Embarking on a journey to better health and wellness is a personal commitment, and having the right nutrition and wellness coach by your side can make all the difference. The challenge, however, lies in finding the best match amidst the myriad of options out there.
Knowing who to trust, and simply what type of coach is best for you can be very stressful to work through. Especially if this is the first time you have ever considered hiring a nutrition and wellness coach. Even navigating through the different labels a coach may have can be challenging. Do you want a health coach, nutrition and wellness coach, or are wellness coaches where it’s at?? In our experience, these titles are often times interchangeable. The best option is to chat with the person you are thinking of hiring so you can get an idea of what exactly they do to support clients.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the vital questions you need to pose during the “interview phase” to ensure you not only find a coach, but the right coach for you.
Why Hire A Nutrition And Wellness Coach?
Hiring a nutrition and wellness coach can bring about a multitude of benefits that extend beyond what you might achieve on your own. Here are some compelling reasons why the services of nutrition and wellness or health coaches could be a game-changer when it comes to reaching your health and wellness goals.
Personalized Guidance: A nutrition and wellness coach tailors advice specifically to your individual needs, considering factors like your health history, lifestyle, preferences, and goals. This personalized approach ensures that the guidance you receive is relevant and sustainable.
Expertise and Knowledge: Coaches typically possess extensive knowledge about nutrition, exercise, and overall well-being. Their expertise allows them to provide evidence-based information, debunk myths, and guide you with accurate and up-to-date recommendations.
Accountability and Motivation: Having a coach creates a built-in support system. Regular check-ins and goal-setting sessions provide accountability, keeping you on track with improving your overall health objectives. The encouragement and motivation from a coach can be the driving force behind maintaining consistency in your wellness journey.
Overcoming Challenges: Life is filled with obstacles, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging. A coach can help you navigate through setbacks, develop strategies for overcoming hurdles, and provide practical solutions to keep you moving forward.
Education and Empowerment: A good coach not only tells you what to do but also educates you about the principles behind their recommendations. This knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions about your health, fostering a deeper understanding of the choices you make.
Holistic Approach: The Nutrition and wellness coaches trained by Healthy Steps Nutrition take a holistic approach, addressing not only diet and exercise but also stress management, sleep, social support, and overall lifestyle. This comprehensive outlook ensures that improvements in one area positively impact other aspects of your well-being.
Long-Term Success: Working with a coach increases the likelihood of sustaining long-term health improvements. They help you build habits gradually, making lasting changes that become integral parts of your lifestyle rather than quick fixes.
Individualized Problem-Solving: Everyone faces unique challenges on their wellness journey. Coaches excel at identifying individual roadblocks and devising customized solutions to overcome them, ensuring that you progress in a way that suits your circumstances.
In essence, hiring a nutrition and wellness coach can be a strategic investment in your health, providing the guidance, expertise, and motivation needed to make lifestyle changes and work towards your wellness goals effectively.
What Should I Ask A Potential Nutrition And Wellness Coach I'm Thinking Of Hiring?
So how do you find the right nutrition and wellness coaching superstar??
You set up a time to chat before you make a decision about which person or company you are going to move forward with!
Nutrition coaches can be independent coaches; they can work for a gym, or they can work for a company. Additionally, each type of coach is going to have a different style or coaching process. Some only see clients virtually, while others are strictly in person. Some nutrition or “health coaches” never see their clients face to face.
Finding out the answers to these questions below will help you navigate through the noise and feel empowered to make a decision regarding who is the best coach for you.
#1 - What Is Your Nutrition Philosophy?
Nutrition philosophy is very important. You will want someone who offers a holistic whole foods approach. And, although you may not know exactly what you need from this coach, you will know that if the coach tells you they believe in detoxes, starvation diets, and cleanses, they are probably not the best fit for you. Or, if the coach you are considering only advertises they have all their clients count macros, but you are not sure you want to do that, knowing ahead of time is very important.
A philosophy that Healthy Steps Nutrition promotes and that supports overall well being is:
Holistic approach
Eat whole foods with little added sugar
Utilize a balanced plate made of protein, carbs and fats
#2 - How Are You Certified?
A nutrition coaching certification provides credibility, and is important to have for all health professionals. Not all certifications are the same and just because a coach is certified doesn’t mean they are amazing. That remains to be seen. However, knowing that the coach has taken the time to invest in their education is important.
Ask them:
Did your certification offer practical study? Meaning, did this coach get to practice being a nutrition coach, and experience nutrition coaching before they became certified?
Healthy Steps Nutrition Certified, new coaches go through a 6-week nutrition coaching experience where they are the client of an RD or nutrition coach on staff. After the 6 weeks are up, they are provided a case study of a client on which they have to practice nutrition coaching and are then evaluated by one of our RD’s.
How are you keeping up with continuing education?
#3 - Do you have any specializations or niches?
Some nutrition and wellness coaches specialize in helping a certain demographic. It’s important for you to understand that before getting into a relationship with a coach. For example, maybe this potential coach specializes in working with youth athletes, and you are a middle aged stay at home mom. Every client’s situation is different and making sure what you are looking for aligns with your new coach is important.
#4 - What does the coaching process look like?
It’s important to know what to expect when you enter into the client-coach relationship. 3-2-1 go, what happens?
Make sure you understand things like:
How do you get started?
How often and how many coaching sessions do you get per month?
What does a nutrition or health coaching session look like?
How long do you sign up for?
How do we communicate in between coaching sessions?
How do we measure progress?
How much do the services cost?
Do you provide online support as well as in person
What happens if you want to quit?
#5 - Do you have any other clients I can use as a reference?
Talk to other people this coach has had as a client before you enter into the coaching relationship. If a coach is credible, they will have past client testimonials and success stories to share with you. Doing this is a valuable tool and will help you feel confident in your decision to move forward with a particular person.
Wrap Up
Healthier habits are hard to come by and often require behavior change that is very challenging to implement. This is why due diligence is so important when choosing a potential nutrition and wellness coach.
Overcoming obstacles, improving stress levels, getting quality sleep, and experiencing an overall improvement in mental health are all benefits of hiring a good nutrition and wellness coach. It’s worth the time and effort it takes to find a good fit!
Are You Looking For A Coach?
At Healthy Steps Nutrition we have trained many coaches in the holistic approach. All of them have gone through practical nutrition coaching and have been evaluated by an R.D. or nutrition coach on staff. We are proud to stand behind our certified coaches and recommend them to you whether you are trying to lose weight, or simply looking for someone to provide support to living a healthy lifestyle. Some are independent coaches, and a lot of them work for gym owners running a nutrition program in their facility.
We highly encourage you to connect with any of them in your area if you are interested in hiring a nutrition and wellness coach to help you reach your health goals.
