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You spend a large chunk of your life coaching others toward health and wellness, so it’s important you create a healthy balance that also allows you to thrive without burning out. My advice?
Protect your time!
Your time is precious, so don’t be afraid to guard it…fiercely. Whether it’s setting limits on meeting times, carving out uninterrupted work hours, sharing your availability or prioritizing tasks– be sure to set boundaries that will allow you to perform your best.
Bonus: You model good behavior for clients as well.
Remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup, so be sure to make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. Set boundaries that will allow you to pause, recharge, reduce stress and do things that give you energy. Below are some examples.
Need a little kickstart? Try the following scripts in your own professional life and share with clients.
Setting Communication Expectations: “Hey team, I’m excited to dive into this project with you all! Just a heads up though, I’m carving out some ‘focus time’ during the day to really nail down my tasks. I won’t be as responsive on the Slack group chat, but please feel free to ping me directly if something is urgent.
Managing Workload: “Morning [Manager], hope you’re doing well! I’m 100% on board with this new project, but I’ve got a bunch on my plate. Mind if we have a quick chat about prioritizing tasks? I want to make sure I’m giving everything the attention it deserves without spreading myself too thin.
Getting Time Back: “Hi [Coworker], hope your day’s off to a good start! I have a few deliverables due tomorrow and realize I need some uninterrupted blocks of time to make it happen. Can we move our catch-up meeting to later this week? I’d appreciate it big time!”
Clarifying Availability: “Hi team, I’m making a conscious effort to prioritize my personal time outside of work hours. Unless it’s super urgent, I’ll be offline and unplugged after [insert end time]. I’ll be sure to address anything sent after this time first thing in the morning.
Setting boundaries with family: “Hey guys, I need some space to unwind after work. Can we hold off on family discussions until after dinner today? I’ve had a hectic day, and I’d really appreciate some quiet time to decompress before diving into anything else. Once I’ve had a chance to recharge, I’ll be more than ready to catch up and chat with everyone.”
Setting boundaries with friends: “Hey boo! I’m trying to cut back on late-night calls. Can we catch up during the day instead? I’ve been finding it hard to wind down in the evenings lately, and I think having our chats during the day would be more beneficial for both of us. Plus, it gives us a chance to enjoy our conversations without feeling rushed 🙂
Setting boundaries with your partner: “Hey babe, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the household responsibilities lately. Can we sit down and discuss how we can divide them more evenly? I want us both to feel supported and appreciated in our relationship, and I think finding a better balance in our chores could really help with that.”
Setting boundaries with your kids: Hey munchkin, I love our playtime, but Mom/Dad needs a break to finish some chores. How about we have a little break, and then we can dive back into our fun activities?”
For health coaches, mastering the art of setting boundaries is not merely a professional requirement but a personal necessity. By establishing clear limits, coaches not only protect their well-being but also reinforce their ability to guide their clients toward healthier lives. This guide serves as a starting point for health coaches to reflect on their current practices and consider how strategic boundary setting can elevate their coaching practice.
Ariel Belgrave, an award-winning health and fitness expert and business advisor, founded Gym Hooky after over a decade in corporate HR for Fortune 100 companies like JPMorgan and Facebook. Her L.E.A.N Method has empowered thousands of women globally to embrace healthy, sustainable habits. She’s renowned for creating wellness programs that blend HR insights with health expertise, significantly enhancing employee engagement and inclusivity. Ariel’s impact is highlighted across major media, including Good Morning America, NBC, and Women’s Health Magazine. She also contributes to Women’s Health Magazine’s board and is an Under Armour sponsored athlete. F
Find out more about engaging Ariel for speaking opportunities.
Do you talk about self-care with your clients?
Are you sure you understand what it means? Really?
If you’re nodding along, confident in your approach, let’s delve deeper into what self-care truly entails, and what you and your clients might be doing instead.
Consider these scenarios and identify which you believe represents self-care:
(A) Advising a client to book a same-day massage after a particularly taxing day.
(B) Suggesting a favorite treat to unwind after a strenuous session.
(C) Recommending a week off to a client on the brink of burnout.
Interestingly, these examples fall into the category of SELF-SOOTHING, not self-care.
Thus, the answer is: NONE.
Self-care embodies a proactive stance, aiming to fortify against burnout and promote flourishing health. Self-soothe, in contrast, is a reactive measure, a temporary balm for the stresses of the moment.
For health coaches, advocating self-care means encouraging clients to actively engage in practices that support their physical, mental and emotional health, thereby preventing burnout and enabling them to thrive. This approach is about foresight, routine development and habit formation that collectively work towards comprehensive wellness.
Try the following affirmation: “I prioritize self-care to uphold my well-being, recognizing the value of feeling nurtured and revitalized.”
Self-soothing strategies are crucial for immediate stress relief but should be seen as supplementary to a robust self-care regimen.
For health coaches, positioning self-care as a fundamental aspect of your coaching practice is essential. While self-soothing is vital for navigating life’s immediate challenges, self-care establishes a foundation that prevents burnout, reduces the reliance on self-soothing measures, and promotes a thriving life.
Empower yourself and your clients to place self-care at the forefront of your wellness strategies. By fostering proactive well-being habits, you’re not just surviving; you’re thriving in a demanding world.
Remember, the journey to holistic health is a collaborative endeavor. You’ve got this!
Ariel Belgrave, an award-winning health and fitness expert and business advisor, founded Gym Hooky after over a decade in corporate HR for Fortune 100 companies like JPMorgan and Facebook. Her L.E.A.N Method has empowered thousands of women globally to embrace healthy, sustainable habits. She’s renowned for creating wellness programs that blend HR insights with health expertise, significantly enhancing employee engagement and inclusivity. Ariel’s impact is highlighted across major media, including Good Morning America, NBC, and Women’s Health Magazine. She also contributes to Women’s Health Magazine’s board and is an Under Armour sponsored athlete.
Find out more about engaging Ariel for speaking opportunities.
Have you ever heard your client complain about feeling tired, even after a good night’s sleep? Or after spending a whole weekend catching up on sleep?
In our fast-paced lives, it’s common for both us and our clients to experience fatigue, even after seemingly sufficient sleep. This brings us to an essential distinction that’s often overlooked: the difference between sleep and rest.
Contrary to popular belief, achieving rest encompasses much more than obtaining adequate sleep. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s insights in Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity highlight the critical need for various types of rest for optimal functioning and preventing burnout. She identifies seven distinct rest needs.
Here, we explore these rest types and discuss their integration into health coaching practices.
Physical rest encompasses more than sleep; it includes restorative activities that relieve physical stress and rejuvenation. Coaches can encourage clients to adopt light stretching, yoga and more. Emphasizing the importance of physical rest can lead to significant improvements in clients’ energy levels and physical health
Our brains are constantly processing information, leading to mental fatigue. Coaches should guide clients in establishing mental rest practices, such as digital detoxes and regular breaks during work. These strategies can help clear mental clutter, leading to improved focus and reduced stress.
In our overstimulated world, sensory rest is vital. Coaches can recommend strategies for reducing noise and screen exposure, such as going on an “information diet.” These practices can help mitigate the overwhelming effects of constant sensory input.
Spiritual rest involves connecting with one’s inner self and finding a sense of purpose. This can be achieved through being in the moment and engaging in meaningful work. Coaches can support clients in exploring what spiritually nourishes them, fostering a deeper sense of fulfillment.
Balancing social interactions is key to avoiding social fatigue. Coaches play a crucial role in teaching clients how to identify energizing versus draining social interactions and setting appropriate boundaries. This balance is essential for maintaining emotional and social wellbeing.
Providing a safe space for clients to express their feelings is a cornerstone of health coaching. Encouraging practices like journaling, engaging in self-compassion exercises, and setting boundaries can offer clients the emotional rest they need to process and grow.
Creative rest is rejuvenating one’s creative energy through exposure to beauty and engaging in creative activities. Coaches can inspire clients to try new things, immerse themselves in nature, or engage in artistic endeavors, enriching their lives and sparking innovation.
As health coaches, our role in promoting a comprehensive approach to rest is invaluable. By expanding our understanding and application of the seven types of rest, we can enhance our clients’ journeys towards holistic wellness. Let’s lead by example and make rest an integral part of our coaching philosophy and practice.
Ariel Belgrave, an award-winning health and fitness expert and business advisor, founded Gym Hooky after over a decade in corporate HR for Fortune 100 companies like JPMorgan and Facebook. Her L.E.A.N Method has empowered thousands of women globally to embrace healthy, sustainable habits. She’s renowned for creating wellness programs that blend HR insights with health expertise, significantly enhancing employee engagement and inclusivity. Ariel’s impact is highlighted across major media, including Good Morning America, NBC, and Women’s Health Magazine. She also contributes to Women’s Health Magazine’s board and is an Under Armour sponsored athlete.
Find out more about engaging Ariel for speaking opportunities.
Discover how shifting the focus from weight loss to personal achievement can transform the fitness experience, promote body positivity and address the deep-seated factors influencing body dissatisfaction among menopausal clients.
Let’s take a moment to step back from the conventional goals often set within the fitness industry. While many chase the ideals of weight loss and aesthetic perfection, it’s time to explore a deeper, more meaningful approach to fitness, especially when working with menopausal women.
This article delves into the importance of understanding the unique perspectives and underlying motivations of our clients. By focusing on performance and personal achievements over mere numbers on a scale, we can help foster a healthier, more positive relationship with exercise and body image.
Let’s dive into how tailored questions and a shift in focus can redefine success in fitness, leading to a more satisfied and empowered clientele.
Recognizing that the pursuit of exercise solely for weight management, aesthetic reasons or attractiveness can correlate with heightened levels of dissatisfaction with one’s body, engagement in disordered eating patterns and diminished self-esteem is crucial for health coaches (Vartanian, Wharton & Green, 2012). This underscores the necessity for program designs that prioritize performance-based objectives over weight-centric goals. It becomes imperative to consider the perceptions of body transformations when engaging with menopausal clientele.
To gain deeper insights into your clients’ perspectives and driving forces, tailoring open-ended questions is invaluable. Examples include:
Such inquiries help redirect focus and stimulate introspection. The objective is to pivot attention away from weight and body size, guiding clients towards setting goals that gauge achievements based on capabilities rather than pounds shed or physical appearance. Celebrating milestones tied to performance, like mastering five pushups from a starting point of none, reinforces this shift in perspective.
By associating positive sentiments and reactions with accomplishments beyond weight loss, gradual reprogramming of thought patterns occurs, reframing success as multifaceted. Equally critical is aiding clients in identifying and halting negative self-dialogue. I establish a “judgment-free zone,” where derogatory remarks regarding body weight or age are strictly prohibited.
For instance, training a client prone to remarks like, “I can feel my fat jiggle during jumping jacks” or “I despise how my belly fat feels during certain exercises—it’s repulsive,” provides an opportunity to redirect conversations towards achievements and progress made since the initial session. Emphasizing advancements in strength and proficiency shifts the narrative from appearance to capability.
Kilpela et al. (2015) outline five key psychological factors contributing to body dissatisfaction among older women:
Thin-Ideal Internalization: Reflecting the extent to which individuals adopt societal standards of attractiveness, often leading to hyper-awareness of body shape and frequent monitoring. In a study of over 1,800 women aged 50 and above, 40% reported daily scrutiny of body shape and weight (Lewis-Smith et al. 2016). This internalization fosters discontentment, given the near-impossible standards set by the thin ideal.
Cultural Perspectives on Aging and Self-Objectification: Cultural influences shape women’s perceptions of their bodies, perpetuating the objectification of women’s appearances. This phenomenon, termed self-objectification, prompts individuals to evaluate their worth based on external attractiveness, particularly valuing thinness and perpetual youthfulness.
Importance of Appearance: Society’s emphasis on youthfulness complicates the acceptance of aging bodies, pressuring women to defy natural aging processes. Advertisers capitalize on these concerns by promoting products promising revitalization, perpetuating the notion that the ideal body is attainable with sufficient effort and investment.
Fat Talk and Old Talk: These terms denote dialogues that either explicitly or implicitly endorse societal ideals of thinness and youthfulness. Beyond active participation, childhood weight-related teasing and negative feedback from peers and partners in adulthood contribute to present-day body dissatisfaction among middle-aged women.
Recognizing and addressing these underlying factors is essential in fostering a more positive body image and promoting holistic well-being. Through a thoughtful and inclusive approach, we can guide our clients toward a fulfilling and empowering fitness journey, where success is measured not by the scale, but by the strength, confidence and joy they gain.
Foster Performance-Based Goals: Encourage clients to set objectives that are unrelated to weight, such as improving strength, flexibility or stamina. Celebrate non-scale victories like completing a set number of pushups or mastering a new yoga pose.
Incorporate Tailored Inquiries: Use open-ended questions to understand clients’ unique motivations and feelings towards exercise. Ask about what activities they enjoy, how certain exercises make them feel, and goals they aspire to achieve beyond physical appearance.
Establish a Judgment-Free Zone: Create a safe and supportive environment where clients feel comfortable discussing their struggles without fear of judgment. Prohibit negative self-talk related to body weight, age or appearance in your sessions.
Shift the Focus from Appearance to Capability: Highlight the importance of what the body can do rather than how it looks. This can involve emphasizing how strength training enhances daily life, or how cardiovascular health improves endurance and energy levels.
Educate on the Psychological Factors of Body Dissatisfaction: Inform clients about the impact of thin-ideal internalization, cultural perspectives on aging and self-objectification. Understanding these factors can help clients recognize external pressures and focus on their own health and well-being.
Combat Fat Talk and Old Talk: Actively listen for and challenge instances of fat talk or old talk. Encourage positive self-talk and reinforce the idea that self-worth is not tied to physical appearance.
Promote Body Positivity: Encourage clients to appreciate their bodies for their functionality and the journey they’re on. Introduce practices that enhance body positivity, such as gratitude journals or mindfulness exercises focusing on bodily sensations during exercise.
Highlight the Benefits of Exercise Beyond Physical Appearance: Educate clients on the mental health benefits of exercise, including reduced stress, improved mood, and better sleep. Help them see fitness as a tool for overall well-being.
Personalize Exercise Programs: Tailor exercise programs to fit the individual preferences, fitness levels, and goals of your clients. Personalization can increase engagement and satisfaction with the fitness journey.
Encourage Community and Support: Recommend group classes or online forums where clients can share their experiences and achievements. A supportive community can provide motivation, accountability and a sense of belonging.
By integrating these strategies, health coaches can play a pivotal role in reshaping the fitness narrative for middle-aged women, leading them towards a healthier, more positive relationship with exercise and their bodies.
Maria Luque, PhD, MS, CHES, is a health educator, fitness expert, presenter, writer and USAF veteran. She created Fitness in Menopause, a company dedicated to helping women navigate the challenges and rewards of menopause. Her course “Menopausal Fitness: Training the Menopausal Client” is NASM-, AFAA- and ACE- accredited. She holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in health sciences and teaches at the College of Health and Human Services at Trident University International. Learn more at drmarialuque.com.
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