Working with a Health Coach

Thursday, 02 September 2010 14:17

Your decision to have bariatric surgery is a huge step towards a commitment to living a healthier life. As you already know, your journey will also include major lifestyle changes to help you reach your goals.

Not only will you be eating less, you will have to give up some foods and introduce some new foods into your diet. For many patients, this means forming an entirely new relationship with food. Learning how to eat differently, how to be more active, and how to take control of your own health can sometimes seem overwhelming. To make the process easier, you may want to consider working closely with a health coach.

What is a Health Coach?

The field of health coaching is a growing industry. Dr. Mehmet Oz has said that health coaches are crucial in changing the culture of wellness in America. Health coaches help people define their health goals and devise a plan with achievable milestones for reaching those goals. They may work with individuals on behavior modification and other lifestyle changes. While a health coach may perform some of the same tasks as a nutritionist, the services of a health coaches are often more comprehensive, as they help people overcome their physical and emotional hurdles towards achieving optimal health.

As Dr. Alejandro Junger explains in his book Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself, a health coach or a wellness coordinator is your personal partner in building health. A health coach can assume the tasks of researching doctors and treatment options, setting appointments, keeping test results and other health records organized, and analyzing where and why you may be falling short of reaching your goals.

As opposed to a traditional health care system in which you are prescribed treatments that your doctor considers most appropriate, working with a health coach allows you to be more proactive in your medical care. You can focus on the aspects of your health that you consider most important or most troubling, and work with your health coach to find a treatment approach that meets your personal needs.

Choosing a Health Coach

When searching for a health coach, look for a reputable organization whose beliefs align with your own attitudes towards health and wellness. Also keep in mind any specific goals you may have, and look for a health coach with experience in those areas. If the coaches you are interested in have web sites, books, or other published material, read their writing to get a sense for how they work. Many health coaches will offer a complementary 15 to 20 minute phone interview so that you can determine if you feel comfortable working with them.