Health Coach | Why do we need them?
Why do we need health coaches?
Research studies carried out by the UKHCA in 2019 show that 61% of us are dealing with a chronic condition (eg. Diabetes; Obesity ; Autoimmune conditions ; Heart disease; Cancer), and that only 15.5% of us feel we understand what has contributed to our condition. It also revealed that 88% of us understand that lifestyle is the main cause of chronic disease in the UK (and this figure will be similar in many western societies) and we want to know how to take control of our health.
So, the research absolutely shows that we want better health, but that we are overwhelmed with information about what we ‘should’ be doing about our diets and lifestyle. ▪ Where do I start? ▪ How do I start? ▪ How do I keep going? “I feel like I want to change… but I don’t have support around me”…does any of this resonate with you?
This is a quote from Dr Rangan Chatterjee (who sits on the UK Health Coaches Association Advisory Panel, and is a hugely influential British physician, author, TV presenter and podcaster (Feel Better, Live More) which for me really sums it up well:
“I often talk about how people need a ‘Lifestyle Prescription,’ and not a pill, to help them prevent and potentially reverse chronic lifestyle -related diseases. A Health Coach can help you co – create exactly the right Lifestyle Prescription for you, and more importantly, support you to implement new lifestyle choices and overcome any resistance to change you might experience. Working with a Health Coach offers the support and framework that can benefit many people and make things easier as they take back control of their own health.”
What is a health coach?
Your personal guide, cheerleader and supporter who will help you identify the challenges and blind spots that are preventing you living your healthiest life – together we will figure out which areas of your life are out of balance (sleep, movement, food, rest & restore – a problem with one area inevitably causes problems with another), and empower you to take charge of your health by setting goals, and making often small but effective nutrition and lifestyle changes that will grow over time to transform your health. I will be there to facilitate and lead you to putting the pieces of the puzzle together for yourself, and will keep you accountable, encourage and empower you, and provide you with unconditional support without judgment (by email, phone, in-person meetings).
What sort of things can a health coach help me with?
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- Lack of energy, feeling stressed, feeling overwhelmed
- Poor sleep, brain fog, unexplained aches and pains
- Management of weight: saying goodbye to the never-ending cycle of ‘dieting’ and instead obtaining better gut / digestive health with improved diet (anti-inflammatory, heart healthy and with balanced blood sugar levels)
- Wanting to age well but not sure how or where to start
- Struggling with a persistent, niggling or a chronic health issue
- Struggling with goals, motivation, resolve and self-accountability
- Generally figuring out which areas of your life are out of balance, and taking steps to redress this balance: sleep, movement, food, rest & restoration (a problem with one area inevitably causes problems with another)
Does any of this strike a chord?!
Why should I invest in health coaching?
I believe that good health is the most valuable thing we can possess. Let’s pause briefly here to think about the impact health has over literally every aspect of our life: on our personal and professional relationships, our ability to do our work/study, our daily activities, our participation in society, and, contrary to what many people might feel, to a large extent it is something we actually do have control over. Have you ever heard the expression “genes load the gun; environment pulls the trigger”. WOW! And, as many of us already know, you simply cannot have good mental health without good physical health, and vice versa – the two are utterly, and extricably linked which we ignore at our peril. Without health we simply cannot be the person we want to be, do the things we want to do – it is that simple and why I am so passionate about wanting to help people through my Pilates and health coaching work.
Health coaching will provide you with tools to do this, as well as vital space and non-judgmental support. You will start to feel empowered to take back autonomy and control, being able to move away from health struggles and towards better health. The powerful mindset shift you will develop will help you manage self-sabotage and enable you to make sustainable lifestyle changes that will create better health and well-being – with the added benefit of a significantly positive and profound ripple effect on all the people in your life. If you are a chronic disease sufferer, it will help you to understand a diagnosis and treatment plan, optimize your diet and lifestyle and successfully manage or even reverse a chronic illness.
