How to hire the best health coach

“Embrace the Life That’s Calling You” – Oprah Winfrey

Pause for a moment and think back to the last time you dealt with a challenge and felt stuck. What was it? Did you look at it from all angles but yet could not find a good solution?

Or you thought you had all the right answers but then talked to someone else, someone with a fresh set of eyes, who gave you an idea that didn’t even cross your mind?

I used to think I had all the answers. Yes, I know it was quite naïve and, let’s be honest, it seems conceited. But my ‘I got this’ attitude didn’t stem from pride or arrogance, but rather from the notion I’d be viewed as a failure if I didn’t have all the answers. I had a belief that asking questions would lead to people questioning my competency. I couldn’t have been more wrong....

Talking to busy executives about their wellbeing, I often hear “I know what I should be doing, but I just haven't had time”. And before you know it decades have gone by, and you wished you had a stronger connection with your spouse and your children, and felt better in your own skin.

Just like you being an expert in your line of business, do you think you would be much further along on your wellbeing journey if you collaborated with a trained professional to guide and motivate you?

A 2012 Health International article noted, “Changing individual behavior is increasingly at the heart of health care.” People need help managing and improving their health but receiving the right kind of support is critical. Enter the health coach, a key part of population health programs…

5 reasons to collaborate with a health coach

1. Clarity of your direction: A great health coach can help you turn a daunting, uninspiring goal (e.g. lose 30 pounds) into an inspiring North Star that will motivate you even in challenging moments.

2. Upgrade your knowledge and skills: A professional health coach will be able to answer some of the important health related questions you are concerned with. Are all carbohydrates bad? Does eating fat make me fat? Is counting calories a good strategy?

3. Create strategies: One of the most important reasons why you want to work with a talented health coach is their ability to help you determine the best path to reaching your goals. Got food cravings? There is a slew of reasons that could cause them and your strategies to overcoming them are as unique to you as you are.

4. Optimize your environment: You decided to make a nutritious smoothie every morning…now what? Do you have a blender? What should go into the smoothie? What’s the best source of produce? Where and when will you buy them? A good health coach will make sure you leave each session knowing exactly what it takes to successfully implement your intentions.

5. Master your psychology: Are you feeling stressed and anxious? Is the nagging voice in your head filled with negativity and uncertainty? Your mind is the most important factor in your ability to reaching your goals. A trained health coach will help you uncover old beliefs that are holding you back and will help you see the world through a more optimistic, yet realistic lens.

I struggled with chocolate addiction for over 25 years. After just three months of collaboration with a health coach I was able to free myself from these chains. My brain was weak, focusing was hard, and controlling my impulses was impossible (you always knew what was on my mind)…it was only because of the help of a health coach that I discovered the reasons and was able to completely change things around.

"My JOYVIAL health coach's experience and intellect bring a richness to the discussion that lead me to conclusions I wouldn’t make on my own. I’m so thrilled I made the commitment.

It’s the best gift you can give yourself."

CEO of publicly traded company with 2,800 employees

8 factors to consider when choosing a health coach

If you are considering a collaboration with a health coach, I invite you to read through these 8 tips. Health coaching is not a regulated field meaning anybody can call themselves a health coach. Working with someone who hasn't received the proper education and extensive experience means you’ll likely won't see the desired results.

1. Ensure the health coach has gone through an accredited school – there are many programs out there that vary in length, scope, and depths of knowledge.

2. Find out the number of clients the coach has worked with. Great coaches are those who know how to ask good questions that make you think. While this can be taught, most find that applying the learnings again and again in the real work will lead their clients to the best outcome. Experience does matter.

3. Ask if they promote a certain diet (i.e. Paleo, Keto, etc.) – if they do, walk away. It's likely their diet. A good health coach doesn’t promote a specific diet but rather helps you identify foods and habits that work best for you.

4. In your initial conversation with the coach see who does most of the talking. If he or she talks more than you do, it is unlikely you will see the results you are hoping for. A coach's job is to help you find out what your ideal path is to reach your goals. This is only possible if a coach leads you to have revelations by asking you the right questions...not by giving you the answer that work for him or her.

5. Be aware of any promises being made (i.e. "Working with me you will lose 10 pounds in 10 days).

6. Make sure your personalities click – if you don't feel a connection with your coach, a person you want to share your challenges and worries with, walk away and interview another one.

7. Ask about the extend of topics covered in their coaching sessions – if it’s all about food alone, you are unlikely to make the progress you are looking for. Someone telling you to stop eating sugar is like telling a poor person to earn more and spend less. Our ability to thrive has so many more layer than food alone.

8. Are they as professional and timely as you would like them to be. How long did it take them to respond to your emails? Were they on time for your initial call?

"Working with JOYVIAL was a great experience and I'd highly recommend it for other working professionals trying to be their best self in all aspects of their life."

Melissa Proctor, Chief Marketing Officer

Atlanta Hawks

Why not start here? One of our executive health coaches will help you create a vision of you living your healthiest, most JOYful life and will guide you every step of the way. If this sounds like something would like to explore further, click the 'Contact' button in the top right corner or simply send us an email to info@joyvial.com to schedule your free discovery session.

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