As a way to answer inquiries I receive daily about my nutrition and lifestyle coaching, I’ve decided to put together a FAQ page to help answer your questions in a more efficient manner. Most of the emails or messages I receive from clients have to do with what my program is about and what it entails. Meaning, most people want to know what the heck they’re getting themselves into.
So, to help clear up your questions, below are some answers to give you more insight into what working with me looks like. But before we get to that, here are my very own before and after photos after putting myself through my own 8-week coaching program:
My Results of Going Through The Lean Body Program:
My Results:
Before Weight: 150.8
After Weight: 136.4
Total Weight Lost: 14.4 lbs
Inches Lost: 10.25″
Other Improvements:
- Clearer Skin
- Less bloating and gas
- Flatter tummy
- Crazy energy
- Better sleep
- Stronger hair and nails
- No more PMS cramps
- More confidence
1. What exactly is your coaching program?
My coaching program is an 8-week system designed to help people find the food, exercise and lifestyle choices that are going to be most inline with what their body needs to have the best health they could have.
Basically, I help people look better, feel better, have more energy, have more sex drive, establish better relationship with food, and develop a deeper understand of their own body.
2. Uh, that sounds great. But it didn’t really answer the question. What exactly is it?
Ok, my coaching program includes:
- A detailed assessment and health history to figure out where you are at and what your biggest complaints and symptoms are in your life. This could be energy levels, sex drive, weight gain, or even lack of sleep.
- A goal setting exercise to help establish your priorities for the next 2 – 6 months.
- A meal plan that includes many options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
- An Online Diet and Lifestyle Journal in which you will keep track of your food intake, your sleep patterns, your exercise, and even your bowel movements. I will be checking this for you daily. And yes, I will ask that you keep track of your poop.
- A Planning Calendar to schedule social events, re-feeding days, intermittent fasting days or any randomness that may pop that we will need to accommodate for.
- A Measurement Sheet and Guide for you to track and monitor your progress and a how-to for taking before and after photos.
- Bi-Weekly coaching sessions to ensure progress (4 – 30 minute sessions in total). If you live in the Boston area, we will meet to actually go over your progress. If you live out of area, these sessions will be done via Skype.
- Unlimited e-mailing and texting support. Meaning, if you have a question, I will answer asap. As a coaching client, you get priority over all emails. Out to dinner and can’t decide what to eat? Text, and I can help. At the grocery store and can’t figure out what brand to buy? I can help.
- A re-assessment at the end of the 8 weeks to track progress.
I hope that helps.
3. What are some of the benefits of the plan?
- Weight loss
- Lower body fat percentage
- Leaner and tighter body
- Lose inches
- Increase energy
- Increase sex drive
- Establish a better relationship with food
- Help alleviate digestive symptoms like bloating, gas, cramping, and constipation
- More self-confidence
- Reduce sugar cravings
- Overall feeling of awesomeness
Here’s another before and after from one of my coaching clients, Katie R., 30, Boston, MA. You can read about her experience here in our interview.
Katie’s Results:
Before Weight: 173.4 lbs
After Weight: 161.6 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 11.8 lbs
Total Inches Lost: 11 inches
4. Cool! So, what exactly will I be eating? Do I have eat protein bars, and shakes?
First, no. You do not have to eat protein bars and shakes. As a matter of fact, I advise against them. The basis of my program is built around eating whole, organic meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
This is not a vegetarian, raw food, or vegan diet although I do take certain concepts from these lifestyles.
5. Do I have to weigh my food and count calories?
Abosolutely not. I advise against this as well. Weighing food and calorie counting is not a sustainable way of living, and one of the primary goals of my coaching program is to help you develop a better relationship with food that is sustainable for the rest of your life.
Since we do not count calories or weigh food, we will work on listening to your body’s needs and working on establishing healthy eating habits.
6. I hear that I can’t have gluten or dairy. What’s up with that?
From my experience working with training and nutrition clients over the last 8 years, and from my own personal experience, I have found that by eliminating the most common food allergens in the initial phases (especially if you have any digestive complaints) leads to very successful results.
Although food sensitivities can vary depending on the person, I find that by eliminating gluten and dairy in the initial phases, clients will see a dramatic decrease in digestive complaints, as well as weight reduction and decresed inflammation.
The entire 8-week program does follow a gluten and dairy free protocol. Maintenance after the program does include periods of re-introducing these foods to test the clients tolerance.
7. Can I still go out to dinner?
Yes, absolutely. All of my nutrition clients have been able to incorporate going out to dinner on this plan. Heck some of my clients have even made it through Thanksgiving and still had great results.
Now, I will say that you will have to make some adjustments in your food choices. And we will work on this together. There are tons of resources you can use to find gluten and dairy free friendly restaurants in your area.
I do not believe in never going out to eat again, and restricting yourself, however, during the 8 weeks we will have to make adjustments to ensure progress.
8. And what about wine and alcohol?
Good question. During the initial phases, alcohol is eliminated from the plan. However, do not fear. We do integrate alcohol back into the plan.