Habits. Easy to establish but not always easy to maintain. How can you, a modern-day coach, set yourself apart from competitors? By teaching clients how to establish good habits that will serve them long-term, not just for this season.

FOOD FIRST APPROACH

Supplements have their place, especially when it comes to treating deficiencies, autoimmune symptoms, and malabsorption issues. But supplements are expensive – especially high-quality ones – and they really only work when taken consistently. They’re intended to supplement healthy eating practices and smart food choices, not replace or make up for poor habits.

Now more than ever, people are rushing to purchase vitamin C supplements and any other “immune-boosting” potion they can find. While supplements are great, they’re continuing to eat fast, unhealthy, and processed food. Vitamin C supplementation is not going to help support a strong immune system in the absence of a strong and healthy foundation, and it’s important you teach your clients this.

What you should focus on is a food first approach. Educate your clients about quality over quantity, a less is more mentality, and moderation. Instead of providing grocery lists, teach your clients how to cook quick and simple meals.

TRAIN FOR A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT

Health is a journey, and it takes commitment, consistency, and long-term effort to get desired results.

Clients may come to you asking for a quick-fix – weddings, birthdays, and vacations all tend to be common triggers for getting in shape – but it’s important you teach the value of committing to long term goals versus short-term ones.

How do you do this? Emphasize that as a coach, your goal is to teach habits that won’t require them to seek out weight loss or healthy eating support in six, nine, or twelve months from now. The value of working with you is that they’ll leave with real, actionable content that’s tailored specifically to their needs – not a quick fix or cookie-cutter plan like what other “experts” provide.

Losing motivation or other life priorities getting in the way is normal, but with your support, clients will have the tools needed to get back on track quickly.

FOCUS ON QUANTITY OF MOVEMENT, NOT QUALITY

No, it’s not a typo. Getting a good sweat in is important, but when you’re teaching clients lasting healthy habits, you should focus on quantity. Why? Because there is more benefit to be gained from consistently moving every day versus a few high-intensity spin classes every week.

Walking and stretching do not require a gym membership or subscription, and it’s important to teach clients how to prioritize simple movement each day. How?

Make it easy by teaching them how to incorporate these things in their regular day-to-day – everyone feels productive when they’re multitasking after all.

• Stretch while the coffee is brewing
• Planking before winding down for bed
• A quick squat session before their favorite TV show starts
• Lunges on the stairs
• Parking further away from their destination
• Getting off the train or bus earlier and walking the rest

All of these small steps are great ways to incorporate more movement into their day.

INDIVIDUALIZED WELLNESS

This is one of the most important tools for teaching clients how to build long-term healthy habits.

Many clients can successfully adjust a few health habits here and there, but without understanding their unique wellness blueprint, they often fall back into the “try everything” trap. What exactly does the try everything trap look like? Meal delivery subscriptions, online detox programs, or following the same diet as their colleague at work. But these are cookie-cutter solutions that don’t work long-term.

Life priorities will shift, but what works for your client now will be the cornerstone of their health journey for years to come. As a coach, you can help your clients identify exactly what will work for them and help them establish individualized goals which they can come back to for years to come – no online detox plan required.

TAKEAWAY

Teaching lasting health habits will require more work – from both you and your client –but the work is worth it. The payoff is that it will set you apart from other coaches who only offer generic wellness support and cookie-cutter programs. Your clients want results but are probably tired of paying for, and trying things, that don’t work. Learning health habits that last will be the best investment a client has ever made. By offering a fresh approach to wellness, you’ll be providing clients something they simply cannot get elsewhere.