How to Find the Right Weight Loss Coach [According to the Experts]

Health coaches can provide a wide range of support to help you improve your health, lose weight, and lower your risk for several chronic diseases. But what does a health coach actually do, how are they trained, and how to a find one?

What is a Health and Wellness Coach? 

A health coach is a nutrition mentor that works with you 1-on-1 to create a customized meal plan, workout regimen and health routine that helps you accomplish your health goals. Health coaches provide support and education that help you make positive behavior changes and achieve sustainable results.

How Does Weight Loss Coaching Work? 

At Profile, our coaches meet with our members once a week, either virtually or in-person for 30-to-60 minutes. During this time coaches and members discuss their weekly questions and challenges, and review an educational module that guides their week. Having a coach as your advocate and support system is proven to lead to 3x more weight loss than following a program or trying to lose weight on your own.* 

What Does a Health Coach Do?

A health coach will take the time to get to know you personally, what your strengths are and what you find challenging and what motivates you to achieve your goals. Together the coach can support you through your journey toward better health, whether that’s building a nutrition plan to fit your hectic lifestyle, setting goals to keep momentum, or lose weight for good.

The coaching relationship is dynamic. Sometimes you may need your coach to provide support through education, insights, and tips/tricks to simply the process. Other times you may need your coach to help you reflect on what motivates you when you’re not feeling up to the daily grind. A good health coach helps you tap into your internal motivation, this is a key ingredient to sustaining your lifestyle change.

We asked Nicole Welle, Profile’s Operations Specialist and Executive Coach, about what makes a good health coach and how members can select coaches who can help them achieve sustainable weight loss.

Here’s what she says:

1. Know the Coaching “Style” that Works for You

Nicole says coaches have different styles and approaches, so you need to think about the type of coach that is right for you.

You may want to work with a coach who will hold you accountable and who is very direct in their presentation.

Or maybe you need someone with a softer touch, who is more nurturing and encouraging during your journey.

Nicole says that knowing the “type” of coach you need will help you achieve the best results, but if you aren’t sure, it’s alright to meet with a couple of different coaches to find the best fit for you.

2. Find a Health Coach with a Growth Mindset

Nicole says a good health coach is one who is open minded, keeps up with research in the nutrition, activity and lifestyle fields, and is always wanting to learn more.

An effective health coach is one who is open to new ideas and adapts your program and eating plan to what works best for you.

If a health coach has 15 appointments in a day, each appointment should be tailored to the individual person. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to health coaching.

3. Find a Health Coach who is a Personality Match

When you have a great connection, feel comfortable, and have a good relationship with a coach, you will feel more motivated to accomplish your weight loss goals and achieve long term success.

“I always say to find someone you ‘click’ with,” Nicole says. 

Great coaches will want you to feel motivated and empowered as you reach your weight loss goals. Here is what some of our members are saying about our coaches:

“Shout out to Profile! I was an instant fan of the program! Having one-on-one coaching is a big thing, coach Kathleen keeps me accountable and teaches me about healthier options and lifestyle changes to help keep the weight off permanently.” – Jennifer R 

“The personal (one-on-one) coaching is what has made this plan work for me. I’ve previously tried EVERY diet and EVERY program, but my coach’s support, encouragement, and direction has been a game changer for me!” – Sarah A.

4. Make Sure You Hire a Health Coach with Credentials

Anyone can claim to be a health coach or weight loss coach but some are training in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change. All of Profile’s coaches have completed Profile’s rigorous certification program and participate in an ongoing development program. They are experienced in customizing plans to work with individual needs. Profile coaches have a variety of backgrounds, education and are experienced in areas such as:

Nutrition Coaching

Nutrition coaching goes beyond simply what to eat or what to avoid and focuses on nutrition education, science, how nutrition impacts your overall health, and most importantly, tools and tactics to implement dietary changes that last.

Activity and Exercise Coaching

Activity and exercise coaching focuses on improving physical fitness, finding movement you enjoy, and maintaining or gaining muscle. Coaches that focus on exercise are help members set attainable goals and adapt their activity plans over time to continue to offer a fun and challenging experience.

Lifestyle Coaching

Lifestyle coaching focuses on improving habits and living a healthy lifestyle. Members can work with coaches on lifestyle changes such as stress management, mindfulness, self-compassion, and increasing resilience. Coaches that focus on lifestyle change will use behavioral education and behavior change theory to meet members where they are at and help them tap into their internal motivation for change.

5. Questions to Ask Health Coaches

Nicole recommends talking with several weight loss coaches to learn about their approach. You may want to ask:

• Do you offer an initial consultation or trial period before starting the coaching program?
• How do you implement a weight loss program with your clients?
• How do you and your clients work together to establish healthy eating habits?
• What do you do to focus on sustainable changes?
• What is your educational background? Or What experiences or education have you received to prepare you to be a health coach?
• Why did you want to become a health coach?
• What is your area of expertise?

Check out medicinenet.com for some more questions to ask.

Ready to start building long-term health habits?

Are you ready to take the next step toward establishing life-long habits?

Working with a Profile health coach can help you identify your unique motivations for making lifelong health changes.

Our science-based nutrition program combines compassionate, one-on-one coaching with sensible meal options to help our members lose weight. Learn more about health coaching and why it works, or schedule a free consultation with us today!