A business coach can offer personalized guidance, help overcome obstacles, and provide new perspectives, making the investment worthwhile for those ready to advance their business but unsure how to proceed.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Diffusing essential oils can enhance a massage practice by providing therapeutic benefits to clients through either active or passive diffusers.
Working in small spaces as a massage therapist can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. With the right equipment and a few adjustments, you and your clients can thrive in a more compact environment.
If you don’t lose weight, people will criticize you for being “lazy,” “unhealthy,” or “lacking willpower.”
But if you take medication to help you, you’ll be criticized for “cheating” or “taking the easy way out,” even if you’ve tried for decades to manage your weight through diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes (sometimes extreme ones).
In this article, we’ll be talking about a highly contentious group of medicines—GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound).
And people have lots of opinions about them.
But the opinion that matters most? Yours.
We’re not here to judge whether a person should or should not take medication for weight loss. Ultimately, that’s a choice left up to you, with the guidance of your primary care physician.
Either way, we’re here to support our clients and elevate their results.
Whether you take medication or not, a coach can help you optimize nutrition and satiety with the right foods, find exercises that work with your changing body, and help you navigate the emotional ups and downs that come when you attempt to tackle a big, meaningful, long-term goal.
However, we also understand that if you’re debating the pros and cons of beginning (or continuing) medication, you might have mixed feelings.
If you’re not sure if these new medicines are right for you, we have your back. In the following article, we’ll give you the honest, science-backed information you need to make a confident decision.
You’ll learn…
Why it’s so hard to lose (and keep off) fat
Why taking medication isn’t “cheating,” nor is it the “easy way out”
How GLP-1 drugs work, and the health benefits they can have (aside from weight loss)
How to determine if you’re at a “healthy weight” (it’s not just about BMI)
What actions you can take to minimize side effects and maximize long-term health, if you do decide to take these medications
Let’s begin.
Fat loss is hard. Period.
But for some people, it’s harder still—because of environmental, genetic, physiological, social, cultural, and/or behavioral factors that work against them.
Here are a few of the contributing factors that can make fat loss so challenging.
Imagine life 150 years ago, before cars and public transit were invented. To get from point A to point B, you had to walk, pedal a bicycle, or ride a horse.
Food was often in short supply, too. You had to expend calories to get it, and meals would just satisfy you (but not leave you “full”).
Today, however…
“We live in an obesogenic environment that’s filled with cheap, highly-palatable, energy-dense foods [that make overeating calories easy, often unconsciously],” says Karl Nadolsky, MD, an endocrinologist and weight loss specialist at Holland Hospital and co-host of the Docs Who Lift podcast.
“We also have countless conveniences that reduce our physical activity.”
Of course, even in such an environment, we have people in lean bodies, just as we have people who struggle to stop the scale from continuously creeping up.
Why?
Some genes can lead to severe obesity at a very early age. However, those are pretty rare.
Much more common is polygenic obesity—when two or more genes work together to predispose you to weight gain, especially when you’re exposed to the obesogenic environment mentioned earlier.
People who inherit one or more of these so-called obesity genes tend to have particularly persistent “I’m hungry” and “I’m not full yet” signals, says Dr. Nadolsky.
Obesity genes also seem to cause some people to experience what’s colloquially known as “food noise.”
They feel obsessed with food, continually thinking, “What am I going to eat next? When is my next meal? Can I eat now?”
If you gain a lot of fat, the hormones in your gut, fat cells, and brain can change how you experience hunger and fullness.
“It’s like a thermostat in a house, but now it’s broken,” says Dr. Nadolsky. “So when people cut calories and weight goes down, these physiologic factors work against them.”
After losing weight, your gut may continually send out the “I’m hungry” signal, even if you’ve recently eaten, and even if you have more than enough body fat to serve as a calorie reserve. It also might take more food for you to feel full than, say, someone else who’s never been at a higher weight.
Until you’ve lived in a larger body, it’s hard to believe how different the world might treat you.
Our clients have told us stories about being bullied at the gym, openly judged or lectured at the grocery store, and otherwise being subjected to innumerable comments and assumptions about their body shape, health, and even worth.
Even in medical settings, people with obesity are more likely to receive poor treatment.1, 2 Healthcare providers may overlook or downplay symptoms, attributing health concerns solely to weight. This can lead to delayed- or missed diagnoses or just plain old inadequate care.
All of this combined can add up to an incredibly pervasive and ongoing source of stress.
This stress—in addition to being socially isolating and psychologically damaging—can further contribute to increased appetite and pleasure from high-calorie foods, decreased activity, and poorer sleep quality.3
Which is why…
In 2013, the American Medical Association categorized obesity as a disease.
And yet, many people still don’t treat it as such, and rather consider obesity as a willpower problem, and the consequence of simply eating too much and moving too little. (The remedy: “Just try harder.”)
In reality, people with obesity have as much willpower as anyone else.
However, for them, fat loss is harder—for all the reasons mentioned above, and more.
So, just like chemotherapy or insulin isn’t “the easy way out” of cancer or type 1 diabetes, medication isn’t “the easy way out” of obesity.
Rather, medication is a tool, ideally used alongside healthy lifestyle behaviors, that can help offset some of the genetic and physiological variances that people with obesity may have, and have little individual control over otherwise.
In 2017, semaglutide (a synthentic GLP-1 agonist) was approved in the US as an antidiabetic and anti-obesity medication.
With the emergence of this class of drugs, science offered people with obesity a relatively safe and accessible way to lose weight long-term, so long as they continued the medication.
Current weight loss medications work primarily by mimicking the function of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone that performs several functions:
In the pancreas, it triggers insulin secretion, which helps regulate blood sugar (and also helps you feel full).
In the gut, it slows gastric emptying, affecting your sensation of fullness.
In the brain, it reduces cravings (the desire for specific foods) and food noise (intrusive thoughts about food).
In people with obesity, the body quickly breaks down endogenous (natural) GLP-1, making it less effective. As a result, it takes longer to feel full, meals offer less staying power, and food noise becomes a near-constant companion, says Dr. Nadolsky.
Semaglutide and similar medicines flood the body with synthetically made GLP-1 that lasts much longer than the GLP-1 the body produces. This long-lasting effect helps increase feelings of fullness, reduce between-meal hunger, and muffle cravings and food noise.
Interestingly, by calming down the brain’s reward center (the part of the brain that drives cravings and even addictions), these medicines may also help people reduce addictive behaviors like compulsive drinking and gambling, says Dr. Nadolsky.
Note: Newer weight loss medicines, for example tirzepatide, mimic not only GLP-1, but also another hormone called gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). Like GLP-1, GIP also stimulates post-meal insulin secretion and reduces appetite, partly by decreasing gastrointestinal activity. Other drugs soon to come on the market, like retatrutide, mimic a third hormone, glucagon.
Researchers measure a weight loss medicine’s success based on the percentage of people who reach key weight loss milestones of 5, 10, 15, or 20 percent of their weight.
These medicines are still evolving, but so far, they have shown to be quite effective:
About 86 percent of people who take GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy lose at least five percent of their body weight, with about a third of them losing more than 20 percent of their body weight.4, 5
And newer generation versions of these medications—such as tirzepatide, and the not-yet-FDA-approved retatrutide—are only getting better, with up to 57 percent of people losing more than 20 percent of their body weight.6, 7
In the past, weight loss interventions have focused on lifestyle modifications like calorie or macronutrient manipulation, exercise, and sometimes counseling.
Rather than pitting lifestyle changes against weight loss medicines or surgery, it’s more helpful to think of them all as compatible players.
With lifestyle modifications and coaching, the average person can expect to lose about five to 13 percent of their body weight.
When you add FDA-approved versions of GLP-1 and other weight-loss drugs to lifestyle and coaching, average weight loss jumps up another ten percent or more. 8, 9, 10, 11
For years, the medical community has told folks that losing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight was good enough.
Partly, this message was designed to right-set people’s expectations, as few lose much more than that (and keep it off) with lifestyle changes alone.
In addition, this modest weight loss also leads to measurable health improvements. Lose 5 to 10 percent of your total weight, and you’ll start to see blood sugar, cholesterol, and pressure drop.12
However, losing 15 to 20 percent of your weight, as people tend to do when they combine lifestyle changes with second-generation GLP-1s, and you do much more than improve your health. You can go into remission for several health problems, including:
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Fatty liver disease
Sleep apnea
That means, by taking a GLP-1 medicine, you might be able eventually to stop taking several other drugs, says Dr. Nadolsky.
“The medicines seem to offer additive benefits beyond just weight reduction,” says Dr. Nadolsky.
Research indicates that GLP-1s may reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attacks and strokes) in people with diabetes or heart disease.13, 14, 15 In people with diabetes, they seem to improve kidney function, too.16
The theory is that organs throughout the body have GLP-1 receptors on their cells. When the GLP-1s attach to these receptors in the kidneys and heart, they seem to protect these organs from damage.
For this reason, in 2023, the American Heart Association listed GLP-1 receptor agonists as one of the year’s top advances in cardiovascular disease.
Many people say, “I just want to be at a healthy weight.”
But what does that even mean?
At PN, we believe your healthiest body composition / weight is one that:
Has relatively more lean mass (from muscle and healthy, dense bones), and relatively less body fat
Emerges from doing foundational, sustainable health-promoting behaviors (like being active and eating well), rather than “crash diets” or other extreme measures
Is relatively easy to maintain with a handful of consistent lifestyle choices, without undue sacrifices to overall well-being (or what we call Deep Health)
Allows you to do the activities you want and enjoy, with as few limitations as possible
Keeps your health markers (like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar) in safe and healthy ranges as much as is reasonably possible
Feels good to you
This is not a specific size, shape, look, body fat percentage, or category on a BMI chart; A “healthy” body composition and/or weight will vary from person to person.
… Which can be both freeing and frustrating to hear.
Without a specific number to aim for, it’s harder to know if you’ve “arrived” at your healthiest weight or body composition.
However, we like this way of qualifying what a healthy weight is because it takes the pressure off a number on the scale, and puts the focus on behaviors you have more control over, and more importantly, how your life feels.
Here’s what we believe:
Weight loss medicines don’t render lifestyle changes obsolete; they make them more critical.
When GLP-1 medicines muffle food noise and hunger, many find it easier to prioritize lean protein, fruits and veggies, whole grains, and other minimally processed foods. Similarly, as the scale goes down, people often feel better, so they’re more likely to embrace weight lifting and other forms of exercise.
Indeed, according to a 2024 consumer trends survey, 41 percent of GLP-1 medicine users reported that their exercise frequency increased since going on the medication. The majority of them also reported an improvement in diet quality, choosing to eat more protein, as well as fruits and vegetables.17
This is great news, because it further reinforces the idea that medication isn’t simply “the easy way out.”
(Of course, sometimes drugs are used as “the easy way out”; After going on medication, people can continue to eat poor quality food—just less of it. This increases the risk of losing critical muscle and bone, and losing less—or even no—body fat.)
When used correctly, weight loss medication is a tool that, as mentioned above, can make healthy lifestyle changes easier to accomplish, making both the drugs and the lifestyle changes more effective, and enhancing both short- and long-term success.
If you do decide to take weight loss drugs, use these strategies to get the most out of them—and preserve your long-term health.
The slowed stomach emptying caused by GLP-1 drugs can trigger nausea and constipation.
Fortunately, for most people, these GI woes tend to resolve within several weeks.
However, if you’re experiencing a lot of nausea, you’re not likely going to welcome salads into your life with open arms. (Think of how you feel when you have the stomach flu. A bowl of roughage doesn’t seem like it’ll “go down easy.”)
So, try to find more palatable ways to consume nutritious foods. (For example, fruits and vegetables in the form of a smoothie or pureed soup might be easier.)
Dr. Nadolsky also suggests people avoid the following common offenders:
Big portions of any kind
Greasy, fatty foods
Highly processed foods
Any strong food smells that trigger your gag reflex
Sugar alcohols (like xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, and sorbitol, often found in diet sodas, chewing gum, and low-sugar protein bars), which can trigger diarrhea in some
When people take GLP-1 weight loss medicines, about 30 to 40 percent of the weight they lose can come from lean mass.18, 19, 20
Put another way: For every 10 pounds someone loses, about six to seven come from fat and three to four from muscle, bone, and other non-fat tissues.
However, there’s two important caveats to this statistic:
1. People with severe obesity generally have more muscle and bone mass than others. (Carrying around an extra 100+ pounds of body weight means muscles have to adapt by getting bigger and stronger.)
2. Muscle and bone loss aren’t inevitable. (As Dr. Nadolsky puts it, “Muscle loss isn’t a reason to avoid treating obesity [with medication]. It’s a reason to do more exercise.”)
To preserve muscle and bone mass, aim for at least two full-body resistance training sessions a week.
In addition, move around as much as you can. Walking and other forms of physical activity are vital for keeping metabolism healthy—and can help to move food through the gut to ease digestion.21, 22
(Need inspiration for strength training? Check out our free exercise video library.)
In addition to strength training, adequate protein consumption is vital for helping to protect muscle mass.
You can use our free macros calculator to determine the right amount of protein for you. (Spoiler: Most people will need 1 to 2 palm-sized protein portions per meal, or about 0.5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.)
Besides being good for your overall health, whole, fresh, and frozen produce fuels you with critical nutrients that can help drive down levels of inflammation.
In addition to raising your risk for disease, chronic inflammation can block protein synthesis, making it harder to maintain muscle mass.
(Didn’t know managing inflammation matters when it comes to preserving muscle? Find out more muscle-supporting strategies here: How to build muscle strength, size, and power)
Beans, lentils, whole grains, and starchy tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes do a better job of helping you feel full and managing blood sugar than lower-fiber, more highly processed options.
(Read more about the drawbacks—and occasional benefits—of processed foods here: Minimally processed vs. highly processed foods)
Healthy fats can help you feel full between meals and protect your overall health.
Gravitate toward fats from whole foods like avocado, seeds, nuts, and olive oil, as well as fatty fish (which is a protein too!)—using them to replace less healthy fats from highly-processed foods (like chips or donuts).
(Not sure which fats are healthy? Use our 3-step guide for choosing the best foods for your body)
It may go without saying, but the above suggestions are just the start.
(There’s also: quality sleep, social support, stress management, and more.)
While many people choose to tackle these strategies on their own, many others find that the support, guidance, and creative problem-solving that a good coach can provide makes the whole process a lot easier—not to mention more enjoyable and more likely to stick.
And that’s the real gift of coaching: A coach doesn’t just help you figure out what to eat and how to move; They help you remove barriers, build skills, and create systems and routines so that habits become so natural and automatic that it’s hard to imagine not doing them.
Then, if you do want to stop taking medication, your ingrained lifestyle habits (that coaching reinforced, and medication perhaps made easier to adopt) will make it more likely that you maintain your results.
Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.
1. Phelan, S. M., D. J. Burgess, M. W. Yeazel, W. L. Hellerstedt, J. M. Griffin, and M. van Ryn. 2015. “Impact of Weight Bias and Stigma on Quality of Care and Outcomes for Patients with Obesity.” Obesity Reviews: An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 16 (4): 319–26.
2. Tomiyama, A. Janet, Deborah Carr, Ellen M. Granberg, Brenda Major, Eric Robinson, Angelina R. Sutin, and Alexandra Brewis. 2018. “How and Why Weight Stigma Drives the Obesity ‘Epidemic’ and Harms Health.” BMC Medicine 16 (1).
3. Tomiyama, A. Janet. 2019. “Stress and Obesity.” Annual Review of Psychology 70 (1): 703–18.
4. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, Davies M, Van Gaal LF, Lingvay I, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021 Mar 18;384(11):989–1002
5. Garvey WT, Batterham RL, Bhatta M, Buscemi S, Christensen LN, Frias JP, et al. Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity: the STEP 5 trial. Nat Med. 2022 Oct;28(10):2083–91.
6. le Roux CW, Zhang S, Aronne LJ, Kushner RF, Chao AM, Machineni S, et al. Tirzepatide for the treatment of obesity: Rationale and design of the SURMOUNT clinical development program. Obesity. 2023 Jan;31(1):96–110.
7. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022 Jul 21;387(3):205–16..
8. Leung, Alice W. Y., Ruth S. M. Chan, Mandy M. M. Sea, and Jean Woo. 2017. “An Overview of Factors Associated with Adherence to Lifestyle Modification Programs for Weight Management in Adults.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14 (8).
9. Jastreboff, Ania M., Louis J. Aronne, Nadia N. Ahmad, Sean Wharton, Lisa Connery, Breno Alves, Arihiro Kiyosue, et al. 2022. “Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity.” The New England Journal of Medicine 387 (3): 205–16.
10. Jastreboff, Ania M., Lee M. Kaplan, Juan P. Frías, Qiwei Wu, Yu Du, Sirel Gurbuz, Tamer Coskun, Axel Haupt, Zvonko Milicevic, and Mark L. Hartman. 2023. “Triple–Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity — A Phase 2 Trial.” The New England Journal of Medicine 389 (6): 514–26.
11. Maciejewski, Matthew L., David E. Arterburn, Lynn Van Scoyoc, Valerie A. Smith, William S. Yancy Jr, Hollis J. Weidenbacher, Edward H. Livingston, and Maren K. Olsen. 2016. “Bariatric Surgery and Long-Term Durability of Weight Loss.” JAMA Surgery 151 (11): 1046–55.
12. Ryan DH, Yockey SR. Weight Loss and Improvement in Comorbidity: Differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and Over. Curr Obes Rep. 2017 Jun;6(2):187–94.
13. Marx N, Husain M, Lehrke M, Verma S, Sattar N. GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for the Reduction of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes. Circulation. 2022 Dec 13;146(24):1882–94.
14. Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, Deanfield J, Emerson SS, Esbjerg S, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023 Dec 14;389(24):2221–32.
15. Kosiborod MN, Abildstrøm SZ, Borlaug BA, Butler J, Rasmussen S, Davies M, et al. Semaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2023 Sep 21;389(12):1069–84.
16. Karakasis P, Patoulias D, Fragakis N, Klisic A, Rizzo M. Effect of tirzepatide on albuminuria levels and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis. Diabetes Obes Metab [Internet]. 2023 Dec 20
17. N.d. Accessed May 21, 2024. https://newconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Consumer-Trends-2024-Food-Wellness-Special.pdf
18. Ida S, Kaneko R, Imataka K, Okubo K, Shirakura Y, Azuma K, et al. Effects of Antidiabetic Drugs on Muscle Mass in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2021;17(3):293–303.
19. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, Van Gaal LF, McGowan BM, Rosenstock J, et al. Impact of Semaglutide on Body Composition in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: Exploratory Analysis of the STEP 1 Study. J Endocr Soc. 2021 May 3;5(Supplement_1):A16–7.
20. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, Davies M, Van Gaal LF, Lingvay I, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021 Mar 18;384(11):989–1002.
21. Gorgojo-Martínez JJ, Mezquita-Raya P, Carretero-Gómez J, Castro A, Cebrián-Cuenca A, de Torres-Sánchez A, et al. Clinical Recommendations to Manage Gastrointestinal Adverse Events in Patients Treated with Glp-1 Receptor Agonists: A Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus. J Clin Med Res [Internet]. 2022 Dec 24;12(1).
22. Tantawy SA, Kamel DM, Abdelbasset WK, Elgohary HM. Effects of a proposed physical activity and diet control to manage constipation in middle-aged obese women. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2017 Dec 14;10:513–9.
The post Considering (or currently taking) weight loss drugs? Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
Cupping therapy, increasingly popular for addressing various client needs, can also be an effective treatment for headaches by alleviating muscular and fascial tension and improving blood flow.
The Massage Envy brand is passionate about helping people, and proud to be involved with and give back to the massage profession and neighboring communities. Through innovation, progression, and passion, Massage Envy made significant, meaningful impacts in 2023 and plans to keep the momentum going throughout 2024.
Working with the elderly population can be a rewarding endeavor in the massage therapy field. Geriatric massage involves massage techniques and applications to meet the needs of the elderly population.
Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD
How do you know if you’ve found the best health coach for you? What are the qualities of a good coach besides the obvious credentials?
We’ve listed some traits to look out for when choosing a health coach.
Essentially, it all boils down to how the two of you “vibe.” You should find someone you get along with and trust, someone who seems to truly “get” you and is as invested in your success as you are.
Let’s dive deeper into what all that means.
A skilled health coach serves as a personalized guide.
They’ll help you achieve your goals with tailored advice, motivation, custom nutrition plans, and exercise routines designed specifically for you.
They won’t just give you generalized or generic advice about diet and exercise. This individualized approach ensures that you maximize your full potential and make the most of your fitness journey.
What are the qualities of a good coach?
How do you know when you’ve found one?
These seven qualities are by no means an exhaustive list, but they can help you narrow down your options.
A good health coach should possess the skill to clearly explain the steps, strategies, and milestones integral to their approach.
This not only demonstrates their expertise but also shows that they have a structured process to help you succeed.
Even more than that, they should also be able to draw on insights gained from practical experience. Articulating lessons learned from working with other clients like you shows understanding for the issues or preferences you might have. They’ve proven that they know how to address challenges similar to yours.
A hallmark of a good coach is their openness to share references and testimonials without hesitation. Transparency not only reflects confidence in their ability but also underscores their commitment to client satisfaction.
Ideally, these references should be from clients in your demographic with similar goals. If you have a particular injury, for example, a good coach will have testimonials from clients they’ve worked with in the past who experienced a similar injury or physical limitation. A good coach understands the value of real-world feedback and recognizes that the experiences of past clients can speak volumes.
Moreover, the ability to connect with past clients demonstrates a coach’s confidence in the relationships they’ve built. If a coach avoids providing references, that should raise concerns about their client interactions and the impact of their coaching.
Testimonials, in particular, offer insights into the tangible benefits clients have experienced under a coach’s guidance. Positive testimonials not only validate the coach’s skills but also provide you with a glimpse of the potential results you can expect.
A coach’s interest in your story is a reflection of their commitment to your success. They should ask you questions—lots of them. A quality coaching relationship is built on a foundation of understanding, and effective coaches recognize the importance of delving into your unique circumstances.
Rather than simply presenting a pre-packaged solution, a good coach should be genuinely interested in your “why.” They should want to understand your motivations, challenges, and specific goals. The questions they ask should help them tailor their coaching plan to your particular preferences and lifestyle.
Another quality of a good coach is the ability to integrate your thoughts and feedback into the coaching process. Remember, this is a two-way, collaborative relationship.
Listening extends beyond the spoken word; it involves deciphering the nuances and subtleties of your communication. A good coach is attuned to not only what you say but how you say it.
A coach’s responsiveness to your feedback should foster an environment of trust. If you express concerns or suggest modifications to the plan, a good coach listens, understands, and adapts the program. This flexibility ensures that the coaching process remains dynamic, adjusting to your evolving needs and circumstances.
As we said, transparent and open communication is a two-way street. This element is fundamental to your success and includes how and when you and your coach touch base.
Effective coaches establish clear expectations regarding communication from the outset. Whether it’s setting regular check-ins, defining response times, or outlining preferred communication channels, a good coach is accessible to you and reliable in responding. You should feel comfortable reaching out, knowing that your coach is receptive to any questions or concerns you have.
Your well-being extends beyond isolated facets like exercise and nutrition. You’ll know you’ve found a good health coach when they also take into account your sleep quality, stress levels, past injuries, and exercise experience. They know how these factors work together and influence one another.
For instance, understanding your nutritional habits allows a coach to develop a diet plan that improves on your current eating habits, without being unrealistic. Acknowledging past injuries or exercise experiences informs workout routines that prioritize safety and effectiveness. The consideration of sleep patterns and stress levels further refines the approach, promoting overall well-being.
This holistic, multi-faceted view of well-being is called “Deep Health.” And when a Deep Health approach is applied, it means you’re more likely to create positive habits that affect every aspect of your life—for the long term.
A good coach will adjust your program to fit your changing needs as you work to achieve your goals.
Whether you have specific dietary requirements, time constraints, or preferences in workout styles, a coach tailors the program to ensure it not only helps you make progress but also integrates seamlessly into your lifestyle—and can adapt as necessary.
Finding a good health coach goes beyond looking up online reviews or asking friends for recommendations (though those are good ways to get started).
Here are some more tips to keep in mind as you look for a health coach.
Before seeking a coach, take a moment for introspection.
Ask yourself why you want to work with a health coach and what specific outcomes you aim to achieve.
Whether it’s weight loss, improved fitness, better sleep, or overall well-being, clarity on your objectives serves as a guiding compass in selecting the right coach.
However, it’s also okay not to have a specific goal, or if your goal is something general like, “I want to be healthier.” Helping you clarify and refine your goals is part of a health coach’s job. They can engage you in meaningful conversations to understand your aspirations, challenges, and motivations until the two of you shape a tailored plan together.
Once you’ve identified three to five potential health coaches, take time to meet with each one-on-one.
Prepare a list of questions and talking points to guide these discussions. Your questions should focus on things like their coaching philosophy, past experiences, and success stories. Understanding how their approach aligns with your goals is essential to making sure you truly “get” one another.
During these conversations, also pay attention to the coach’s communication style and demeanor. Consider whether you feel comfortable and genuinely heard during the conversation.
Day-to-day logistics are important as well. As you get to know each coach, ask them about their availability, preferred communication channels, and the structure of the coaching sessions. This will ensure a smooth and manageable collaboration.
Coaching is, at its core, a relationship-based service, and the personal connection you establish with your coach can profoundly impact your motivation and commitment to your health goals. A positive and supportive connection fosters a sense of trust, making the coaching relationship more enjoyable and effective.
However, recognize that there’s no “perfect” coach.
Instead, focus on finding a coach who’s “good enough” for you—someone whose approach aligns with your preferences and understands your unique circumstances. While there might be a coach who, on paper, seems to fit all your criteria, less tangible elements like a coach’s personality, communication style, and general energy are paramount. Trust your instincts and choose a coach with whom you genuinely connect.
The health coaches at Precision Nutrition are experts in their fields. They take the time to understand your behavior and habits as they design a plan to fit your unique goals and lifestyle.
Our coaches don’t just give you advice about diet and exercise. They work closely with you so you can learn healthier, sustainable habits that will help you feel better long term.
Try our 1:1 coaching program now and achieve the results you deserve.
The post Private: How to know you’ve found a good health coach appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD
What to have for breakfast. Whether or not to exercise—or when. Which project to tackle first at work. More coffee or not.
After a while, it’s only natural that decision fatigue sets in.
Decision fatigue can happen to anyone—but it’s especially disruptive when you’re trying to change old habits and make new (healthier) choices, but you lose steam by 10 AM.
Let’s take a closer look at what decision fatigue is, what causes it, and how to shake it off so you can continue to make good, intentional choices ongoing.
Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made after a prolonged period of decision-making. Decision fatigue can also happen when faced with an overwhelming number of choices.
When working toward wellness goals, the mental exhaustion from constant decision-making can hinder your ability to make positive choices, especially in areas like exercise and nutrition. The constant evaluation of your workout schedules, meal choices, and other aspects of your lifestyle and routine can lead to decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue can manifest in several ways. It might last days, weeks, or longer.
Here are six common signs that you might be experiencing it.
One of the primary signs of decision fatigue is procrastination and the tendency to avoid making choices. As decision fatigue sets in, you may find it increasingly challenging to initiate or conclude decision-making processes, leading to delays and lack of action.
On the other hand, decision fatigue can also manifest as impulsivity. In an effort to expedite decision-making and alleviate mental strain, you may resort to impulsive choices, increasing the likelihood of taking less thoughtful actions.
Decision fatigue often leads to mental exhaustion. You may feel tired and mentally drained, which may affect your overall cognitive functioning and energy levels.
A common symptom of decision fatigue is the sensation of “brain fog.” This mental cloudiness can hinder clarity of thought, making it difficult for individuals to focus, process information, and make wise choices.
As decision fatigue accumulates, individuals may become easily overwhelmed by even minor choices. Tasks that would typically be manageable may seem daunting, contributing to heightened stress levels.
Decision fatigue can lead to increased irritability and emotional sensitivity. The mental strain from continuous decision-making may impact an individual’s patience and tolerance, resulting in reactive emotional responses.
A combination of factors can contribute to decision fatigue.
When you find yourself constantly making numerous decisions throughout the day, from choosing what to wear to deciding on work-related tasks, you may be prone to decision fatigue.
The cumulative effect of these daily choices can overwhelm your cognitive resources, making subsequent decisions more challenging.
Decisions that have a significant impact on others can contribute to decision fatigue.
When your choices carry weight and affect those around you, the mental burden intensifies. Balancing personal and professional responsibilities that influence others can lead to a heightened sense of responsibility and decision-related stress.
Engaging in decision-making that is particularly stressful or complex can accelerate the onset of decision fatigue.
Evaluating intricate scenarios, especially under pressure, demands more cognitive resources, expediting mental exhaustion. High-stake decisions amplify the toll on your mental energy, making subsequent choices more taxing.
Life situations characterized by difficulty or uncertainty can exacerbate decision fatigue.
Coping with unusually stressful challenges, whether personal or professional, consumes mental bandwidth. Navigating through uncertainty heightens decision-related stress, intensifying the impact of decision fatigue.
Decisions related to diet, exercise, and overall health management can be overwhelming.
Constantly evaluating food choices, workout routines, and health-related decisions can challenge cognitive resources, exacerbating decision fatigue.
Further, when experiencing decision fatigue, your ability to make thoughtful, proactive health decisions diminishes. Fatigue may lead to impulsive choices, such as impulsive eating or skipping workouts, impacting your progress toward your goals.
Overcoming decision fatigue may not happen instantly, but by following these tips, you can significantly reduce its effect on your health and well-being.
All it takes is some careful planning and learning to let go.
The intentional simplification of daily decisions not only streamlines your life but also enhances your cognitive capacity for more meaningful and impactful choices.
One approach is to establish routines to set some aspects of your daily life in stone—no decisions necessary. This deliberate structuring (such as predetermining what days/times you do your workouts) serves to reduce the ongoing need for decision-making in these areas.
Implementing routines also provides a psychological framework that turns repetitive decisions into automatic actions. For instance, adopting a regular weekly meal prep ritual.
Of course, this strategy is particularly beneficial for recurring activities, where predetermined choices can be consistently applied. This act of intentionally removing choices can give you back a sense of control and predictability in your daily life.
Whether in the workplace or at home, delegating decisions to others not only lightens your cognitive (and practical) burden but also promotes collaboration.
Distributing tasks at work fosters a sense of shared responsibility—and of course lightens your workload. By involving team members in decision-making processes, you not only benefit from diverse perspectives but also empower others to contribute their expertise.
Similarly, within the family or household, delegating responsibilities not only shares the cognitive load but also promotes a more supportive environment. This practice allows each family member to contribute their unique strengths, creating a more balanced distribution of decision-making responsibilities.
Relaxation activities are particularly effective in combating the effects of decision fatigue.
Quality sleep rejuvenates cognitive functions and replenishes mental energy. When you’re well-rested, you’re better equipped to face the challenges of decision-making.
In addition to sleep, try engaging in mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.
Exercise, too, not only promotes better sleep but also releases endorphins, which elevate mood and improve cognitive function.
Stress and decision fatigue are connected, so learning to manage the former will help alleviate symptoms of the latter.
Many of the relaxation techniques we previously mentioned are also great stress management tactics.
Try establishing a consistent self-care routine, like reading, taking a warm bath, or spending quality time with loved ones. These activities can provide a mental break and contribute to a positive mindset, which, in turn, helps prevent and reduce decision fatigue.
By hiring a coach, you effectively delegate certain decisions to an expert.
By leveraging their knowledge, you not only streamline decision-making but also gain valuable insights and support on your journey to optimal health.
A health coach provides guidance on fitness, nutrition, sleep, stress, and recovery, and can design tailored plans to help you improve each of these areas.
Moreover, a health coach assists in establishing routines, contributing to the removal of unnecessary decisions from your daily life.
Working with a coach offers personalized support, helping you navigate health-related decisions while also enhancing accountability and motivation.
At Precision Nutrition, our coaches are certified experts who can help you make positive decisions to improve your life. Decision fatigue ends with us, as every client receives a personalized, tailored plan designed to work with their personal preferences, lifestyle, and goals.
Learn more about how the coaches at Precision Nutrition can help you learn to live the healthier, more well-balanced life you deserve.
The post How to navigate decision fatigue when working toward your fitness goals appeared first on Precision Nutrition.