Why Should I Come to Coaching?

I thought today I would talk about something that I get asked constantly as a health and wellness coach. What's the point of coming to coaching? It's a great question, and one you should definitely consider before seeking out a coach, whether it's for health and wellness, lifestyle or career.

The first thing I want to find out is why are you considering getting a coach? The answer is almost always something along the lines of, I want to feel better, have more energy, and live the best life I can. For most of us (and if this is not you, please introduce yourself, I would love to talk with you)there is some aspect of our lives with which we are not completely satisfied. We are maybe a 5 on a scale of 1-10. This might be your overall health, weight, work/life balance or relationships. We have all mastered some things pretty well, but generally there is something that eludes each of us.

My next question might be, how long have you been working on this aspect of your life? This is the good stuff right here. The answer is typically, "my whole life". That really answers the question doesn't it? If it's not working on your own, you probably could use a little help. I know about resisting help, and wanting to do it on your own. I fought my parents on getting a math tutor in high school for probably at least a year, while I struggled. Finally, I gave in and my grades went up, right away. If you can find someone to guide you and help you with pitfalls, why wouldn't you give yourself every opportunity to succeed? I mean, would you climb Mt. Everest without a Sherpa?

Many people see asking for help as a sign of weakness. I know I did for a long time. To me it meant I wasn't good enough on my own, it made me feel inadequate. Fortunately, I realized it's actually the smarter people that ask for help. It's a sign you are more evolved and want to be the best you can be without letting your ego get in the way. The most successful people in the world have coaches, advisers and mentors. The absolute best thing you can do in any aspect of your life is surround yourself with people you can learn from. We aren't meant to know everything, be great at everything and have every answer. Picture your perfect life, whatever that looks like to you. I promise, you can achieve it, sometimes you just need a little help getting there.

So, maybe the real question is: Your greatest life is waiting, do you really want to continue putting it off?

Book Review : Fitness Beyond 50

Recently I was introduced to a fascinating author and fellow wellness enthusiast, Harry Gaines. He has penned a book called, 'Fitness Beyond 50. Turn Back the Clock'. After reading the book in a matter of a few short days I knew I had to get this into the hands of some of my coaching clients. One of the biggest struggles we all face at one point in our lives or another is motivation. "I want to lose weight, but I just can't, I have no motivation". I have heard that time and time again. I deal with motivation, or the lack thereof on a daily basis in my coaching business. We all want to live our lives more fully, have more energy, and have a greater sense of purpose. However, finding and keeping the motivation to change and evolve is our biggest hurdle.

As a general rule, I am looking for a client that has intrinsic motivation. That's the motivation that comes from within. Wanting to lose weight because you want to feel better, live longer. External or extrinsic motivation is the one we get from the outside, generally these are fueled by winning a reward, or based in fear. Extrinsic motivation can be good, but generally only works in the short term. This book provides great motivation and is illustrated by ordinary people going out of their comfort zone to change their lives. It shows you how you can change your life by making small lifestyle changes.

Gaines uses lots of anecdotes to show what is possible when you just make the effort. These are everyday people in his community making lifestyle changes to not only prolong their lives, but feel better on a daily basis, for as long as possible. Gaines is not an MD, or a personal trainer, or a nutritionist. He is a 70 year old man who looks incredible, feels great, and shows what each and every one of us is capable of doing. What is more motivating than that? It should also be noted there is a ton of complex and interesting science based material in the book. It is well researched and cross checked with experts, but written in an easy to understand fashion.

If you are looking to start taking control of your health for the first time, or just need a nudge to get back in the game I highly recommend this book. Who knows, maybe this is the day you stop putting off feeling great? You can get your copy now at Fitness Beyond Fifty Website, as well as Amazon