What is the Role of a Health Coach?

Have you ever wondered what the role of a health coach is and whether you could benefit from one? Whether a doctor has recommended necessary health and wellness changes, or you are simply looking to achieve your own personal health goals, it can be difficult to know where to begin. This being the case, there are many benefits to having a health coach.

What is health coaching?

A health coach is a trained expert in the health and wellness field and can offer the guidance, support, and accountability necessary to achieve one’s goals. It’s common for people to feel “stuck” in their daily routine, making it difficult to embrace change. Health coaches will begin by working with clients to discover what is keeping them from their goals. Once this is determined, coaches can help to develop strategies on how to arrive at their goals, while creating lasting lifestyle changes.

In comparison to other medical professionals, a health coach will never tell a person what they “should” change. Instead, they will ask questions to determine how they can offer support and guidance in achieving one’s goals. A health coach will show up for their clients in any way that they need, especially when it comes to overcoming challenges. They offer encouragement and increase one’s motivation, even on days that feel more difficult.

What are the benefits of having a health coach?

Goal setting and accountability

A health coach will help you develop individualized strategies to break down big goals into small, achievable steps. When it comes to goals, they will help you to think SMART — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. 

Holistic approach

Health coaching entails much more than just fitness. It encompasses nutrition, exercise, relationships and communication, sleep health, spirituality, physical health, personal and professional development, mental health, mind-body connection, and more. A health coach will look at the big picture so that you can make the most beneficial health and wellness changes. 

Better mental health

For those who struggle with mental health conditions, a holistic approach can greatly help to improve symptoms. Better overall health and wellness will greatly benefit mental health. For example, nutrition plays a huge role in gut health, and gut health is strongly linked to anxiety, ADHD, and autism. By healing the gut, you can help your body and also support brain function. This is true for other aspects as well, such as exercising regularly, getting proper sleep, and more. 

Healthier eating habits

Proper nutrition is key for physical and mental health. A health coach will help to determine which foods to avoid and which to consume and provide support and accountability in sticking with a meal plan. They can also help to break lifelong food addictions, such as sugar addiction. 

Developing an exercise routine

For some people, developing an exercise routine can feel daunting. A health coach can help to create realistic fitness goals. They also offer support in overcoming mental and physical barriers related to fitness goals.

Increased productivity

It’s no surprise that people are more productive when they feel at their healthiest and best. Since a health coach will help to create an overall healthier environment, this will result in increased productivity. 

Offer guidance and additional resources

There are many additional techniques that can be used to help improve overall health and wellness. Fortunately, a health coach can provide their clients with valuable resources to incorporate into their health strategies, that they may not have been able to gain access to otherwise.

Is there evidence that health coaching works?

Research has found that health coaching can be effective for people managing various health conditions. Recent studies have revealed that coaching results in “clinically relevant improvements in multiple biomarker risk factors (including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness) in diverse populations.” Even though many people view health coaching as relatively new, it is evident that there are numerous benefits. 

Are you or a loved one interested in working with a health coach? At Feinberg Consulting, our highly trained professionals are here to offer the support, guidance, and accountability that you may need to achieve your health and wellness goals. Contact us today at 877.538.5425.