to pick a health coach
If you’ve decided that a health coach can benefit you, make sure you do your research and choose several options that you can interview one-on-one. Look for coaches with a record of assisting clients in situations similar to yours.
Discuss their ability to tailor their approach and make sure they can answer any questions you might have about what makes your situation unique.
A good health coach should also ask you a lot of questions in return. They too want to make sure the relationship is a good fit, as well as understand your circumstances and history. When speaking with a health coach, make sure to be open and honest about your goals, your lifestyle, and your expectations from the partnership.
Remember that this is a collaborative and supportive relationship. So effective communication is key. Work with someone who listens well and provides reasonable and actionable answers that make sense to you. You should like your health coach, and further feel like they are trustworthy and comfortable to be around.
We’re here to help you reach your goals
The health coaches at Precision Nutrition are certified experts who can help you realize long-term wellness goals.
They meet you where you are and tailor programs that focus on your individual needs and lifestyle. Our Precision Nutrition 1:1 Coaching Program is designed to keep you motivated, help you develop positive habits, and see results.
Learn more today about how to work with us so you can feel your best.
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