When it comes to our health, sometimes we feel alone in our symptoms. We feel tired, bloated, frustrated, and blame ourselves for a lack of motivation. “Why can’t I just do what I know I need to be doing?”, we ask ourselves… and the shame keeps building. As a health coach, I am here to help you release the shame around those frustrations and let you know you are not alone. These are among the top three symptoms I hear from patients, and I am going to give you a small insight as to how, as a coach, we are able to work together to get past those roadblocks.
One of the biggest frustrations I hear from patients during health coaching is that they know what to do, but they just don’t have the motivation or the willpower to keep going with it. “There must be something wrong with me…”, “I know what to do, I just don’t do it…”, “I start strong and give up quickly.” Again, you are not alone. Habit change is hard. No matter how much we want to change those bad habits we have, our brains are wired to make the easiest, most convenient, energy conserving choice. So we start something great, have all the motivation to change our diets, start exercising, and go to bed on time. And then life hits us with all the deadlines, curveballs and inconsistencies of our daily routine and we reach for the easy morning mocha from our favorite coffee shop with a sweet scone, skip lunch, and feel too exhausted to work out after a long day at work. Sound familiar? So what do you do instead?
As a health coach, I am here for accountability, personalized goal setting, and celebration along the way. When we can sit down and break down that beautiful big goal you have for yourself into tiny, doable steps, and set small daily goals, you are more likely to feel successful and gain confidence in your ability. A helpful tool to use here is called Habit Stacking: adding new habits to existing ones. Do you want to drink more water? Try keeping your water bottle in your car and take a drink at every stop light. Or maybe you want to get more activity? Try taking the stairs if you have them and walking further every time you need to get up to use the bathroom. Another small mindset shift could include something I like to call the “5 minute rule”: start any new habit by doing it for just 5 minutes a day to build momentum and take out the time barrier. These are small steps that help you start to build into becoming a person who has a routine of healthy habits.
The next symptom I hear frequently from patients is that they want to lose weight. They feel stuck and discouraged after trying everything with no lasting success. Here are a few tools I use with patients that help refocus and get lasting results.
Although we have been conditioned to focus on a number, there are a plethora of other measurements that motivate and encourage lasting change better than the number on the scale. Non-scale victories include shifting your focus to the new found energy you feel, changes in sleep, mood shifts and strength, to name a few. We can utilize the habit stacking tool from above to create sustainable healthy habits that start to add up to lasting results. Swapping extreme diets for small, maintainable changes, like adding veggies to every meal, or taking a 5 minute walk give you tangible and simple steps to take on a daily basis. Even on the worst of days, can you take a walk around the block at least once or find a vegetable to add to dinner? Pick one meal a day to “upgrade”- add a veggie, swap soda for water, or eat mindfully at a table with calming music. That sounds more doable than making sure you’re prepping every meal, cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday, doing an hour-long workout, and praying for more hours in the day to complete the rest of your tasks that are already screaming for your attention.
When it comes to weight loss, of course we all know that movement is a huge key to lasting change. We weren’t meant to sit all day, yet most of us have jobs that require us to be at a desk. The best exercise you could do is the kind you enjoy. This may require a little trial and error, but finding an enjoyable activity ensures you will want to stick to it. If you are willing to give yourself a little time to experiment with new forms of movement, I know we can find something you enjoy that gives you life and energy to continue.
The third symptom I will mention that I hear frequently is digestive issues. Not a single person wants to feel gassy, bloated, have debilitating heartburn, or irregular bowel movements and stomach aches. If this is you, I love to start with a food and symptom diary. Track what you eat for 5 to 7 days and how you feel 1-2 hours afterwards. Notice how food affects your mood, energy, and digestion so that we can start to see patterns.
Are you eating mindfully? If you always eat on the go, your body may be having a hard time resting and digesting, which can lead to bloating and discomfort. This is what I mean by mindfully eating: slow down, sit at a table, say a few gratitudes or take four deep breaths before taking your first bite, remove distractions like your phone or computer, and chew a few extra times.
My next two suggestions when it comes to digestion go hand in hand. Add a few gut healthy additions. Things like fiber rich vegetables, probiotics (sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt or kefir), animal or plant proteins, and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, or olive oil can feed all of those healthy gut bugs that create healthy digestion. When adding more fiber, we also need to ensure we are drinking enough water around our meals. If you’re wondering what that looks like, the goal is half of your body weight in ounces throughout the day to assist in the digestive process.
Now let’s add in a little accountability and celebration, because each new habit can come with barriers and you might need a little encouragement. We can’t expect ourselves to have it perfect from the start. That’s why having an accountability partner can make it so much easier to start a walking routine, and changing your nutrition habits with your partner can be more encouraging than trying to do it alone. Recognizing the small wins and rewarding yourself for those successes is a huge confidence boost that helps us continue on the journey to success.
Health coaches don’t just give advice—they partner with you to find what actually works for your unique life. We make small changes feel doable, keep you accountable, and help you celebrate progress, every step of the way. I can’t wait to help you on your journey using these tools and others!
