A Side of Syrup Podcast - EP 004: What is a Health & Wellness Coach?
What exactly does a health and wellness coach do?
I once spoke with a psychologist in Seattle who made me swear up and down on everything that I wouldn’t do two things: 1.) work with clients who actually needed therapy/not provide them therapy and 2.) become a life coach.
I can safely say that years later, I’m not a therapist and I’m not a life coach. But then what do I do exactly? Let’s dive into all that and more on today’s episode.
You’ve worked late. Really late. Four weeks in a row. There’s been no time to cook, let alone grocery shop. (Or all of the other things that are important - do laundry, put away laundry, workout, meet friends for dinner, catch up on your family’s to do list). It’s time for takeout. Not the healthy kind. The kind that comforts you. The kind that’s quick and easy.
That good gets delivered and you eat it at your desk. You dive in without taking a break (or a bathroom break) and you continue what you’re doing. Because the work needs to get done and if you work through another dinner, you will finish earlier. Just for more time sitting in bed and decompressing from the day in front of yet another screen.
You wake up the next morning and say, this cycle is going to end. But it doesn’t. It starts over. This time at breakfast. The breakfast you’ve prepared for everyone else, but somehow forgot about yourself. And forget it, you’ve forgotten lunch too. So you’re burning the day with coffee and hopefully a few glasses of water.
I imagine that scenario is many of you. Admittedly, it used to be me. And if I’m being honest, it occasionally still is.
If you don’t actively stop that cycle it keeps taking you for the ride.
That’s where and why a health coach steps in. To make the change that you’re fully capable of, but not taking the action to do so.
Why wouldn’t you take action? Because the cycle ends up feeling good. It ends up feeling normal. It is not normal! And how do you step out of something that is totally normal to yourself and your body?
Call a coach. Someone who’s an expert in accountability and making change. And in my case in particular, treating the whole person.
Wait, isn’t that drifting into life coach territory? Nope! Here’s why:
That person (maybe it’s you!) who is so burnt out in their days is off balance in other areas of their life that contribute and impact their overall health - fitness, community, food, etc. If you don’t work on ways to add that back in, making yourself feel a little more whole, you’ll still be off balance.
If you’re the burnt out person and you can add in only one thing - working out after work - you’re still not seeing friend and family and you’re still ordering Denny’s takeout.
We’ve got to work on the whole circle, everything that affects your day to day, your sleep, your happiness, your world. Layer by layer we create goals together, hold you accountable for those goals, and begin to design a life you love - and can maintain.
A life coach would jump in to tackle problems and deeper issues like relationships.
A therapist would discuss the root of the problem and solutions on how to address it.
My approach is more integrated. I’m not here to solve your problems. I’m here to make you better inside and out. I want you to feel good. I want you to look good. And I want you to maximize the time you have on this planet living a life you love.
Why hire a health coach? It feels extra.
I get it. We live in a world where taking care of yourself is more expensive than not. Where a family can eat a bigger and cheaper meal at a fast food restaurant than a fast casual salad restaurant.
We’re all very well aware that more than 65% of Americans are overweight. But a fact that is much scarier is that an estimated 40% of Americans have chronic disease. While diet and exercise alone can’t change your chances of having a chronic disease, you can change your risk factors for chronic disease by taking care of yourself.
That’s right. Research continues to support the use of lifestyle change involving exercise, spiritual practice, diet, and other behaviors for conditions such as chronic stress, weight loss, migraine headaches, constipation, and arthritis, as well as many others.
See, it doesn’t feel so extra anymore. It feels helpful. And even necessary. A partner dialed into the most important (literally) aspects of your life and steering your ship. Towards your goals, towards a healthy life, and towards feeling nourished inside and out.
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Show Notes:
Overview of what a health and wellness coach does and why it’s very different from a life coach or a therapist.
The Syrup coaching method taking on the whole person, not each issue.
Building/scaffolding to truly make behavior change that lasts.
What to think about if hiring a coach feels “extra”
The benefits of having a health and wellness coach in your life today, tomorrow, and for your future
Resources:
Connect with Shannon:
Website: thisissyrup.com
Instagram: @syrupcoaching
Facebook: www.facebook.com/syrupcoaching
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/syrupcoaching
Syrup free resources: thisissyrup.com/resource-library
Ever wonder what a health coach does or why you would need one? This episode dives into why working with a health coach is different than a life coach or therapist. Tackling the elephant in the room - the extra of it all. And how to change your life by taking control of your health.
Full episode transcript:
Hi! My name is Shannon Pfeffer. I'm obsessed with understanding the how and the why behind feeling good and translating that knowledge into strategies that help you live better.
Each week we'll dive into conversations about food, fitness, stress, career, and family. We'll learn from each other, feel more connected, and we'll explore ways to design a life you love.
So what are you waiting for? Keep listening for tips, tricks, and fun facts about feeling good, looking good, and living better. And don't forget to bring a snack. This is the A Side of Syrup Podcast.
Hi I wanted to talk today a little bit about what is a health coach like what does a health and wellness coach do if someone said to you hey I'm a health coach. Ah, how would you engage them? What will you even do? And most importantly. Are they legit. You know what's their background. What's their training. So I am a health coach and my training and background is probably not as a straight line as a lot of people. But. Everything I've ever done in my career has led me to this point. So I got a degree in history and marketing and I think I'm a degree in communication to graduate with a lot of degrees. Um, but I was interested in so many things I wanted. Just study history because I wanted to know the story behind things I wanted to know communications because I am an introvert and you know overcoming a lot of fears like public speaking and you know being able to articulate things to other people was something I personally needed to work on. In my life and then marketing I always told my dad I'd get a business degree but you know marketing sort of drove my path and as I talked about in other podcasts and and and blog posts on my site. I had a very long career in Pr and advertising all falling under the bucket of marketing and working specifically in strategy departments so taking a brand from point a to point z and how do you get there? What makes sense with the trajectory of. Of that brand and how how do you take the steps so consumers who actually believe the change. Um you know and it doesn't feel like a complete and total departure from a brand so that actually leads into a lot of what I do now but we can't get back into that. I I have been coaching people on their careers for quite a long time and I really thought that's initially what I wanted to to dive into and while I still do it and and I enjoy it. My passion has always been health and wellness. Um, it started from when I was working. Specifically in Npr for food brands and really understanding. You know what the onpack messaging meant and and meeting consumers and focus groups where we talked about um like the romance copy on ah on ah a fruit pouch.
And really diving into the nuances of each word and the colors on the packaging and and how that sort of Drew people in or not I saw the good side of that and I saw the bad side of that where you know you pick up something because you think the packaging is pretty. Or you like the label but you're not paying attention to what the claim actually means or the ingredients actually means so you'll see a lot more on that from me of like how to actually decipher marketing speak. Um. And what is actually good for you and not good for you just with you know some quick tips and tricks that you can look for every time. Um, but you know this is over 20 years where you know actually learning those things pay attention to those things. You know I took care of myself in a different way and it totally changed how I ate how I slept how how much water I drank how much I worked out what types of workout I did what I did for downtime and it's all shifted as things do when I was a single person and working all the time. Traveling on a plane cross country was actually super relaxing for me and that was my downtime now with 3 children that doesn't happen. Ah, but I find time and space for myself in different ways probably less snippets of time but more. Quality and and more meaning behind that. So what I really wanted to get in today. Is you know a little bit more about health coaching I went on to get certified in health and wellness coaching and um, it. Sort of was a nice dovetail and coupled nicely with the coaching work I are even doing and what I do on a day to day. Basis is create strategies that stick that are really easy to implement in busy people's lives because if we. Don't have a plan going into something getting to that goal is just so up in the air. It's what I used to do for clients too. It's like you take a brand or a person at point a and you need to get them to point z it's not always this. This straight path to get there. You have to build the foundation and scaffold from there to actually change behavior to to get where you want to go and maintain it I'm not going to put on a crash diet. Never ever ever ever or caloric restrictions or anything like.
Um, that doesn't work. We need plans that actually work because I don't want my clients to be my clients forever I'd like you to graduate I'd like you to be able to do things on your own and teach you how to do it for you for your family for you know whoever is in your home. So let's go back to the beginning here of what is a health coach. So when I was contemplating this change I got connected to a friend's mother-in-law a psychologist in Seattle who made me swear up and down on everything that I wouldn't do 2 things None work with clients who actually needed therapy and not provide them therapy try to kind of treat them myself and to become a life coach I can safely say that years later I'm not a therapist and I'm not a life coach but then what do I do exactly. So let's dive into all that and more on today's episode okay imagine the scenario you worked really late like really really really late four weeks in a row there's been no time to cook let alone grocery shop. Ah, fridge is bare and empty and there's been no time to do all of the other things that are important do laundry put away said laundry workout meet friends for dinner catch up on your family's to do list catch up on your own to list. Maybe even get that book that's collecting dust so it's time for takeout and not the healthy kind. Kind that comforts you the Mac and cheese the pizza, the burger and fries the kind that's quick and easy that goodness gets delivered and you eat it at your desk because you're still working if you're not taking that break. You're not taking a bathroom break if I'm being honest and you're continuing what you're doing. Because the work needs to get done because these deadlines are set for you and you have to make them and if you work through dinner you finish earlier but just in time for more sitting in bed or decompressing from the day in front of the screen or or if you finish you can meet your friends out for drinks. Or meet them out for a later dinner where you guessed it. You're going to need more of that comfort. So you're going to have a little too much and then you're Goingnna have dessert and maybe another bite. Um, which is perfectly. Okay, but it's the cycle that doesn't end. You wake up that next morning and you try to stop it but it doesn't stop. It starts over and this time it's at breakfast the breakfast you prepared for everyone else, but you somehow forgot breakfast for yourself and you have coffee. That's what you have and.
You don't have lunch because you forgot that too. You took care for everyone else. So you're burning the day away as soon as you get up with coffee and I really help a few glasses of water but I also know how hard that is to fit in too. So I Imagine the scenario is many of you and admittedly it used to be me. And I been being honest, occasionally it still is I'm not Perfect. Um, but it was the cycle that made me completely unhealthy that made me have a Z pack all the time till they stopped working because I couldn't break out of it. You know if you don't actively stop that Cycle. It keeps taking you for the ride. Let me see that again. If You don't actively stop that Cycle. It keeps taking you for the ride. That's where and why a health coach steps In. To make the change that you're fully capable of but not taking the action to do So Why wouldn't you take the action. You got the answer because that cycle ends up feeling good. It ends up feeling normal. It is not normal and how do you step out of something that feels totally normal to yourself and your body. That's when you have to look at what's in front of you is it going to the doctor for another Z-pac. Or is it learning what life is like without that without that crazy hustle culture without just the cycle of pain so you call that coach you call someone who's an expert in accountability and making change. And in my case in particular tweeting the whole person wait isn't that drifting into life Coach Territory. No no, no, no, no, it's not and here's why okay that person. Maybe it's you who is so burned out. In their days off they're off balance in other areas of their life that contribute and impact their overall health could be fitness. It could be community. It could be food etc. If. If. You don't work on ways to add that back in and make yourself feel more whole. You'll still be off balance and I know I'm telling you these things and it's so easy to tell you.
It's easy to tell you to make a change It's easy to to sort of spew my knowledge on you. But what I hope through if you follow me in social if you're listening to this podcast and if you found me online somehow is. I'm also showing you by example, how you do this? You know I'm showing you by example in my own life and I'm showing my clients on a day-to day basis. How it's done. It's not enough to just tell you you also have to come the realization that you need this and I could tell you what to do. And I could show you what to do but we work together to actually do what you need to do. So if you're that burnout person and you can only add in None thing right now because we do. it's it's the steps and it's the scaffolding it's not just an overhaul how about commiting to working out after work. You have eaten your dinner at your desk that's done. Check you finish your work. Check you still have time to move 20 minutes not watching a streaming service or checking out on social media scrolling on your phone you can move your body. You're not seeing that friend or family that you probably need to You're not um, stopping ordering the takeout but you're working on that small shift and those small things. Make those big changes. So how I like to work with clients is we work on your whole circle. You know everything affecting your day to day your sleep your happiness your world and layer by layer. We create these goals together hold you accountable for these goals and work together. Begin a desire to begin and design a life you love and one that you can maintain everything is achievable. Everything is attainable even if at the start of it. You're like there's no way. No way we work on it together to make it happen and make. Ah, yes, happen for you. So the difference between then a therapist and a life coach in this instance, a life coach would jump in and help you tackle deeper problems like relationships or you know, kind of go into problem solving mode not action mode. Ah, therapists would discuss the root of the problem why you have to work so hard. Why do you feel? you need to prove this to someone and then solutions on how to address it I'm not doing either of those. My approach is much more integrated I'm not here to solve your problems I'm here to make you better inside and out.
And want you to feel good I want you to look good and I want you to maximize the time you have on this planet living the life. You love cool. Okay, so another question that I get very often is why why would I even hire a health coach this feels extra. I get it I get it. We live in a world where taking care of yourself is more expensive than not where a family can eat a bigger and cheaper meal at a fastfood restaurant than at a fast casual salad restaurant I shake my head at that every time. Ah. We're all very well aware by now that the american population was overweight the most recent stat is 65% of americans are overweight but the fact is that a much scarier stat is that an estimated 40% of americans have chronic disease. Well diet and exercise alone. Can't change your chances of having a chronic disease. You could talk about epigenetics epigenetics I'll say it slowly ah on a different podcast. Um well diet and exercise. Alone can't change your chances of having a chronic disease. You can change your risk and factors for chronic disease by taking care of yourself. These can be really really really small things like curbing sugar cravings or releasing you know. Tension headaches you get often instead of popping an advil or an Ibuprofen. Those could actually be the same things a tylenol an advil etc. Um, instead of popping those. How do we manage your stress so you don't get those constant headaches. You know there's lots of little things you could do to impact your overall health and right now and and for the future I think that's the important part too of like we think of we often think about health as something worry about when something comes up but the truth is most conditions start. None ears before they actually appear so you should be doing the work now to prevent things from happening in the future seems like a lot now saves you a lot a lot a lot of time energy stress money. Down the line so research continues to support the use of lifestyle changes involving exercise a spiritual practice. Whatever you believe in diet and other behaviors for conditions such as chronic stress weight loss migraine head headaches constipation arthritis.
Um, as well as many other things so it begins to feel like a having a health coach is less extra It feels helpful. It feels necessary and for anyone looking for. Ah, partner to do a journey with this is a dedicated trained qualified partner dialed into the most importantly, literally the most important aspects of your life and helping you steer that ship letting you be captain of your ship and giving you the. Clear path ahead towards your goals towards your healthy life and towards feeling nourished inside and out I often think back to that conversation with the Seattle psychologist and wonder what she would be give me now. Think she'd be proud I took her advice and I honed in on what was really important to me what I was good at what I could truly help our society with I love creating the systems for my clients. And really seeing the change happen I believe in everyone who's coming to me and making their call and wanting to do something different with their lives. So I love to hear from you. And I love to work with you visit the website this is syrup dot com or dm me on at syrup coaching on Instagram I get in touch. I would love love love to work with you and change your life. That's all for now. Thanks for tuning in this week I cannot wait till next tuesday and you cannot believe some of the great guests that got lined up. So thank you for tuning in to a side of surup podcast follow us and subscribe on everywhere but your podcasts are at on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and literally everywhere I think our podcast is now live everywhere. Um like subscribe stay in touch follow on. Got. Exciting juicy things coming and I can't wait to share it all with you.