I see new diets and exercise programs advertised on a daily basis, making promises of rapid weight loss and unending happiness. Not to take away from the efforts of the business promoting such methods, however, my approach is very different. If nothing else, my time as a fitness coach has taught me that each person is unique and that a good coach always focuses on the specific personal needs of her/his client. One shoe does not fit all and therefore I tailor all of my programs to suit the specific needs of my clients.
What is just as important is to embrace the fact that getting fit is not one-dimensional, but rather has to take the client’s thoughts and emotions just as much into consideration as their body. Getting fit is not only physically challenging but also mentally and emotionally. By adopting such an approach and focusing on the personality and life story of my clients, am I able to ensure that the program I tailor for them is uniquely suited to their personality and will cater for all their needs. I have found that clients are then less inclined to struggle to maintain their exercise routine, rarely get stuck and the vast majority make a rather easy transition from couch potato right through to being fully fit and healthy.
So You Want to Be Fit, Healthy and Happy?
If you are reading this post, your answer is surely YES, yes to feeling energized, yes to eating the right foods, yes to getting off the couch, yes to running that marathon, yes to reaching your goal, yes to getting fit and becoming a happier and healthier person. Niggling doubts about your motivation, your ability to actually reach your personal goal and your energy to do so will come and go, but I can assure you that I will be with you all the way and fully support you right until you have crossed your own personal finish line. To give you an idea of my approach, I am roughly outlining each step I will guide you through and show you what my holistic approach really means for you, but before I do, let me tell you that I have never had a client who fell short or couldn’t do what she/he set out to achieve.
IF THEY CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!
The Process
- Assessment: Your Mental, Emotional and Physical Health: Getting to know you and finding out what makes your world go round is one my favorite things. You won’t need to bare your soul, however, I will need to find out what kind of a person you are, what makes you happy or sad, how you like spending your time and what your goals are. Once I have a good sense of who you are, what your fitness levels are and am confident of your underlying good health, I go on to design a fitness program with your needs in mind.
- Getting You Started: Before you begin, I will tell you precisely what process you are about to embark on, the challenges lying ahead and most importantly highlight the support system that will be available to you. The strenuousness of the program obviously depends on your fitness level and is usually gradually increased over time.
- Sustaining Your Motivation: Traditional exercise programs are usually embarked on with great initial enthusiasm that is not sustainable in the long run. My approach is different as I provide sustained motivational support, check in with clients on a regular basis and provide additional resources when someone is struggling to keep going.
- Regular Evaluation: I regularly check in with my clients to see how they are progressing and ensure that they are on the road to achieving their goals.
- Designing a Long Term Fitness Regime: After some time, I aim to develop a long term fitness routine with my clients so that they are in a position to maintain the newly acquire health and fitness.
Throughout the program, you will receive tips and advice on nutrition, rest and relaxation, innovative ways of getting and staying fit, motivational exercises and ways to better overall mental, emotional and physical health – the holistic way.
While this might be a rough guide to my fitness programs, my intention is to give you an impression of my holistic approach and I would like to stress that each of my fitness programs are fully tailored around the needs of my clients.