About two years ago I was looking to make a change: I was burnt out and so tired, and I wanted to change my career to something that would incorporate my love for people and food. Something that would truly make people’s lives better. A few months before that I had a chance meeting with a lady that was a health coach, and the terms stuck with me. What if I became a health coach? What IS a health coach? Now I have recently completed my course to become an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and started my business. To say that health coaches in South Africa are few and far in between is a bit of an understatement: while in America and many other countries, you can find in health coaches around any corner and in many doctor’s offices, here it is still a new industry. I thought it might be good to write someting of a summany to show what a health coach is, and how we can serve our communities.
In many ways, a health coach is similar to a life coach in the way that we work with clients. In much same way that life coaches help people to clarify their goals, implement practical strategies to get unstuck and get rid of limiting beliefs in order to reach their life goals, health coaches help people to clarify their health goals, implement practical strategies to build towards those goals and get rid of beliefs and habits that do not serve those goals, so that they can become healthier in all dimensions of life.
Health coaching is an emerging field, and there are many different schools of thought around what role a health coach should fulfill. I specifically chose IIN, due to their years of experience, and the fact that many people that I greatly admire in the health space are guest lecturers there. Some of my lecturers included Dr Mark Hyman, Dr Josh Axe, Dr Will Cole, Dr Zach Bush, Dr Andrew Weil, Dr Frank Lipman, Dr Terry Wahls, just to name a few. Because health coaching isn’t a highly regulated field, I wanted to be sure that my course was endorsed by thought leaders and innovators. I loved every second of it, and would recommend IIN to anyone looking for a good health coaching qualification (more on that later).
So, let’s start with what a health coach is not:
- We are not doctors who are trained to make medical diagnosis
- We are not dieticians, prescribing specific diets (although some other health coaching schools do give diet guidelines, IIN believes in Bio-individuality and finding what works for you – I might make some suggestions for swaps to balance blood sugar or suggest a few recipes, but you will never walk out of a session with me holding a weekly menu plan)
- We are not talkmasters who decide on what exactly you need to do to get to the goal and crack a whip on your back to get you to the finish line.
What does a health coach do then?
- We are listeners. We create space for you to speak about things, and ask questions to draw out wisdom that is hidden within you.
- We are accountability partners. We help you stick to the goals you set, and remind you of your ‘why’ when the going gets tough.
- We are cheerleaders, who believe in you and remind you that you have the strength to become who you want to be.
- We are educators. We help you lay out the puzzle pieces of knowledge that you already have about health, and when there are missing concepts, we help to introduce those so that you can understand this amazing body and soul that you have been given.
- We are igniters. We help you find inspiration, motivation and creative solutions to your current challenges.
- We are planmakers. When you run into problems, we brainstorm with you and help you to find a way to build a bridge to where you want to go. We offer tips, tricks, recipes, and whatever else we might have in our toolbelt.
- We are co-pilots. We don’t drive the process or tell you what healthy needs to look like for you. You determine the goal, and then together we journey. I hold the compass and then map, and talk you through you Dakar rally.
What does health look like?
I purposefully say that health coaches support clients towards their own unique health goals, because I believe there is no one way to be healthy. There is no One-Size-Fits-All when it comes to health. I don’t have an agenda that says everyone needs to eat clean keto, cross-fit 5 times a week and have a specific BMI. I believe that health means different things to different people. What is ‘becoming healthier’ to me today, and how I define that in 7 years will likely not be the same thing. And it certainly won’t be the same for you. I am not here to make you into a cookie-cutter mould of myself or anyone else. I am here to help you build the best life you possibly can.
Health has many parts. One of the core principles of IIN is that we believe there are things that nourish you that are on your plate (what you eat), and then there are things that nourish us that are not on our plate. This Circle of Life is an illustration of some of the non-food parts of health that I focus on in coaching.
What does this journey look like?
Working with a health coach could look like 1-to-1 coaching sessions twice a month where we can really get deep into things, a weekly coaching group where you get to grow with others and find a tribe to support you, or even a course that you buy and do at your own pace.
The health coaching journey will look different for an exhausted mom trying to find herself again, or for a man that has just had a heart-attack and feels overwhelmed by the idea of making all of the lifestyle adjustments recommended to him. I take it step by step with you, and we build the road ahead together.
I would so love to hear what about this article surprised you. Did you know what a health coach does? Do you see a need for a health coach in your life or that of a loved one?
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