Choice, it’s all around us and is something many of us fiercely covet. For example, many of us are very picky when choosing a hairstylist, nail salon, or who we return to see when it comes to physicians, hence we shop! The standard ought to be the same when it comes to choosing a weight-loss program or health coach. The health and wellness industry is rapidly growing with many options and formats. Consumer health matters – Be your own health advocate. Choosing a program or specific coach that is a good fit for you, your needs and budget are important. Let’s break-down the areas you as a consumer will want to evaluate. Think of it as interviewing. You will be hiring and paying in time, money and effort for any of these services, so let’s dive into factors that will help you make a wise investment decision because let’s face it, shopping for the right program or health coach is not the same as picking out a great pair of shoes. There’s a whole lot more to the service.

1. Does the coach’s personality fit with mine? This is an important question because the coaching relationship is meant to be collaborative, which means you will be building a rapport with the coach and potentially sharing more intimate details about your lifestyle and habits over time as you work with them. There are always things we can initially detect about people we interact with. Many times, our first impressions are accurate, which is why if a free consultation is offered, take it! This is not a waste of time as some might think. This is an opportunity for you to interview the representative coach of the program, ask questions and see if the program itself is a good fit for your needs, goals and personality. We’re all different and unique in how we communicate and express ourselves, so personality fit of coach and client is an important aspect. You will want to look forward to future meetings with whoever you hire. Are they warm, seem caring, genuine, do they seem interested in treating you as an individual and not a number, are they encouraging, knowledgeable and appear to practice what they teach?
2. What is the flexibility and variety of service offerings? Is it offering just pre-made food and coaching? What is the length of coaching sessions? While lengthier coaching sessions can be pricier, they do offer space to explore deeper issues, potentially finding root issues that can’t be resolved in a mere 15-20 min. appointment session. Does it incorporate exercise, self-care, recipes, experience sessions (ie: visiting a grocery store, visiting your kitchen set-up, etc.), offer how-to experiences with cooking, etc.? These are all important factors because if you’re aware that you have an understanding gap in any of these areas, a program or coach that has the ability to address your specific gaps will help you become stronger, more resilient and increase your rate of success. Typically, pre-formatted programs won’t allow for this kind of customization, but independent health coaches usually have more offerings and customization flexibility. Pricing often reflects flexibility capacity. Do they accept insurance? While this is a great feature for those on a fixed budget, there may not be as many options to customize your experience or spend longer sessions with clients. There’s always pros and cons to evaluate whichever way you choose.
3. What is the value of the program offered? No, I don’t mean money alone. I have to say, monetary cost tends to be the biggest driver of client decisions, and I get it, but don’t stop there. Remember it’s not a simple pair of shoes. Presumably, you might be shopping around for a program or coach because you have experienced set-backs, struggles and have gotten to point of needing help. Those challenges occurred due to certain set-back triggers and/or lifestyle responses, all of which will require a qualified and experienced coach to help unravel the mystery to help you work past and overcome especially cyclical triggers so you can achieve your desired goal. Is the program a one-size fits all approach, will it enhance your understanding by providing education opportunities, does it have the potential to teach you skills to grow, or is it set-up to hook you as a repeat customer because it lacks self-growth aspects?
4. If you’ve already used the program or coach before, are you coming back in the same predicament as before? As a parent, I tell my kids, “My ceiling is your floor.” In other words, they’ve been invested in, nurtured, and provided things I never had the opportunity growing-up and my desire is for them to have a better start than I did. In like manner, are you better off now than before or is it time to try something different? It’s important to be real and introspective when something isn’t actually working. If it is supposed to help you improve your trajectory by creating a healthier lifestyle, did it live up to the task? Don’t get me wrong, one of the greatest compliments as a service provider is to have a prior client return to you or refer you to others. But the goal as a repeat client should be that you’ve grown and are still using prior learned skills with the vision and supports of the coaching program to foster your continued growth. Likewise, the goal for a good coach should be, am I helping my clients to grow? It’s a 2-way street because it is a collaborative relationship. Are you still advancing? If the answer is no, a gap in readiness could be a very real issue to explore or it’s just not the right program model for your overall vision and goals. Remember, there is no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to weight loss and health coaching. The yo-yo effect is unfortunately a very real experience for many. The good news is there are other avenues to break the cycle, but it may require change. Need to stop a yo-yo cycle? Make the time to self-reflect and evaluate the effectiveness of your effort, the program, and explore other options using the questions and principles discussed above. Hallmarks of a great coaching program should ideally have a vision and realistic plan to grow your independence skills so that you are not utterly dependent on a coach or program as the only method of success. The goal is for successful growth until you can fly.

To wrap-up, don’t allow cost alone to drive your decision. View all angles. Do your due diligence and interview, even if it means scheduling 3-4 free consults before making your decision. It is truly an investment in you, and you are worthy. A good coaching program is one that is set-up to get results and one that fosters meaningful, relevant change for a healthier future. When it comes to our health the truth is, there is no quick fix method. So go ahead, allow yourself the space and freedom to dig deep, ask the tough questions, interview, collaborate with the right coach and get to know how to work with your body on a deeper level to gain something truly priceless, better health!

May You Fleurish Healthy!

To learn more about self-care gaps & more, join me for my next free seminar, “Refresh & Restore” Dec. 3rd 7:00-8:00 pm. Registration is open! https://forms.gle/7m9XBWB62YeBT6rq6