Making it happen is another...
"What do you even talk about for 45 minutes with a health coach?"
I've actually had people ask me this.
And I get it.
If someone told me I was going to spend 45 minutes every week talking about food, exercise and healthy habits, I'd probably wonder the same thing.
Really?
What could we possibly talk about for that long?
As it turns out… a LOT.
In fact, sometimes we could probably fill the time twice over.
This week, for example, a client asked me a seemingly simple question:
“What foods can I freeze?”
That might sound like a pretty basic nutrition question.
But this is exactly the kind of conversation that happens during coaching.
Because we're not just talking about what you should eat.
We're talking about how to actually make healthy eating work when you're living a real life.
And those are two very different things.
Knowing what is “ideal” isn't the same as making it happen.
In an ideal world, we'd all have plenty of time to shop for the freshest ingredients, prepare beautiful meals from scratch, eat all the vegetables our bodies need and thoughtfully optimize every last detail of our nutrition.
There are even foods where the preparation method matters enough that you can squeeze a little more nutritional benefit out of them - isn’t that wonderful!
But if your day starts at 6 a.m., your workday doesn't end at 5, your kids have three different activities, someone needs a ride somewhere, the dog needs to go out, and you haven't been to the grocery store in six days…
You're probably not thinking:
Hmm… I wonder how I can maximize the nutrient availability of my broccoli tonight?
You're thinking:
What can I feed everyone in 15 minutes that isn't takeout?
And THAT is where coaching becomes useful.
The “Nourish & Energize Plan” in my coaching program isn't about creating a theoretically perfect diet.
It's about figuring out how to get the most nourishment possible into your actual life.
How do we make meal prep easier?
How do we stop wasting leftovers?
How do we save time?
How do we make sure there is something healthy to eat when you haven't been shopping?
What do you do when you're traveling?
What about a birthday party?
A crazy workday?
A week when you simply have zero desire to cook?
Because knowing what is healthy is one thing.
Making it happen consistently is another.
And what is sustainable for one person may not be for someone else.
Some people are retired, love to cook and genuinely enjoy spending an afternoon in the kitchen.
Someone else may have a full-time job or business that doesn't stop at 5 p.m., three kids in afternoon activities and a calendar that looks like it needs its own personal assistant.
Those two people may both benefit from eating nourishing food.
But the strategy for getting there is going to look very different.
Which brings me to my THAW bin.
This is one of those ridiculously simple things that makes my life easier. I keep a large food-storage container in my refrigerator labeled:
THAW
Every night before I go to bed, I take a frozen protein out of the freezer and put it in the bin. Now tomorrow's dinner is already halfway figured out.
And here's the little rule I've created for myself:
If the THAW bin is empty in the morning, I should already know what the dinner plan is.
Maybe we're eating leftovers.
Maybe we're going out.
Maybe we're having a vegan protein that's quick and easy.
The point isn't the bin itself.
The point is that I've created a tiny system that removes one more decision from my day.
And that's what we're often doing in coaching.
We're taking something that feels complicated or overwhelming and we're finding a way to make it simpler, more automatic and more realistic.
And fitness is exactly the same.
There is SO much information out there.
How many days should you strength train?
How much cardio?
Which exercises?
How long?
What about mobility?
What about your core?
What about balance?
What if your knees hurt?
What if you have limited time?
What if you hate running?
And then there are the conflicting opinions.
One person tells you to do one thing.
Another tells you that's completely wrong.
The third person has a 12-step morning routine that apparently takes 90 minutes before they've even had coffee.
No wonder people get overwhelmed!
Sometimes the most valuable thing a coach can do isn't give you more information.
It's help you filter the information you already have.
We figure out what actually matters for you.
We put it into a plan.
We see what works.
We notice what doesn't.
We adjust.
And we keep going.
It's a little like having a coach in any other area of life.
You don't hire a tennis coach because you don't know that you're supposed to hit the ball over the net. That concept is pretty clear.
You hire one because knowing what to do doesn't necessarily mean you know - how to do it well, consistently, and in a way that works for you.
The same is true for health.
You probably already know that vegetables are good for you.
You probably know that strength training matters.
You probably know that sleep, hydration and movement are important.
The problem usually isn't a lack of information.
It's turning information into action.
And then turning that action into something sustainable enough to become part of your life.
That's the work we do together.
Not perfection.
Not another set of rules.
Not trying to squeeze your life into someone else's definition of healthy.
Instead it’s finding practical ways to help you to - nourish your body, build your strength and create habits that actually fit the life you're living.
Because the healthiest plan isn't necessarily the one that looks best on paper.
It's the one you can actually live.
And this is exactly why I love questions like “What can I freeze?”
Because sometimes healthy eating doesn't need another nutrition lecture.
It needs a few more ideas.
A better system.
A little less waste.
A little less “What are we having for dinner tonight?”
And maybe a freezer that's actually working for you instead of being the place where leftovers go to die.
And in light of that question this week, I’ve put together a simple Freezer-Friendly Food Guide with foods, proteins, meals, sauces and leftovers that freeze well - plus a few things that are better left out of the freezer.
If you'd like a copy, just reply to this email with “FREEZER” and I'll send it your way.
Keep Shining,
Kim
