An often-touted benefit of health coaching is that it can be personalized. This means that as you work with a coach, they will tailor their plan to meet your individual needs and preferences. This sounds great — but it's also something worth learning more about if you are thinking of enrolling in a personalized health coaching program. Specifically, you may want to know more about which elements of a health coaching experience can be personalized. You'll find them described below.
The Diet
Diet is such a huge part of a healthy lifestyle, but not everyone can or should follow the same diet plan. A health coach can work with you to create a dietary plan that will help boost your health but that is also realistic for your lifestyle, taste preferences, and ethical position. For instance, if you are a vegan, your health coach can work within those parameters when crafting meal plans for you. If you are a busy professional with exactly 10 minutes to prepare dinner each night, then your coach can focus on healthy but quick meals. You're more likely to stick to a diet formulated just for you.
The Exercise Plan
Exercise comes in more flavors than ice cream. Most health coaches are going to have some basic guidelines they want an exercise plan to adhere to in order for that plan to be effective. However, they should also be able to customize your plan to fit your goals, your current athletic ability, and the workout resources you have on hand. For example, if you don't have access to a gym, your health coach can work with you to create an at-home workout. If you have arthritis in your ankles, then they can be sure to recommend low-impact exercise, only. A personalized exercise plan should feel challenging but achievable.
Lifestyle Changes
Most health coaches evaluate their clients' lifestyles and recommend changes. But since everyone's lifestyle is different, everyone receives different change recommendations. You might be advised to get more sleep, whereas another client may be advised to stop smoking. It's important to be honest with your coach about what lifestyle changes are realistic for you, too. For example, if you absolutely don't have an extra hour to sleep in the morning, you need to let your coach know that so they can make different recommendations that you can actually follow.
Working with a health coach should feel personal since they create personalized diets, exercise routines, and lifestyle changes for each client.
