May 20 marks the start of International Coaching Week! We are thrilled to celebrate the role of Health Coaches in the weight-loss journey by highlighting the coaching division of Medifast, Take Shape For Life, co-founded by Dr. Wayne Andersen (“Dr. A”).
If someone offered you Optimal Health, would you take it? Take Shape For Life is more than a weight-loss plan. It is a program for healthy living that will change you for good. Your free Health Coach guides you with the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan® to lose weight quickly and safely, while helping you learn the healthy habits to keep the weight off.
We asked the Medical Director and Co-founder of Take Shape For Life, Dr. A, why he thinks Health Coaches are so important when losing weight and getting healthy. We not only got a response from him, but also from a few of the many talented Health Coaches he works with:
“First of all, creating health should be the ultimate goal for anyone who desires to lose weight. Without that very simple shift in focus the chances of long-term success are small. Long-term success cannot be about one technique or will power, but instead, helping you make choices across the full spectrum of daily choices that create and support health. A Health Coach who understands that creative process is in my opinion the difference maker between success and failure. They can guide you to put [together] all the pieces of the puzzle to help you fully integrate health into your life as a first step to discovering your optimal health. In addition, a knowledgeable coach who has overcome the challenges of creating long-term weight loss can provide a great role model. A coach can help you develop a strategy, skills, and tools that can put you on the path for long-term success.”
- Dr.A
“My nursing background has helped me to understand the importance of education and support when someone is working to improve their health, especially when the improvement has to do with making better choices and getting rid of bad, unhealthy habits. Having the support and knowledge from someone who has “been there done that” is so powerful to encourage and motivate those looking to create health in their lives.”
- Lori Andersen
“One of most important aspects of having a Health Coach is having a confident partner to walk beside you. Health is generally a personal journey and people are afraid to reach out and allow someone to know their personal struggle. They may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or have tried many times alone. Once they hear the confidence in the voice of their Coach and are told how well the program has worked for others, they begin to “hope” again. If the Coach speaks using words such as ‘you will’ or ‘within two weeks, you will already be experiencing great results,’ the Client has a glimpse of what is possible.”
- Paula Holt
“Why is it important to have a Health Coach? The main reason is if you could achieve optimal health on your own, you probably would have done it by now. The reality is that we don’t know what we don’t know. It makes sense that if you want to master the skill of healthy living you would want to seek out someone who possesses that skill set and knowledge – someone who has had success assisting others, or themselves, in the mastery of achieving and maintaining their long-term health goals. Think about all the professionals we pay for their expertise – doctors, lawyers, mechanics, accountants, etc. – why would you scrimp when it comes to something as important as your health?”
-David Miller
“Life and the steps we take are most enjoyed with others. The Health Coach is a mentor and guide that links arms with the Client and walks along side of them on their journey of health. First, the Coach casts vision and hope. Hope that you can do this this, and helping Clients envision what one week, one month, and one year down the road will look like. The Coach is also the guide. There will be pitfalls that could derail the journey. The guidance of a Coach helps the Client navigate around obstacles. The Client needs the Coach to show them where the pitfalls are. There may be times where the obstacles cannot be avoided, but must be overcome. The Coach is the encourager that cheer on the Client while keeping them focused on conquering this obstacle. Upon victory, the team celebration makes the victory sweeter. Hope, vision, encouragement, and accountability bring success to the client.”
- Wes Holt
*To request a Health Coach, click here and fill out the form. A free Health Coach will contact you shortly!
Great informative artice. Thanks so much Hallie.