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You might wonder, “what is vinyasa yoga” for self care. Vinyasa yoga involves movements coordinated with breath to center and strengthen the participant. The practice is becoming more popular thanks to the many benefits it offers. In this article, you’ll go over this yoga style, how it can benefit you and how you can fit it into your life.
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It began in the 1980s with the heart-rate monitor.
For the first time, an individual could observe changes in a vital sign as they happened. And they could do it on their own, whenever or wherever they chose, for any reason that made sense to them.
Four decades later, we have rings, watches, scales, and phones that track, measure, and quantify almost every aspect of our fitness, nutrition, and metabolism.
Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are the latest step along that path.
By attaching a CGM device to your upper arm, you can see how your blood sugar reacts to your meals.
That real-time feedback, ideally, can help you identify the foods that cause the largest spikes in your blood glucose—along with the crashes that can sometimes follow.
Making better food choices should help you minimize those peaks and valleys.
But does monitoring every rise and fall in blood glucose make sense for you or your clients?
Is there enough value to justify the expense?
We’ll answer those questions as thoroughly as we can, with the warning that research is far behind practice in some key areas.
But let’s start with a more basic question…
Continuous glucose monitors were developed for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The devices typically attach to the upper arm via skin-piercing filaments. They’re kept in place with an adhesive that makes them look like a nicotine patch.
Continuous glucose monitors help people with diabetes identify swings in blood sugar before they cause problems. For those who depend on insulin, the CGM device can help their doctor modify the dose.
It was only a matter of time until people without diabetes began exploring the potential of CGMs to help them meet their goals.
An endurance athlete, for example, might want to know if continuous glucose monitors could help them maintain steady fuel levels.
Someone on a low-carb diet could use continuous glucose monitors to avoid any food that would interfere with ketosis.
And a health and fitness enthusiast—which, after all, includes most of us—might simply want to avoid the extreme glucose spikes that research has linked to a higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and death from any cause.1, 2
What started with biohackers buying CGM devices on eBay soon became a growth industry.
Venture-capital firms are betting tens of millions of dollars that companies like Levels, January, and NutriSense will find an enthusiastic market for continuous glucose monitors among health-conscious people who don’t have diabetes.3
Your blood sugar level is usually described as milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood (mg/dL).
A fasting glucose level below 100 mg/dL is considered normal and healthy. A higher level means you have either prediabetes (100 to 125) or full-blown type 2 diabetes (126 or higher).
But what does that mean? How much actual sugar are we talking about?
Four grams, enough to fill one teaspoon.4
That’s the normal amount of circulating glucose for someone who weighs 70 kg (154 pounds).
That teaspoon of sugar (yes, your body runs on the lyrics to a Mary Poppins song) is dispersed across 4.5 liters (1.2 gallons) of blood.
So when we talk about how much glucose enters your bloodstream in response to a meal, keep in mind that the amounts in question, in most cases, are just a fraction of a teaspoon more than your normal level.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 35 million adults in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes.5
Another 96 million have prediabetes.
If those estimates are accurate, about 50 percent of U.S. adults either have diabetes or are well on their way.
Moreover, the people who have high blood sugar aren’t always who’d you predict.
“We can’t tell if someone’s going to have disrupted metabolic health just by looking at them,” says University of Washington neuroscientist Tommy Wood, MD, PhD, whose research on continuous glucose monitoring was invaluable in writing this article.
“Even in people who’re thought to be super-healthy, we often see impaired fasting glucose.”
For example, in one small study of non-elite endurance athletes, readings from continuous glucose monitors showed that four of the 10 participants had prediabetic blood sugar levels.6
When diagnosing diabetes or prediabetes, doctors look at either fasting glucose or HbA1c, which shows average blood sugar levels over the previous three months.
Neither measure shows how high your blood sugar rises after a meal. We know that big increases in “postprandial glucose”—that is, your blood sugar levels after you eat—are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. So getting this data completes the blood sugar picture.7
(Scientists and physicians typically look at what happens to postprandial glucose levels for about two hours after a person eats, in order to fully understand how that person’s body responds to carbohydrates.)
In a 2018 study from a Stanford University research team, 25 percent of participants with healthy blood sugar levels nonetheless showed that pattern of extreme glucose variability—big post-meal spikes, followed by dramatic dips.8
Postprandial glucose varies from one person to the next.
An often-cited paper from an Israeli research team showed that two people can have completely different responses to the exact same food.9
As you can see in this example from the study, one participant’s blood sugar quickly rose and fell after eating a banana, but didn’t do much of anything after eating cookies. Another participant had the opposite response to the same two foods. Their blood sugar spiked when they ate cookies, but fell slightly after eating a banana.
A 2020 study ranked the factors affecting an individual’s glucose response:10
This table, adapted from the study, shows that—as you’d expect—meal composition (what you eat, and how much) will have the biggest impact on your glucose response. Meal context—when you eat, and what you do before and after—also matters. (FFQ stands for “food frequency questionnaire” and helps measure the effect of a person’s habitual diet.)
Continuous glucose monitors, like other health- and fitness-tracking devices, can be appealing and useful to some people in some circumstances.
Because they offer objective information, they can serve as a kick in the pants to someone who aspires to exercise more or eat better.
For example, a 2021 study from Colorado State researchers found that fitness trackers motivate inactive people to move more.11
But for some, the novelty effect quickly wears off.
In a study of long-term Fitbit users—men and women who’d used their device continuously for an average of 412 days—two distinct groups emerged:12
Those whose usage dropped precipitously after three months
Those whose usage remained steady for at least six months
Continuous glucose monitors, though, are different from fitness trackers in two important respects:
They’re attached to your body.
They’re designed to be used for short periods, usually two weeks. If you want to go longer, you have to replace the device with a new one.
Levels, for example, offers its members four weeks of continuous glucose monitoring, which costs $199 for two 14-day monitors or three 10-day monitors with Bluetooth capability. That’s in addition to the $199 annual membership fee.
“The primary goal is to see how food affects their health, and to close the loop between diet and lifestyle choices and how they feel,” says Lauren Kelley-Chew, MD, head of clinical product for Levels.
The open question: What does someone do with that information once they have it?
That brings us to the other side of the question of whether healthy people who don’t have diabetes should consider CGM devices.
“Blood sugar goes up and goes down,” says Spencer Nadolsky, DO, a board-certified obesity specialist.
That’s what it’s supposed to do.
But in some corners of the internet, some doctors, gurus, and influencers are telling people it’s not.
Dr. Nadolsky says he’s had patients whose CGM device data caused them unnecessary anguish.
“They were scared when they saw any blip on their continuous glucose monitor,” he says. “It’s actually to a point of pathology because they stress so much over normal glucose excursions.”
Even when glucose excursions go outside normal ranges—higher than 140 or lower than 70 mg/dL—they tend to be short, according to a 2019 study with participants of all ages who didn’t have diabetes.13
The median time in hyperglycemia (above 140 mg/dL) was just 2.4 percent. The median time in hypoglycemia (below 70 mg/dL) was even lower: 1.1 percent.
Carbohydrates are not inherently unhealthy.
Some are healthier than others, of course. In general, most of us would be better off if we ate fewer highly processed carbs and fewer foods with added sugar.
But that’s also true of foods loaded with highly processed fats.
The difference is that carbs will produce a larger increase in blood sugar than fats, creating the illusion that carbs are “bad” and fats are a good alternative.
Taken to extremes, someone might conclude that a piece of bacon is better for you than a piece of fruit.
Why does it matter if continuous glucose monitors feed into that demonization of carbs? Because …
That’s the conclusion of a 2020 study from a team of Harvard psychologists.14
The participants in the study, who had type 2 diabetes, were given a beverage that was labeled as either low sugar (zero grams) or high sugar (30 grams).
Those who thought they got the high-sugar drink had a much larger glucose response than the ones who thought their drink had no sugar at all.
In reality, everybody got the exact same drink, which had 15 grams of sugar.
As the authors write, “Subjective perceptions of sugar intake, even when incorrect, produce measurable biochemical changes.”
“The stress is probably worse for your health than the carbohydrate itself,” Dr. Wood says.
Which brings us to the final reason why it might not be a good idea to monitor your blood sugar if you don’t have diabetes or a high risk of developing it.
“There’s useful information to be had” from continuous glucose monitoring, Dr. Wood says. “But it can also create stress responses around food, particularly around carbohydrates.”
When the stress becomes disproportionate to the value of the information causing the stress, it can lead to some dark places.
“People who have a history of disordered eating or anxiety around diet or lifestyle choices should consider whether having this kind of data is the most helpful tool for them,” Dr. Kelley-Chew of Levels says.
Andy Galpin, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Cal State Fullerton, thinks this point applies not just to CGM devices, but to other types of tracking technology as well.
“My honest intuition is, there’s a lot of people who have a lot of problems when they start introducing tech to their health,” he says.
He mentions orthosomnia—a word researchers coined to describe people who become obsessed with achieving “perfect” sleep, based on data from their sleep tracker.15
So far, there’s little evidence that trackers are linked to better health outcomes.
Yes, some people who use fitness or nutrition trackers do lose weight or get more exercise. But it’s not yet clear if those changes lead to measurable improvements in their cardiovascular or metabolic health.16
Keep in mind, this is what we know (or don’t know) from published studies. Scientific research always lags behind what people do in practice. Some individuals will have years’ worth of personal data before researchers can show us if those results are typical over time and across populations.
Even then, each of us will interact with the technology in our own ways.
“Data can be freeing, divorcing choices from emotional labels, and giving you objective feedback to work with,” Dr. Kelley-Chew says.
“But if it’s not helpful, there are plenty of other steps one can take to work toward better health.”
Whether a continuous glucose monitor, or any technology, works for you will depend on your goals, mindset, and personality.
Here are three questions to help you make the best choice:
“If you did two weeks of continuous glucose monitoring, maybe you identify something you eat regularly that you thought was pretty good but caused a big spike in blood sugar,” Dr. Wood says.
“You’ll be like, ‘Okay, maybe I’ll eat less of that.’ That’s useful information to have.”
Dr. Galpin agrees.
“Some people will be excited about having the new information,” Dr. Galpin says. “It might be worth it to know something about their health, or to make sure they don’t have a problem with glucose.”
Both believe the person without diabetes who’s most attracted to the idea of continuous glucose monitoring will be the least likely to get anything out of it.
“They’re healthy, affluent, and have access to the best healthcare,” Dr. Wood says.
That describes the pro athletes Dr. Galpin works with one-on-one. But that doesn’t mean continuous glucose monitors are useless for him as a coach.
If an athlete is overly focused on their metabolism or their sensitivity to carbs, a CGM device can help rule those things out.
“Rather than finding, like, ‘Oh my God, carrots smash your blood sugar,’ it’s generally been, ‘Like I told you, you’re fine. It’s not your blood glucose,’” he says.
That frees up the client to focus on things that matter more to their performance and health. (BTW: Our Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification gives you the knowledge, tools, and skills to help people achieve the results they really want.)
Experts who express skepticism about CGM devices for folks without diabetes have a consistent concern: that people will read way too much into the data from their continuous glucose monitor.
“Blood glucose is easy to measure and understand, so people focus on it, like the person looking for their keys under a lamppost,” says obesity researcher Stephan Guyenet, PhD, author of The Hungry Brain.
Looking at how specific foods affect your blood sugar doesn’t help you understand why you’re eating those foods in the first place.
For that, you need a much deeper understanding of how your eating behaviors are influenced by your environment, and how to modify them when you feel they’re affecting your health.
Sometimes the best strategy is simple acceptance.
For example, if you know a piece of cake will spike your blood sugar, and you also know you’re going to eat it anyway, “just enjoy the cake,” Dr. Wood says.
Dr. Kelley-Chew has a similar perspective.
“Eating a dessert and having a blood sugar spike is not going to ruin your metabolic health,” she says. “Your body knows how to deal with a surge of glucose.”
Back in 2017, Dr. Galpin coauthored a book called Unplugged, which cast doubt on the value of all the information we collect from fitness- and performance-tracking technologies.
The authors argued that the human body is not a weather report or baseball score. It’s too complex to be assessed by a single number or metric.
“I’m a proponent of people learning and understanding their body better,” Dr. Galpin says. But that doesn’t mean you need to jump on every new tracking technology.
“You’re going to find about the same answer with all of them,” he says.
The challenge today isn’t collecting answers. It’s finding a way to interpret and put them into context. Once you do, the information you glean from wearable tech provides becomes powerful.
That’s especially true of continuous glucose monitors.
“Obviously, if you have an apple and your blood glucose jumps to 250, that’s not good,” Dr. Galpin says.
“But what about 125? Is that cool? Or 130? Or 140? Like most things in this field, it’s all about context.”
Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.
1. Gallwitz B. Implications of postprandial glucose and weight control in people with type 2 diabetes: understanding and implementing the International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Diabetes Care. 2009 Nov;32 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S322–5.
2. Blaak EE, Antoine JM, Benton D, Björck I, Bozzetto L, Brouns F, et al. Impact of postprandial glycaemia on health and prevention of disease. Obes Rev. 2012 Oct;13(10):923–84.
3. Wasserman DH. Four grams of glucose. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Jan;296(1):E11–21.
4. Shmerling RH. Is blood sugar monitoring without diabetes worthwhile? Harvard Health. 2021.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report. 2022.
6. Thomas F, Pretty CG, Desaive T, Chase JG. Blood Glucose Levels of Subelite Athletes During 6 Days of Free Living. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2016 Nov;10(6):1335–43.
7. Hanssen NMJ, Kraakman MJ, Flynn MC, Nagareddy PR, Schalkwijk CG, Murphy AJ. Postprandial Glucose Spikes, an Important Contributor to Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes? Front Cardiovasc Med. 2020 Sep 18;7:570553.
8. Hall H, Perelman D, Breschi A, Limcaoco P, Kellogg R, McLaughlin T, et al. Glucotypes reveal new patterns of glucose dysregulation. PLoS Biol. 2018 Jul;16(7):e2005143.
9. Zeevi D, Korem T, Zmora N, Israeli D, Rothschild D, Weinberger A, et al. Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic Responses. Cell. 2015 Nov 19;163(5):1079–94.
10. Berry SE, Valdes AM, Drew DA, Asnicar F, Mazidi M, Wolf J, et al. Human postprandial responses to food and potential for precision nutrition. Nat Med. 2020 Jun;26(6):964–73.
11. Nuss K, Moore K, Nelson T, Li K. Effects of Motivational Interviewing and Wearable Fitness Trackers on Motivation and Physical Activity: A Systematic Review. Am J Health Promot. 2021 Feb;35(2):226–35.
12. Shin G, Feng Y, Jarrahi MH, Gafinowitz N. Beyond novelty effect: a mixed-methods exploration into the motivation for long-term activity tracker use. JAMIA Open. 2019 Apr;2(1):62–72.
13. Shah VN, DuBose SN, Li Z, Beck RW, Peters AL, Weinstock RS, et al. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Profiles in Healthy Nondiabetic Participants: A Multicenter Prospective Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Oct 1;104(10):4356–64.
14. Park C, Pagnini F, Langer E. Glucose metabolism responds to perceived sugar intake more than actual sugar intake. Sci Rep. 2020 Sep 24;10(1):15633.
15. Baron KG, Abbott S, Jao N, Manalo N, Mullen R. Orthosomnia: Are Some Patients Taking the Quantified Self Too Far? J Clin Sleep Med. 2017 Feb 15;13(2):351–4.
16. Jo A, Coronel BD, Coakes CE, Mainous AG 3rd. Is There a Benefit to Patients Using Wearable Devices Such as Fitbit or Health Apps on Mobiles? A Systematic Review. Am J Med. 2019 Dec;132(12):1394–400.e1.
You can help people build nutrition and lifestyle habits that improve their physical and mental health, bolster their immunity, help them better manage stress, and get sustainable results. We’ll show you how.
If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.
The post Should people without diabetes use continuous glucose monitors (CGMs)? appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
Losing 10 pounds. Running a half marathon. Getting six-pack abs. How do you turn short-term client goals into something meaningful, sustainable, and inspiring? Enter: deep health coaching, the revolutionary method that gets your clients the results they want, plus the results they need.
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Are you helping them thrive, in all aspects of life?
Sure, you may be helping them boost their bench press, feel confident on their beach vacation, or get sidewalk-cracking swole.
But what if we told you food and fitness—the domains of physical health—are only 16 percent of what determines your clients’ success?
What if you could move beyond “12 week beach bod programs,” or “pre-wedding weight loss,” to something truly meaningful and sustainable, and even more inspiring?
After all… what happens to the beach bod at week 13?
Or by the 10th wedding anniversary?
Can your clients stay at or even grow beyond their goals without feeling deprived, hungry, and miserable?
Without turning food and fitness into a full-time job?
And without backsliding from short-lived pride and mirror selfies into enduring shame and baggy sweatshirts?
Is there a way that YOU can build a sustainable coaching business where you continually help people learn, grow, and improve… without having to constantly hustle new clients or start from scratch over and over?
Where your clients aren’t just okay with the quick-fix results they get… but transformed inside and out, to the point where they rave about you to their friends and family?
What if you could be a coaching alchemist… someone who turns superficial physical goals into substantive life gold?
After working with over 100,000 clients, we believe you can get more ambitious—and be more effective and fulfilled—with an approach that goes far beyond the superficial.
This is when all dimensions of health are in sync, instead of just the physical.
It’s not only about how your clients look or perform.
It’s also about how they think, respond, solve problems, and deal with the world around them.
“Wait,” you might say. “I’m all for deep health, but my 4pm is here and they want to lose 20 pounds.”
Perfect.
Coaching for deep health will help you get them there faster and more easily than ever before—in a way that fits their life and is sustainable.
(That’s good for your clients.)
Their results will translate into glowing reviews, lots of referral business, and an invaluable sense of career fulfillment.
(That’s good for you.)
++++
Deep health doesn’t come from a pill or an operation.
Deep health comes from a balanced diet of fresh, whole foods. It comes from sufficient exercise combined with genuine rest. It comes from clean air and clean water. It comes from real human connection and sincere emotional expression.
And it comes from living with purpose and joy, and using your life as an expression of these things.
When you coach for deep health, you consider the multi-dimensional thriving of a whole person in their whole life.
Not just body fat percentage and blood work, but also factors like how people think, feel, live, and connect to others.
Don’t worry: We’re not suggesting you master psychotherapy, or tackle the human condition.
We are suggesting you understand how healthy eating and lifestyle practices affect every aspect of your client’s well-being. And how every dimension of deep health affects the eating and lifestyle practices of your clients.
Here are the six dimensions of deep health.
You probably know how we feel can affect how we eat. (This is, after all, most people’s #1 nutrition challenge.)
You might have also noticed that people with supportive families, strong connections at their gyms, or welcoming fitness communities (such as running or cycling groups) are more likely to show up for their workouts.
Or that people with a clear purpose, self-stories that foster healthy activities, or the willingness to change suffering into action are more likely to stay motivated and succeed.
That’s what coaching for deep health is all about.
Example 1: Your client is a dedicated runner with an injury.
They can’t run properly, which means they can’t train, and they’re getting deconditioned. That’s the current state of their physical health.
But because of this situation, they’re also:
feeling depressed and frustrated (emotional health)
lonely and disconnected, missing their weekend run clubs and races (relational health)
starting to wonder what the point of anything is (existential health)
Example 2: Your client works long hours at a high-stress job.
They sit at a desk (which affects their physical health via inactivity and back / neck pain), and they don’t get their proper sleep (physical health impact again)
Because of this situation, they’re also:
anxious and stressed, answering emails late at night (emotional health)
arguing with their partner about working too much (relational health)
spending most of their time in a windowless cubicle with takeout food a phone call away (environmental health)
on the cusp of a midlife crisis (existential health)
Now… here’s the really cool part:
Struggling in one dimension of deep health usually means struggling in others.
But there’s a flip side here, too.
This is the power of deep health coaching.
Maybe you help your injured client find alternative activities and mentally manage their pain.
For instance, you might introduce them to water sports or swimming. You help them normalize injury and work on rehab.
They get back to movement. They feel happier. They meet new friends at dragon boating or the local pool.
Or, maybe you give your stressed-out client some relaxation techniques, a bit of mobility work to do at their desk, and the number of a healthy meal delivery service. Plus, you empathize with their challenges.
They calm down a little, move more in their day, concentrate better, and (as a result of better focus and hence productivity) even find time to come home half an hour earlier, which makes their spouse happier.
Winning.
Pull a lever in one dimension of deep health, and gears in other dimensions will also move.
Use the connections between deep health dimensions to your advantage. If one area is off-limits or temporarily broken, try another one.
For a young stay-at-home parent, it could be balancing a certain pants size with weekly ice cream night with their kids.
For an elite powerlifter, it might be pushing their bench press without screwing up their shoulders or social life.
For a retiree in their 70s, it may be “mobility over medication”—staying off the blood pressure pills and enjoying long walks with their spouse.
That’s why your clients need coaching that’s individualized and thoughtful.
It’s about exploration and invitation.
Explore your clients’ worlds to find areas for growth, improvement, and learning. Then, invite them to do that growth and learning along with you.
This offers you unlimited coaching possibilities… and a long-term, lucrative and fulfilling coaching relationship for both client and coach.
Where do you start?
Easy… just ask your clients.
They can tell you where they need the most help, or where they want to flourish more.
Don’t think of this process as a diagnosis or an interrogation.
Instead, think of it more like opening a conversation, building a story, and deepening a coaching connection.
You can casually ask one of these questions, or all of them, if you want.
You can ask and intuit in various ways, gathering data from a range of client cues (for instance, their body language).
You can even make these questions part of your progress check-ins, if you like, using the questionnaire below.
(Download a printable copy to use for yourself or your clients.)
Your client may start to notice where they’re living out of alignment with their deeper values and goals. Or where one dimension is connected to another, in ways they’d never realized. (Example: “Gosh, on days I don’t get exercise, I’m really cranky”.)
Often, this simple awareness is enough to spark a conversation about change.
Or, you can guide clients more deliberately towards noticing what might need their attention. (Example: “I find that clients who have trouble sleeping also have trouble managing their appetite… Does that feel true for you?”)
Of course, as you probably know, telling clients what to do doesn’t work. So instead of evaluating your client’s questionnaire and giving them an “assignment,” ask them:
These are behaviors you know are total “garbage” for your health, sanity, and well-being—but you do them anyway. Everyone’s got a few.
Weekend overeating, skipping recovery days, and not getting enough sleep are some of the most common garbage list items. But they could also be anything from engaging in negative self-talk to stocking the freezer with ice cream every Friday.
Asking about a client’s garbage list is a quick-and-dirty way to figure out where to prioritize your efforts, and get them on the path to deep health.
But it’s only just the beginning.
If you want to start to truly master this coaching philosophy, read on.
After the initial assessment, you’ll probably have a good working hypothesis about your client’s deep health.
So as a coach, you have two roles to play at this point:
Deep health detective: Investigate.
In which area(s) does it seem like there may be more to uncover?
Where is your client struggling most?
Deep health sherpa: Guide.
Don’t “fix,” but enhance your client’s awareness.
Collaborate to explore where they can seek help—or come up with their own solutions (with some supportive coaching).
In short: Let your client tell you what they need in order to see results.
Below is a handy quick-start conversation guide to help you accomplish that. There are a couple ways to use it.
Option 1: Work your way through each question, searching for places where you want to dig deeper. In those areas, use the follow-up questions to find out more.
Option 2: Skip right to the question that pertains to the area where your client needs the most help. Use the initial question to start a conversation, then dive into the follow-up questions to get more detailed.
In both cases, you can use the “action-focused thinking” questions to help your client start brainstorming solutions.
They don’t have to make any decisions about how to change things right away, but these questions will help get the process started.
Sometimes people can tell you clearly and specifically about their food, exercise, health, mobility/pain, and overall recovery.
For instance, maybe they’ll say “I’m freaking exhausted because I work 12-hour shifts. My knees hurt from lots of standing on the job. I have no energy to cook, and so I eat convenience-store crap.”
Great! Now you have a solid direction.
Sometimes they can’t tell you what’s up. Or they’ll say “Meh, okay, I guess.”
If that happens, no problem. Try some of the follow-up questions below and see what your client says. If you’re not making progress, you can always focus on a different area.
Learn more about nutrition struggles: “What’s your biggest nutrition challenge right now?
Find obstacles to movement: “How do you feel when you exercise?”
Action-focused thinking: “What’s keeping you from getting the body you really want?”
This can be difficult to talk about, but it matters. How your client feels emotionally on a day-to-day basis can impact everything from their nutrition habits to their relationships with others.
A quick pro tip: For many of these questions, what your client doesn’t say is almost as important as what they do say.
Look for body language cues, especially if they’re telling an emotionally laden story. Like, if they smile rigidly while saying “I want to kill my boss,” or seem to collapse like a pile of unwashed laundry while saying “I’m so discouraged with my performance.”
If they give you a one-word answer, consider pressing further. Maybe there’s nothing there, but you won’t find out unless you ask.
Understand their ability to deal with emotions: “Sounds like you had a pretty bad day yesterday. How did you deal with that?”
Evaluate general mood: “If you had to describe your overall mood in three words, what would they be?”
Action-focused thinking: “What do those three words [above] tell you? Is there anything you’d like to change about your emotional health?”
This area is mostly about how well their mind is working. And this question helps clients evaluate their ability to problem-solve, focus, prioritize, and put things in perspective.
You’ll also get a chance to see what their capacity for insight is like. Do they offer any additional reflections about how they handled the situation? Or how they could have handled the situation differently?
A client who’s not doing so hot in this area could be having a hard time focusing at work or constantly forgetting important items on their to-do list. So keep an eye out for signs they could benefit from upping their mental game.
Search for gaps in organization and mental clarity: “How do you keep track of all the things you have to get done in any given day?”
Assess creativity: “Where and when do you have the best ideas?”
Action-focused thinking: “What do you think you need in order to have a clearer head?”
Existential health refers to having a deeper “why,” or feeling like our actions have meaning.
When we have a strong sense of ourselves and what we’re here to do, we feel worthwhile. Valuing ourselves then affects how we treat our minds, our bodies, and the people around us.
People find meaning in roles as varied as being the best parent they can be to making the world a better place through their work. The important thing is that your client finds meaning in something.
Clearly understanding motivations, or what’s driving the desire to change, is also important. We can change without knowing exactly why we’re doing it, but it helps to feel like there’s a deeper purpose to the discomfort we’re facing.
And just a heads up, the more times you offer a curious “why?”, the more likely you are to get to the real reason they want to make a change in their life. Practice starting sentences with “I’m wondering about…” and “Why…?”
Look for overall purpose: “What’s driving you, here? What’s lighting a fire under your butt to do this, or live life in general?”
Ask about the “not-why”: “What’s not driving you? What do you not care about doing or having?” (Sometimes it’s easier for people to name what they don’t want, then you can explore the opposite to uncover what they really value.)
Gauge their sense of belonging: How do you see yourself fitting into the “big picture?”
Action-focused thinking: “What do you think would give your life more meaning? Is there anything you already do that you find meaningful?”
Social support is incredibly important to success in a health and fitness journey, so finding out if your client has it can help you better assess their needs.
If your client has someone in mind they know they can rely on for support, it’s a good exercise for them to “notice and name” that person. This question may also help your client realize they need to ask for support from someone close to them, like a partner or spouse.
Relationships may affect your client’s habits without them even realizing it. For example, if their partner prefers to watch TV while eating dinner, it may be more difficult for them to eat slowly and concentrate on their food.
Probe for meaningful relationships: “It sounds like Person X really matters to you! Can you tell me more about how they support you?”
Gauge their sense of belonging: “Where and with who do you feel like you ‘belong?’”
Action-focused thinking: “What do you need from the people you’re close to in order to succeed?”
Everything from the food in your house to the weather in your city to the political atmosphere in your country is part of your environment.
Being and feeling safe, secure, and supported by your environment enables you to make better choices for your health.
Having access to resources such as healthcare or healthy food is also part of environmental health.
We can’t control some elements of our environment. They’re more structural and systemic, woven into the fabric of our societies. These are called social determinants of health, and include poverty, racism, homophobia, lack of accommodation for disabilities, and displacement (as in the case of refugees).
In any of these situations, it may be very difficult to take steps to change someone’s environment. What can help is to focus on the things you can control wherever possible.
Determine access to resources: “Is there anything you feel you need in order to reach your goals that you don’t currently have access to?”
Evaluate their safety and security: “Where do you feel most comfortable and safe?”
Action-focused thinking: “If you could change your environment to help you better meet your goals, how would you do so?”
By now you understand how seemingly unrelated factors, like someone’s relationships and work life, might affect their ability to lose fat, gain muscle, and/or improve their overall health.
So for the best results, assess every client for deep health—even if they have a super-specific aesthetic goal.
The social bone is connected to the mental bone, is connected to the physical bone, and so on. Pull a thread of your client’s life with curiosity, assuming that things are related, and see what it unravels.
This also means that small specific things are a microcosm. If a client comes to you with big problems, ask for particular, concrete examples of how those problems manifested. For instance:
Client: I eat terribly.
Coach: Can you tell me a specific situation in the last day or two where you ate terribly? Like one meal, maybe? What was happening then?
And so on.
Don’t tell, direct, lecture, or immediately jump in with “helpful” suggestions.
Instead: Investigate, together. Ask, learn, listen.
Every client needs a unique approach, and they need to buy in, first. That happens when they feel autonomous and self-determined, and when they get to tell their story without judgment from the coach.
All you have to do to create an individualized plan is to ask the right questions, and listen to the answers.
The science of nutrition can get your clients abs. Artful coaching can make their lives better. Combine the two, and you’re setting yourself (and your clients) up for success.
You can help people build nutrition and lifestyle habits that improve their physical and mental health, bolster their immunity, help them better manage stress, and get sustainable results. We’ll show you how.
If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.
The post Level 1: The “Deep Health” coaching secret that transforms short-term fitness goals into life-changing results appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
As massage therapists, we can re-create a sense of relaxation and balance along with added health benefits for our clients using stone massage
The post Stone Massage: Add Innovation & Efficiency to Your Approach appeared first on MASSAGE Magazine.
From food, to frenemies, to overpacked schedules, to mountains of stress, there are so many variables in our lives that are depleting our energy. We can call these energy drainers.
The post 3 Energy Drainers to Give Up Now appeared first on MASSAGE Magazine.
A New Year. New beginnings. New Year’s resolutions. Great intentions to make this year the best year ever. We engage in the same thoughts and list-making every year—and then watch as January plans fade away. How can 2023 be different? How can we, maybe for the first time ever, commit to prioritizing self-care and well-being?
The post Prioritizing Self-Care: The MT’s Goal for 2023 appeared first on MASSAGE Magazine.
Social media is potentially your biggest power-player when it comes to marketing your massage business. Not only are social media platforms free to use, they allow you the ability to connect with the masses instantly—but are your socials helping you grow your business or are they keeping you invisible?
The post Your 2023 Social Media Makeover appeared first on MASSAGE Magazine.
Earthlite®, the world’s leading manufacturer of spa and wellness equipment and supplies announced the launch of its proprietary Comfort-Flex™ PU upholstery with Tri-Bond™ adhesion technology.
The post Earthlite® Unveils NEW Comfort-Flex™ PU Upholstery appeared first on MASSAGE Magazine.
Massage Therapist Appreciation Week shows gratitude and support for the many thousands of massage therapists who show up to help make the world better by facilitating pain relief, relaxation and so much more.
The post Learn & Win During Massage Therapist Appreciation Week, Jan 23-27 appeared first on MASSAGE Magazine.
Want to know your body fat percentage? This free body fat calculator estimates it instantly, using three scientifically validated formulas.
But that’s just for starters: Our body fat calculator does way more than spit out numbers.
In addition to getting your body fat percentage estimate, you’ll also receive a FREE report that’ll help you understand what your results REALLY mean—and what you should do next to reach your health and fitness goals.
Ready to see your body fat percentage and get your report?
Enter your details below. (Have questions? Find the answers below the body fat calculator.)
If intersex or transitioning, choose the biological sex description that best fits current hormonal status for interpreting body fat ranges.
Originally used by the YMCA. It uses waist circumference, body weight, and sex.
Developed by the US Navy. It uses neck circumference and waist circumference for men; neck circumference, waist circumference, and hip circumference for women.
Developed at Navarra University in Spain. CUN BAE is an acronym for Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CUN) Body Adiposity Estimator (BAE). It uses body weight, height, age, and sex.
Body weight:
Fat mass:
Lean mass:
We’ve created a FREE report that analyzes your body fat results and shows you what to do next.
Whether you’re checking your own body fat percentage or doing the calculations for a client, here’s the information you’ll need:
age
sex
height
weight
waist circumference
hip circumference
neck circumference
You’ll know the first few details off the top of your head. But what about your neck, waist, and hip circumference? Just grab a measuring tape and use the instructions below.
This body fat percentage calculator is for anyone who is curious about how much body fat they have and doesn’t have access to a more advanced method.
It’s also useful for health, fitness, and nutrition coaches who want to estimate their clients’ body fat percentages for goal setting, intake evaluations, and tracking progress. (Learn more about our #1 rated nutrition coaching certification program here.)
Our body fat calculator takes the inputs listed above and enters them into three scientifically validated body fat percentage formulas (those used for the Navy body fat percentage calculator, the YMCA body fat percentage calculator, and the CUN BAE body fat percentage calculator).
Obviously, this online body fat percentage calculator can’t measure your body fat directly—so it doesn’t give you an exact body fat readout.
But research shows each of these body fat calculator methods are around 95 percent accurate when working with large populations.
That means it’s going to be pretty close for most people, but for some—especially those who 1) are very lean and muscular (think: bodybuilders, football players, gymnasts) or 2) have very high levels of body fat—it’s going to be less accurate.
This body fat calculator estimates the percentage of your body weight that is fat mass.
Fat mass is exactly what you think it is: All the fat on your body.
The body fat calculator also estimates your lean mass. Simply put, lean mass is anything that isn’t fat mass—muscle, bone, organs, connective tissue, water, and even stuff inside your GI tract.
These numbers will give you an idea about your potential health risks.
Even with an accurate measurement, though, your level of body fat doesn’t define your health status.
For instance, it’s possible to be very healthy at a higher body fat percentage. Or very unhealthy at a lower body fat percentage. (Get your free, personalized report to learn more about how your body fat percentage affects your health risk.)
Using the body fat percentage chart below, you can see where your body fat falls in terms of general categories.
But remember: Your results won’t be 100 percent precise. They’re our best guess, based on the limitations of the measurement methods used here.
Additionally, the exact numbers aren’t what matter most.
The main benefit of this body fat percentage calculator is to help you assess where you currently are, compared to where you want to be. (If you’re interested in losing body fat, check out our free weight loss calculator.)
Recognize that this body fat percentage estimate doesn’t define you. It’s just one piece of the large puzzle that is your health—and which is influenced by many factors, including how you consistently eat, move, sleep, and deal with stress.
If you’d like to better understand what your grouping means, you’ll find that info—and more—in your FREE body fat percentage report. (Just put your details into the body fat percentage calculator.)
Most people don’t need to know their exact body fat percentage in order to make decisions about what comes next for them.
Because of that, the estimate from this body fat calculator will do the job nicely. (Plus, it’s fast, free, and user-friendly.)
Understanding which general body fat percentage range you’re in can help you:
Make informed decisions about your health
Decide what your body composition goals are (if any)
Provide a starting point for tracking your body fat percentage over time
Beyond that, here’s our best advice:
Your body fat percentage is just one indicator of your physical health.
And your physical health is just one factor that determines your overall health.
In fact, it’s not publicized enough: Your emotional health, mental health, social connections, environment, and sense of purpose in life all play vital roles in your total well-being.
So remember: If your goal is to thrive, perform, and live as well as you can, your body fat percentage is just a snapshot—not the whole picture album.
Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.
1. Peterson DD. History of the U.S. Navy Body Composition program. Mil Med. 2015 Jan;180(1):91–6.
2. Gómez-Ambrosi J, Silva C, Catalán V, Rodríguez A, Galofré JC, Escalada J, et al. Clinical usefulness of a new equation for estimating body fat. Diabetes Care. 2012 Feb;35(2):383–8.
3. Kirchengast S. Gender Differences in Body Composition from Childhood to Old Age: An Evolutionary Point of View. J Life Sci R Dublin Soc. 2010 Jul 1;2(1):1–10.
4. Nauli AM, Matin S. Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Front Physiol. 2019 Dec 5;10:1486.
5. Schorr M, Dichtel LE, Gerweck AV, Valera RD, Torriani M, Miller KK, et al. Sex differences in body composition and association with cardiometabolic risk. Biol Sex Differ. 2018 Jun 27;9(1):28.
6. Wells JCK. Sexual dimorphism of body composition. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Sep;21(3):415–30.
7. Klaver M, de Blok CJM, Wiepjes CM, Nota NM, Dekker MJHJ, de Mutsert R, et al. Changes in regional body fat, lean body mass and body shape in trans persons using cross-sex hormonal therapy: results from a multicenter prospective study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2018 Feb;178(2):163–71.
8. Klaver M, Dekker MJHJ, de Mutsert R, Twisk JWR, den Heijer M. Cross-sex hormone therapy in transgender persons affects total body weight, body fat and lean body mass: a meta-analysis. Andrologia. 2017 Jun;49(5).
9. Deurenberg P, Deurenberg-Yap M. Differences in body-composition assumptions across ethnic groups: practical consequences. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2001 Sep;4(5):377–83.
10. Ortiz O, Russell M, Daley TL, Baumgartner RN, Waki M, Lichtman S, et al. Differences in skeletal muscle and bone mineral mass between black and white females and their relevance to estimates of body composition. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992 Jan;55(1):8–13.
11. Wagner DR, Heyward VH. Measures of body composition in blacks and whites: a comparative review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jun;71(6):1392–402.
12. Jackson AS, Ellis KJ, McFarlin BK, Sailors MH, Bray MS. Cross-validation of generalised body composition equations with diverse young men and women: the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) Study. Br J Nutr. 2009 Mar;101(6):871–8.
13. Chumlea WC, Guo SS, Kuczmarski RJ, Flegal KM, Johnson CL, Heymsfield SB, et al. Body composition estimates from NHANES III bioelectrical impedance data. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2002 Dec;26(12):1596–609.
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