Do You Need a Health Coach?

Guest post by Health Coach Leslie Salling

Do you need a health coach?

The short answer is no, you don’t need a health coach.

Yes, I am a health coach, telling you that you don’t need me. All the information you need to create a healthy lifestyle and have the body of your dreams is on Pinterest, Google and YouTube.

However, you will likely spend lots of time finding the right information for your specific needs and unique situation. You’ll be on your own to create a program, nutrition plan and make yourself accountable. So, yes, it's possible to do that on your own, but it will take more time—and potentially more money.

A health coach can work with you to suggest the most efficient ways to get in shape, be consistent with healthy eating specific to your body and lifestyle—and, therefore, create change that lasts. They can take all that information and put it in terms that makes sense to you and is uniquely fitted just for you and your specific situation.

So, you don’t need a health coach, but having one will expedite the process of long-term healthy living.

What is a health coach?

Health coaches, simply put, are masters of habit change. A health coach can curate extensive nutrition and fitness information and make it personal to your goals, giving you a step-by-step method that works for your lifestyle.

We all have a pretty good idea of what it means to be healthy. Eat clean foods, get enough sleep, have an exercise routine, and drink enough water. Those are the basics, right? So then why don't we do them on a daily basis? Why can’t we be consistent with an exercise routine or our diet?

Because knowledge does not equal action. Just because you know something doesn’t mean you have the skills and the mindset to take action.

That’s where a health coach comes in. I teach my clients how to make a systematic change in their behaviors and lifestyle. I show them how to stop self-sabotaging behaviors, get through the blocks that have been holding them back and create habits that are healthy for their body and mind. As a health coach, I address individual goals, provide accountability, and provide support when clients fall off track. The value of a health coach is being able to affect and address the underlying factors that create habit change.

My goal is to give my clients a strong foundation (physically and mentally) that they can continue to build on in a way that’s easy and fun!

Here’s more about what health coaches do, and how we’re different from other types of wellness and healthcare professionals.

Why did I become a health coach?

I was a single mom of three boys who looked up to me. I realized that I needed to step up my game. I tried to set aside time to get back into the gym, I started being even more conscious about what we ate.

But as I started down this path of a healthy lifestyle, I got frustrated. Something always came up during the time I had set aside for the gym, I couldn’t afford to buy grass-fed beef or healthy snacks with a high price tag. I got so overwhelmed and most days I just gave up. I was frustrated. I was confused about what to do and, even worse, I felt like I was a bad example to my kids.

Then I found a health coach.

This health coach was able to work with me one-on-one to figure out what was slowing me down from having the healthy lifestyle that I wanted for my family and how to make it work in our crazy life.

I was able to get crystal clear on what to prioritize when it came to healthy food choices and how to afford them.

I was able to shift my thinking. Instead of saying "I don’t have time for myself," it was "How can I make the time?" and my health coach helped me with a step-by-step process to make that time a normal part of my daily routine.

I now feel strong, in control, living with integrity, and a good example to my kids.

I learned that the state of your body is the state of your life. And if your body feels out of control, your life will feel out of control. Taking ownership of your body is taking ownership of your life.

I wanted every mom to have this same experience and the freedom of healthy living without stress or guilt. So, I received my certificates in Health and Life Coaching through the Health Coach Institute.

I believe that every woman has the power to create a beautiful life full of health, wealth and happiness. Maybe somewhere along the way you lost yourself to your partner’s job or your children’s needs. You sacrificed yourself to raise a family. But you know deep down that you are meant for more. You can be the woman you were created to be and raise an exceptional family. You don’t have to give up your voice, you don’t have to neglect your body and health any longer. You are brave. You are strong. You are worthy. You are enough. You can be the person you've always dreamed of being. It’s time to believe that you are as strong as your children believe you are. It’s time to feel like the sexy woman that your husband married. It’s time to create an abundant, beautiful life without sacrificing your needs.

The difference between people who are already living a healthy lifestyle and those who are on a health journey is very small—it’s called a leap of faith to invest in yourself.

So, if you believe in yourself and want to invest in yourself, I’d love for you to say “Hell yes!” That’s who health coaches are ready to connect with. (And, if you choose to work with a health coach to achieve your wellness goals, here are five tips to maximize your health coaching results.)

To your health,
Health Coach Leslie Salling

Leslie Salling is a certified Health & Life Coach helping women, especially busy moms, create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.