Wellness coach seems to have been in the mix recently, whether in a podcast, a friend’s recommendation or anywhere you buy some health content on the internet. However, if you’re still not entirely sure what wellness coach is exactly, you’re not the only one.
The biggest misconception: A wellness coach is not a nutritionist and gives you a diet plan and you’re off to the races.
It’s not that deep, more personal and – let’s face it – more life altering.
At HealthfullyU, we’re with a real person in a real life, with busy schedules, eating habits, exhausting physical and mental states, and a world that never turns off. We don’t coach with the sole intent of limiting or enforcing strict rules. It’s created with you in mind – your past, your lifestyle, your goals, and the life you have really wanted.
This blog will help clarify, correct, and enlighten you as to what wellness coaching is, what it isn’t, and maybe even whether or not it would be a good fit for you at your current stage of life.
First, Let’s Talk About What a Wellness Coach Is NOT
Let’s start by clearing up some things before we start talking about what coaching is.
Wellness coaches are not physicians. They do not make diagnosis, prescription or treatment of medical conditions. If you have any health-related question that needs medical attention, you should always go to a qualified health care provider first; a good coach will always back that.
Wellness coach is not a therapist. Coaching is not therapy, yet can be extremely supportive and emotionally significant. Coaches operate in the present and the future – helping you to discover where you want to go and establish habits and mindset to make the journey.
A wellness coach is not a trainer who has a diet scheme. This is the mother of all. Wellness coaching isn’t about telling you what to eat, how many steps to take or providing you with a 30-day program. That way you act as if you’re the same person and you aren’t.
So, What Does a Wellness Coach Actually Do?
A certified wellness coach is a guide, accountability partner and thinking partner all in one. They’re here to assist you to visualize yourself, build awareness of your patterns, and construct a life that allows how you want to feel.
What this means in the real world every day:
They ask you the questions that you haven’t asked yourself. So what happens at night if you don’t eat any snacks? Why is it that you get drained in the afternoon? Why do you feel good about it for 2 weeks and then drop the whole job? A great coach is going to get curious about your patterns, but it won’t be judgmental.
They assist you with the lines. Sleep, stress, food, movement, relationships, purpose – these are all not separate. A holistic wellness coach enables you to notice the connections between all parts of your life and how tweaking one thing affects another.
They help you to create sustainable habits. No willpower-exhausting sprints that go out of gas. Real, sustainable behaviours that are around you, for you and in your life.
They hold space for the hard stuff. For some, the obstacle to maintaining a wellness practice is not lack of information, it’s a pattern of emotions, a limiting belief, or a time of life that’s challenging you. A good coach does not go around the problem. They assist you in dealing with it.
Their attitude is one of celebration for progress, not perfection. Wellness coaching is not a pass/fail experience. It’s about developing awareness of yourself, adapting in the process and going forward, even on the messy days.
The Diet Plan Trap – And Why Coaching Is Different
Let’s face it, we all have tried a diet or a program at least once. Well, and many have had it happen to themselves, it does go for a while, then life intervenes and we’re back where we started (or even further back).
This is not a failure on my part. This is a design defect.
Diet programs are based on rules. Wellness coaching is grounded in understanding.
A diet plan is a set of rules you are to follow. A wellness coach will help you figure out why you are doing what you are doing so you can make decisions about your choices that are based on what you want to feel rather than what you want to look like.
Here’s the core difference in practice:
Diet Plan: No eating after 7pm. Wellness coach: What is the reason for eating in the evening – and what does your body really need at that time?
A diet plan states: For 30 days follow this meal plan. A Wellness Coach asks this question: What is a realistic, nourishing day in your life like right now?
Failure is not an option – a diet plan comes to an end at the end of the plan. Wellness coaching enhances skills beyond the coaching session.
That’s what a sustainable wellness coach is – and that’s the key to what we do at HealthfullyU.
What a Wellness Coaching Journey Looks Like at HealthfullyU
Each person that enters HealthfullyU has their own experience to share. Others are tired and are unable to determine the reason. After years of yo-yo dieting, some people experience a lack of connection to their bodies. Some have been through a life transition – new job, new family situation, a health scare as a wake-up call, etc.
They all share a common trait: they’re eager to get off the bandwagon and into the discussion.
The coaching process typically looks like this:
A deep exploration of discovery conversation. We first listen before doing anything else. We’re interested in not only what you’re looking to achieve, but your entire story: how you do things, how you experience stress, what this means to you called feeling well and what you’ve accomplished in your past.
An individual wellness plan. Not a plan based on a template. A genuine thought-out plan, based on your life – the can’t wait till Friday things, the maybe-someday things and the little-leverage-to-make-a-lot-of-change things.
Ongoing sessions and candid communication. Progress isn’t linear. Life gets busy. Priorities shift. We have coaches who turn up time and time again to assist you with the reality of change – not the theory.
Real world tools and techniques. Whether it was a morning routine or a different way to manage stress, a new relationship with food – every tool is selected for your life.
Continuous support between sessions. Wellness doesn’t stop between visits. You’ll stay supported and connected throughout your journey with our online wellness coaching model.
Who Is Wellness Coaching For?
Wellness coaching is for you if:
- You try to change, but it doesn’t work out regardless of your efforts
- Knowing what to do, but not being able to do it repeatedly
- Run out of a lack of enthusiasm for starting over and ready to build something that lasts
- More energy, better sleep, a more relaxed relationship with food, but without the extremes
- So it’s time to take action and invest in yourself, not more information
Wellness coaching may not be the right fit if:
- You are searching for a quick-to-carry out diet or a 30-day course of action.
- If you’re not ready to, well, look straight at your habits and patterns
- You require medical or psychological assistance – in which case we will always advise you to pursue the appropriate professional support
Why EEAT Matters in Wellness – And Why We Take It Seriously
When it comes to health, trust is paramount. What to eat, how to live, what to buy, there’s plenty of information online. Much of it’s heartfelt. Some of it is toxic.
Coaching at HealthfullyU is based on:
Real expertise. Our coaches have lived experience, professional training and a deep passion for whole person wellbeing.
Honest experience. We’re sharing what we found, and that’s what works. We are not promising any quick changes or wonder worker solutions.
Genuine authority. We draw on evidence-informed wellness practices, not trends or fads.
Unwavering trustworthiness. We will never under any circumstances push anything – whether a product, a supplement or a protocol – that doesn’t benefit you. We have only one mission: Your well-being.
This is the difference that always brings our clients back to our wellness coaching, and it’s not because they have to – but because it’s real and the results last.
The Bottom Line
A wellness coach is not a drill sergeant, a diet specialist or a magic fix machine. They’re an intelligent, compassionate partner that teaches you more about yourself, and more about how to have a life that makes you feel like that.
At HealthfullyU, that’s not just what we do. It’s who we are.
If you’re ready to stop starting over and start building something real — visit healthfullyu.com and let’s talk.
Frequently Asked Questions: Wellness Coach
Q1: Do I need to have a specific health goal to work with a wellness coach?
Not at all. People find themselves at wellness coaching because they are interested in feeling better in their daily life – feeling more energetic, more at ease, more clear. It’s not necessary to have a diagnosis or a specific problem. It’s a good feeling and we just want it.
Q2: How is a wellness coach different from a nutritionist or dietitian?
Dietitians and nutritionists are trained, clinical professionals specializing in food, nutrition, and eating-related health issues. The wellness coach doesn’t work in a clinical capacity, but is concerned with the whole package – sleep, stress, movement, mindset, habits and nourishment – all viewed as one. They go together nicely, but have different functions.
Q3: How long does wellness coaching take?
It’s based on personal and objective criteria. Some clients employ a coach for a couple of months to develop a particular habit or go through a change in their lives. Others establish a long-term coaching relationship that lasts through the year or years. At HealthfullyU, we’ll discuss what makes sense for where you are.
Q4: Can wellness coaching help with emotional eating?
Yes – this is one of the most frequent motivators people give for coaching. A wellness coach doesn’t impose rules or restrictions – he or she gets to know the emotional and lifestyle patterns of your relationship with food and over time helps you develop healthier responses.
Q5: Is online wellness coaching as effective as in-person?
Absolutely. Online wellness coaching can be more effective in many cases, because it seamlessly integrates into your real life. Sessions take place in your own environment – that’s where your habits reside.
Q6: What makes HealthfullyU different from other wellness programs?
We don’t do things in a generic manner. All staff have a coaching experience, tailored to their personal life, history and aspirations. We don’t have a plan to sell, we have a plan to build partnerships. And we’re in it with you for the long haul.
Q7: How do I know if I'm ready for wellness coaching?
You’ve just read this and made a nod in the affirmative? You are probably prepared. When the time is now is when you realize that there’s a disconnect between where you’re at and where you want to go – and you recognize that you’re going to do something about it. We will come to where you are!