What is a Health Coach?

So, with all my posts on Instagram, Facebook, and even around here, you may no doubt be wondering….

Well, I thought it was time to define it for you and give you some insight into my chosen profession.

If I were to define it in a few words,  a health coach is a life coach with a nutritional bend.

According to The Institute of Integrative Nutrition, my alma mater, " A Health Coach is a supportive mentor and wellness authority who works with clients to help them feel their best through food and lifestyle changes. Instead of prescribing one diet or way of exercising, Health Coaches tailor individualized wellness programs to meet their clients’ needs."

Hence, a Health Coach  is someone who supports you and holds you accountable for the changes you wish to make in your life, such as:

Weight loss;

stress reduction;

disease prevention or even just eating more mindfully and incorporating healthier eating habits.

An Integrative Nutrition Health Coach is someone who treats clients based on the philosophy that food is medicine and to live nutritiously, one needs to take care of what’s ON the plate as well as what’s OFF the plate. Therefore, the food you put in your mouth matters as much as the food that feeds your soul, e.g., relationships, spirituality, and physical activity are all the foods that are off the plate.

This holistic approach to health is certainly needed today since chronic disease is at an all-time high (45% of the population)  and obesity (1 in 3 adults) is not limited to a small percentage of the population anymore. It is more needed now than ever before to educate the public on healthy living and to be proactive as far as their health is concerned, rather than reactive, as is the case.

Here are some things to consider that a health coach is not:

• A health coach is not a doctor;
• They do not prescribe medication.

A health coach isn’t a medical doctor, but does something extremely valuable and effective. They give the client an empathetic ear to listen to their issues. They often work alongside doctors and other health professionals to help patients achieve their health goals.

As the healthcare industry evolves, with a focus on holistic living, you’ll be seeing health coaches play a more prominent and integral role.