Coaching, Health and Wellbeing

Most of us have a desire to live a healthy life, but struggle with maintaining a consistent system of health and wellness habits. Often though we face challenges in staying engaged or motivated over time while trying a variety of diets, exercise routines, and other wellness strategies. However, research indicates that one of the most effective ways to achieve long-term health improvements is through regular conversations with health and wellness professionals.

One of the primary reasons that these regular conversations can be so impactful is their ability to provide personalised guidance and support. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that health behaviours are highly individualised, meaning that what works for one person may not be effective for another. By working with a professional who can help identify individual needs and goals, individuals can gain a better understanding of the specific steps they need to take to make lasting changes.

Another key aspect that makes regular conversations with professional health coaches so important is accountability. Sticking with health and wellness habits can be challenging, especially over time. However, by setting regular check-ins, setting goals and objectives, and receiving consistent reflection and inquiries, coaches can help clients stay on track and make consistent progress towards their health and wellness goals; in this process individuals are more likely to stay on track. This accountability can be particularly critical in the face of difficult or stressful situations, where individuals may be more prone to reverting back to old habits.

Perhaps most importantly, coaching provides a safe and secure space for clients to open up and really make an effort to change their habits towards their goals and objectives. Coaches are trained to listen actively and empathetically, and to provide a non-judgmental and supportive environment for their clients. This can be particularly important for individuals who may have experienced stigma or shame around their health challenges in the past, and who may need a safe space to share their experiences and feelings.

National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching identifies health coache's job in the following manner-

"Health and Wellness Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being. In the course of their work health and wellness coaches display unconditional positive regard for their clients and a belief in their capacity for change and honoring that each client is an expert on his or her life while ensuring that all interactions are respectful and non-judgmental."

Thus the benefits of regular conversations with health and wellness coaches are clear: they provide psychological safety to open up and dig deeper in behavioural pattern, help you to spot trends that you might be blind about, recognise thoughts that appear in intervals and damaging and personalised the support you require; ensure accountability that you are looking for and uses scientifically backed interventions that can help individuals make long-term changes to their health habits and outcomes.

Whether through individual sessions, group coaching, or online programs, these conversations can be an essential ingredient in achieving health and wellness goals. For those seeking to make sustainable, long-lasting improvements to their health, I invite you to book a coach for free and get the benefit from the very first hour.

Health Coaching has its roots in century old concepts such as preventive medicine, holistic health, patient centric education, and health promotion. For example, health educators have been active since the early 1900s, and programs promoting healthy behavior such as weight loss for an example, have been around since the 1950s. According to American Council on Exercise (ACE), the modern-day health coaching industry gained momentum in the 1990s. A few references are collected for you around scinetific studies that might help you to get a better view around the real need and importance of having coaching conversation with professionals. And if you want to learn about health and wellbeing, please visit the other articles under Health and Wellbeing category.

References:

1. Fitchett JA, Haynes K, Danowski RM, et al. The Impact of Regular Conversations with Healthcare Professionals on Long-term Health Behaviors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2020 Mar;35(3):810-817. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05528-2. PMID: 32076975; PMCID: PMC7057817.

2. A systematic literature review published in the Journal of Health Psychology in 2021 analyzed 27 studies on the impact of health coaching on health-related outcomes. The review found that health coaching was associated with improvements in various health outcomes, including physical activity, weight management, and chronic disease management.

3. A randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in 2020 evaluated the effectiveness of a telephonic counseling program for weight loss. The program included individualized health coaching and was found to be effective in helping participants lose weight and improve their physical activity levels.

4. A qualitative study published in the Journal of Health Psychology in 2019 explored the experiences of individuals who received health coaching for their mental health. The study found that health coaching provided a safe and supportive space for individuals to explore their experiences and make meaningful changes to their mental health habits.

5. A systematic review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine in 2018 analyzed 20 studies on the impact of health coaching on lifestyle behaviors. The review found that health coaching was associated with improvements in various lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, nutrition, and smoking cessation.

6. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2017 evaluated the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based health coaching program for stress reduction and wellness promotion. The program was found to be effective in reducing perceived stress and improving subjective well-being.

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