Why Health Coaching Might Be The Answer You’re Looking For

When life presents us with a problem, our instinct is to fix it using the most obvious solution – often something we’ve tried before or what friends and family suggest.

The same goes for our wellbeing. 

If our clothes start feeling tight and we realise we’ve gained weight, the go-to response is usually to try a restrictive diet.  Yes, cutting calories can work in the short term but once the diet ends, the weight often can just pile back on. 

Our weight gain over time is rarely due to just one factor.  It is influenced by a wide range of things such as our stress levels, sleep quality, and the kinds of foods we eat habitually.  Often it’s not just about how much we eat, but what we’re eating.  Certain foods make it harder to feel full, leading us to eat more than we actually need.

Restrictive diets might seem like a quick fix, but they’re rarely enjoyable.  They can leave us feeling moody, tired, and frustrated—and they're difficult to stick with.  Most people give up after a week or two, often losing only a few pounds before slipping back into old habits.

Sleep and stress, in particular, play a huge role in our ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.  These underlying factors are often overlooked by fad diets, which focus only on cutting calories rather than supporting long-term, sustainable change.

Likewise, if we are feeling unfit, our first instinct is often to sign up for the local gym and hit it hard.  I am all for supporting everyone to exercise more but overdoing it in the gym may not be the exercise your body needs at that time, especially if you’re already juggling a demanding job, a busy home life, or high stress levels.

In fact, intense workouts can sometimes add to your stress load rather than relieve it. The key is understanding what kind of movement your body is truly asking for.  You might be getting signals - fatigue, low motivation, irritability - that something’s off, but not yet recognising them as your body’s way of saying, “this isn’t helping”.

I try to steer clear of the overused language that often pops up in the wellness space - phrases like “taking a holistic view to optimise your energy.” It’s easy for things to start sounding like fluff. That said, I do understand what people are trying to get at: our bodies are complex, and everything is interconnected.  While individual strategies - like changing your diet or exercising more - can work in isolation, they can backfire if they’re not aligned with the bigger picture of your life.

In my work as a Health Coach, clients often start with one or two clear goals: losing weight, sleeping better, or improving energy levels are common.  Once we talk through their health history and daily routines, they begin to notice patterns, things they are doing (or not doing) that are getting in the way.  With a few prompts from me and some honest conversation, we start to unpack habits which aren’t helping them achieve their goals. 

Interestingly, their original goals often shift.  As we zoom out and look at their lifestyle as a whole, what they really want becomes clearer - and it’s not always what they thought when they first contacted me.

Contact me to understand how I can support you to identify and reach your health and wellbeing goals.