Happy Wednesday!
I feel like this week is just flying by! I’ve been super busy, and my work week is short because I’m heading down to San Diego on Friday (more on the exciting reason behind my trip to come soon!). Last night my hubby and I had a rare weekday date night. I had gotten him tickets to see Kings of Leon as a Christmas gift, so we headed into San Jose to see them perform. The concert was a lot of fun! 🙂
Moving along to the topic of today’s post, after doing a recap of my first month as a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (a second one to come in the near future!), a couple of people asked me to go more in-depth as to what a health coach is. So let’s get into it!
At IIN, health coaches are believed to be the future of our healthcare system. At the school, students like myself learn about what IIN refers to as post-modern nutrition — that is, recognizing that one diet does not fit all and looking at factors in bio-individuality, such as age and ancestry, to understand how they play a role in diet. We learn not only about a ton of different diets and schools of thought when it comes to food, but the curriculum also focuses on coaching tools and mentoring skills. Why? Because a health coach combines all of this knowledge together to help people develop healthier and happier lives.
A health coach offers guidance and inspiration to help clients shift their behavior to healthier habits by making step-by-step changes to their diet and lifestyle. A school of thought at IIN is
recognizing that the food on our plates is only a small part of what feeds us. We call the different aspects of life that nurture us “primary food” (think of important parts of life like relationships, career, physical activity and spirituality). Health coaching clients will learn about this concept and how it relates to their life. As a result, clients develop a deeper understanding of the foods and lifestyle choices that work best for them. Health coaches help them to implement lasting changes
that improve their energy, balance and health.
IIN believes that health coaches are needed to fill the gap between medical professionals and preventative healthcare. The goal in health coaching isn’t to replace a doctor, nutritionist, or any other healthcare professionals; it’s meant to serve as a complement to existing healthcare providers.
Think about what typically happens when you go to the doctor. How much time does the doctor actually spend with you? Do they thoroughly look at the factors that could play into your current issue? Mine certainly do not. In our current healthcare system, almost no time is spent discussing daily diet and lifestyle. Look at it like 
this: If you go to the doc for a cold, they’ll probably spend a moment determining if it’s just a head cold, then rush you out the door with some kind of meds and the recommendation of some R&R. In contrast, if you go to a health coach and one of your health concerns is that you’re constantly getting head colds, they’ll look at factors like diet and stress to determine how you can help to build up your immune system and prevent yourself from getting the sniffles so much.
Health coaching takes on a holistic approach, always looking at the bigger picture. They serve as a guide and mentor who empowers clients to take responsibility for their own health, and supports them on their journey to achieve their personal wellness goals.
A lot of the time, health coaches build their own practice, but they could also work in places like spas, gyms, yoga studios and doctor’s offices. Once I complete my program at IIN, I plan to begin taking on clients on my own. Pursuing my passion in healthy living feels great, and I’m excited to see where it leads me!
Please don’t hesitate to email me at nicole[at]foodielovesfitness.com if you’re interested in learning more about IIN as a potential student, or if you’d like to find out more about my health coaching service. I won’t begin taking on any clients until later this year, but I’d love to chat!
Tell me…
Do you have any other questions about what a health coach does?Â
What was the last concert you went to?Â
I love Kings of Leon! How fun. I think the last concert I went to was Foster the People for the Hubs’ 30th bday. It was outside in Central Park and it was amazing! It started to rain during the last song and the crowd absolutely went nuts. So.much.fun!
This is a great post and really informative! I had no idea how health coaches fit into the whole nutrition paradigm so thank you so much for explaining!
A concert in Central Park sounds awesome!!
Two of my coworkers were at that concert as well! Looks like a great time! I’ve always thought they would be really good live. I’m glad you got to go!
Yeah Kings of Leon was great! My hubby loves them and I had bought him tix a few years ago but they cancelled the show… so, I figured I’d try to get him tix again and this time it worked out. 🙂
Thanks so much for explaining more about health coaching. I enjoyed reading!
Happy to do so, Paula!
I was just wondering today what exactly kind of career/job you can get with a health coaching certificate…I had actually been thinking about taking the 6 pre-req classes that I need for a Masters in Nutrition, but I also keep thinking about this program too….
Ha, funny! I’ve thought about getting a Masters in nutrition too… but I have to say, after starting class at IIN, I’ve kind of changed my mind a bit about getting a Masters in it. I really like how IIN emphasizes that their health coaching program is about finding what works for every individual. It’s a more open minded approach, and I think it’s a more efficient way to try help people become healthier too.
great, informative explanation!
Thank you, Hillary!