Let’s dive into how working with a nutrition coach can help with your weight loss journey:

Helping to Turn Quick Fixes into Healthy Habits

Think of weight loss as a marathon and not a sprint. Sure, you might see fast results with fad trendy diets, but you might also see those same pounds creep up on the scale slowly. Before you know it, you’re back to where you started. Not fun.

Nutrition coaches want to see you succeed in the long run. Remember, the best diet is one you can stick to.

Weight loss is not just about the number on the scale; it’s so much more. It’s about adapting to healthy behaviors – eating healthy, exercising daily, sleeping well and managing your stress. It’s going to take time and it’s going to require patience.

Working with a nutrition coach will help you see how small daily changes can make the most impact to your overall health and well-being. Maybe you’ve already started making those small changes by cutting out sugar from your morning coffee. Maybe you and a friend have decided to take 20-minute walks during your lunch break starting next week.

Nutrition coaches can help steer you in the right direction. They have studied different methods and approaches in order to help clients reach their goal in small, yet achievable steps that they will stick to in permanently. They will discuss important details about your journey, your motivation, and what you are striving for to help you get there.

Goal Settings

Nutrition coaches work with clients to help set up goals for a successful weight loss journey. During an initial interview, they want to get to know you and what you’re striving to achieve. Are you looking to lose those last 10 stubborn pounds? Perhaps you want to learn how to eat healthier overall. Or maybe you started an exercise routine and are looking for advice on how many calories you should be eating and how to stay energized. A coach can help with all that. They look into a person’s health and fitness history and where they currently stand. They’ll discuss pertinent information about you in order to set up realistic goals that will give you the best result. For example, coaches will go over your diet history to give them an idea of your eating habits and baseline nutritional information. They will go over body composition and estimate caloric needs. Based on such information, nutrition coaches will create an action plan with clients. Once they are satisfied, the next step for coaches is to make sure you stay on track.

Health Education

One of the most important aspects of a nutrition coach is having the proper education and an understanding of how food plays a role in our everyday lives. They’ve studied countless hours, read an ample amount of studies, and looked into scientific based research to provide accurate information to their clients. They possess the knowledge of nutritional science and provide support to help you make the best decisions when it comes to eating right.

Sure, it’s easy to Google the nutritional value of a slice of deep dish pizza vs the nutritional value of a honey glazed chickpea quinoa salad. But what are you supposed to do with that information? How does knowing the amount of carbohydrates, fat and protein in a certain food help you decide whether it is considered healthy or not? How do you decipher a nutritional label?

Nutrition coaches help you make sense of all that. They help you understand how the foods you eat impact your body after it leaves your plate and into your mouth. They help you understand different areas of nutrition such as what role metabolism plays, what macronutrients are, and the importance of energy balance and hydration. Coaches also help you understand the different types of carbohydrate and fats as well as the importance of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Not only that, coaches also discuss other factors that make a significant impact to your journey that goes beyond just food such as stress and sleep.

Accountability

What does accountability even mean in terms of health and fitness? Well, the best way I can think of this is to recall the “buddy system.”  It’s essentially a support system where two people work together so they can monitor and help each other in their tasks. Coaches are there to support you. Encourage you. Listen to you. Keep you on track. It helps them see how your journey is going. Having this support without judgment can truly motivate an individual. A coach will encourage the healthy habits you have made and understand when you may fall off track. Having a coach can help create a sense of motivation and drive. Once you start to see progress towards the goals you have set, there is indeed a great sense of satisfaction for both you and your coach.

In fact, a study by the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) found that people have a 65% chance of reaching their goal if they are accountable to someone and a 95% chance if you have a scheduled accountability appointment with someone. 95%!

Coaches offer nonjudgmental support and encouragement and follow up to check in with clients to see how their progress is coming along.

Conclusion

Nutrition coaches want to see you succeed. It’s that simple. They want to help you make healthier, long-lasting food choices through proper behavior change and nutrition education.  They are there to help you become a healthier you.

Sarah Siddique
ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Personal Trainer

Truth be told, losing weight is not that easy. It’s hard work and requires a lot of patience. But, with the right guidance, steps and attitude, you’ll be where you want to be before you even know it.

That’s where a nutrition coach comes in.

Information reviewed by Sarah Siddique ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

Learn to make healthy living a habit