8 Things To Consider While Choosing Your Wellness Coach

First things first – before choosing a Wellness Coach you need to do your bit about deciding your Fitness/Wellness Goals. Need and goal assessment is your responsibility. Understanding and stating your goals well is the foundation of your fitness journey and relationship with a coach. So is being clear in your head about expectations. A Coach is someone who works with you, not for you. She/He is a valuable guide and partner, who will plan, teach, supervise, nudge and encourage you, refine your goals, and hold you accountable for actions and results.

Once the role and scope of a coach are clear, comes the next question, “How do I select a good Wellness Coach for myself?”

Here are 8 points to consider while deciding upon a suitable Wellness Coach who could become a strong partner in your health and fitness journey and goals:

1. Credentials
Ensure that your coach has the requisite domain education to lead you in pursuit of your physical, mental, and emotional goals. Look for their training certifications and domain expertise over social media hype. If the Coach has these from trustworthy institutions with industry standing and standards, it is a big asset. It ensures certain standards of professionalism and competence have been met; all the more important when entry barriers in this profession can be abysmally low. You don’t want to entrust your wellbeing to anyone untrained or poorly trained.

2. Experience
While we all start somewhere, sometimes, mere certifications aren’t enough. Experience has little substitute and can make a big difference in not just deciding the success of your goals, but in determining the very flavour of your wellness journey. Practice and experience hone skills, which makes an experienced Coach not only more a more effective choice but also a safer one (esp. if you have pre-existing health conditions or injuries).

3. Philosophy
Abstract as this may sound, a Coach’s philosophy would influence their coaching style and this has the potential of influencing your approach to wellness as well. Having a coach not obsessively aligned to one line of thought, approach, and model of training/coaching helps. It indicates they are more holistically inclined, proactive and open to learning themselves. Coaching will then be culled from multiple related systems and the best combinations sieved out for you, mindful of your goals and preferences.

4. Personality & Compatibility
You need to evaluate how your and your Coach’s personalities resonate and vibe. Are you someone who works better with gentle nudging, likes praise and endorsement often, or are you someone who doesn’t mind being driven hard and being called out for inaction or correction without the fluff? What works for you and how you connect with a coach on a personal level is what matters. It needs to be a long term relationship, not a one night stand to reap lasting results and lifestyle benefits.

5. Specialties
Depending upon your goal(s), you need to select a coach who specializes in delivering relevant coaching. You may need a master of the domain rather than a jack of all trades. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, you need a running coach to take you through the paces, while also working on your strength conditioning, flexibility and possibly, nutrition (or guide you to someone who can handle nutritional needs). If injured, you may need to work with a rehab specialist till you are ready to resume running training under the running coach. If you suffer from health conditions, it is all the more imperative that the coach has the requisite knowledge and experience of working with and around your health challenges.

6. Reputation
What existing and previous clients have to say about a coach is a good way of gauging their reputation. It can add a great deal of confidence in availing services of a coach and entrusting them with your health and wellness.

7. Availability
Regularity is key to building, maintaining, and progressing in one’s health goals. Check how available the coach is with their time and attention. This will be based on one’s individual needs for coach interactions. For example, beginners and those with health conditions may require greater coach inputs and guided sessions.

8. Cost
Hourly/coaching rates can vary greatly between coaches depending upon credentials, experience, specialties, and location. Work out your budget and then look for a coach. Do note, that a penny wise pound foolish approach can often cost one dear, not just in unfulfilled goals but also in getting injured and falling off the fitness grid. It’s also worth remembering that you aren’t paying someone for an hour; you are paying them for their years of expertise, training, and experience. You are paying someone to be as vested in you and your goals as you are yourself.

The above are guidelines rather than hard and fast rules to help you select the right coach in a rational way. Factor in considerations relevant to you while making your choice.

About Vani Pahwa

Vani B. Pahwa is Health & Wellness Evangelist, and Founder, Body In Motion, who specializes in Functional-Fitness, and Cancer Exercise & Rehabilitation. With almost 2 decades of experience, and certifications from leading internationally-accredited and globally-recognized fitness institutions, Vani is the leading Wellness Expert for Multinational Corporations and is a recognized Speaker and Coach. An Indian Classical Dancer, Vani encompasses her learnings from dance to everyday movement making “exercise and training for life, not just events.” To know more about Vani and her premium wellness services, visit https://www.bodyinmotion.in