It has been a while since I last wrote. I've been busy with family, school, ministry and life in general. Yet, I have learned some things in these last few months that I want to share with you.
It has been two year since I started my health journey. While I do not believe I am an expert, I do believe I can help others with their journey. For others, you may be even more advanced, depending on what training you took to get to your healthy weight. So what do you do with all that knowledge and understanding? You use it to help mentor/coach others.
Do you remember how you felt when you began your health journey? I know I do! I didn't know where to start and it really seemed like an overwhelming task to undertake. Yet, with reading, advice and learning along the way I figured out a groove that works and is still working for me.
So how do you start. I found out there are some really neat ways to become a mentor or a coach. In fact, some businesses are promoting that like Beachbody. That are turning their customers into their coaches. It's not uncommon, weight watchers and other systems are doing it as well. If you want to do something on that scale, you can look into those particular companies. But if you aren't looking to make this career but just want to give back, keep you ears open for individuals you know that want to get healthy but don't know where to start.
Some tips:
1. Become a shopping buddy ~ Sometimes people have difficulty changing because they don't know what to buy or how to prepare meals. Help a friend out by helping them create a healthy menu and then go shopping with them to take the frustration out of what to buy.
2. Be an accountability partner ~ Sometimes people just need someone to hold them accountable so they will get to the gym, eat right or do what they have committed to doing. I tend to tell people up front, if you want me as accountability partner, I am going to challenge you to keep up with your goals and then I do it.
3. Be encouraging ~ Even though I can be a little tough with people about their goals, I also know when to encourage them when they don't make it, especially if you see they are trying. You remind them to keep going and don't let any set backs put them out of the pursuit of their goals.
4. Mentor ~ Sometimes people need to see the lifestyle and activities of a person they admire. You can be that living example of what it looks like to have a healthy lifestyle. Model to those you are mentoring the right kinds of healthy behaviors. These speaks volumes!
5. Teach ~ Be willing to teach someone what you learned or to share tools you have found helpful. Make sure you let others know what works for one person may or may not work for another. Sometimes things have to be tweaked a bit, but overall keep sharing what you have seen work. When you share it, remember to say "this is what worked for me, but you try it and see if it works for you. If not, we'll keep looking for the right......"
6. Teamwork ~ The greatest way you can coach someone is to help them feel like you are part of their team, they are not in this alone. Think about how hard things are for you when you have to do it all by yourself, especially if it is something you have never done before. This is how others are feeling and having someone on their team, makes them feel like they have already succeeded because they are not alone.
7. Celebrate ever success ~ When the person goes 1 week without eating poor foods, celebrate! When the person you are mentoring loses their first 5 pounds, celebrate. Whatever the success is celebrate (not with food). That celebration can be in simply telling them you are proud of them and you know they will do it, or with some pampering or whatever works, simply celebrate the success!
8. Be spiritual support ~ This is the last entry, but it really is number one. Sometimes individuals are dealing with more than an extra 10 or 20 pounds, sometimes what is burdening them the most is the burdens in their lives and on their souls. Be willing to have a discerning ear to really hear what the person is telling you about themselves. You may not be able to help, but you can pray and encourage that person to seek help if additional help is needed above what you can offer. But most importantly, is be there for support.
Who will you begin to journey with as they seek to WIN in health?
It has been two year since I started my health journey. While I do not believe I am an expert, I do believe I can help others with their journey. For others, you may be even more advanced, depending on what training you took to get to your healthy weight. So what do you do with all that knowledge and understanding? You use it to help mentor/coach others.
Do you remember how you felt when you began your health journey? I know I do! I didn't know where to start and it really seemed like an overwhelming task to undertake. Yet, with reading, advice and learning along the way I figured out a groove that works and is still working for me.
So how do you start. I found out there are some really neat ways to become a mentor or a coach. In fact, some businesses are promoting that like Beachbody. That are turning their customers into their coaches. It's not uncommon, weight watchers and other systems are doing it as well. If you want to do something on that scale, you can look into those particular companies. But if you aren't looking to make this career but just want to give back, keep you ears open for individuals you know that want to get healthy but don't know where to start.
Some tips:
1. Become a shopping buddy ~ Sometimes people have difficulty changing because they don't know what to buy or how to prepare meals. Help a friend out by helping them create a healthy menu and then go shopping with them to take the frustration out of what to buy.
2. Be an accountability partner ~ Sometimes people just need someone to hold them accountable so they will get to the gym, eat right or do what they have committed to doing. I tend to tell people up front, if you want me as accountability partner, I am going to challenge you to keep up with your goals and then I do it.
3. Be encouraging ~ Even though I can be a little tough with people about their goals, I also know when to encourage them when they don't make it, especially if you see they are trying. You remind them to keep going and don't let any set backs put them out of the pursuit of their goals.
4. Mentor ~ Sometimes people need to see the lifestyle and activities of a person they admire. You can be that living example of what it looks like to have a healthy lifestyle. Model to those you are mentoring the right kinds of healthy behaviors. These speaks volumes!
5. Teach ~ Be willing to teach someone what you learned or to share tools you have found helpful. Make sure you let others know what works for one person may or may not work for another. Sometimes things have to be tweaked a bit, but overall keep sharing what you have seen work. When you share it, remember to say "this is what worked for me, but you try it and see if it works for you. If not, we'll keep looking for the right......"
6. Teamwork ~ The greatest way you can coach someone is to help them feel like you are part of their team, they are not in this alone. Think about how hard things are for you when you have to do it all by yourself, especially if it is something you have never done before. This is how others are feeling and having someone on their team, makes them feel like they have already succeeded because they are not alone.
7. Celebrate ever success ~ When the person goes 1 week without eating poor foods, celebrate! When the person you are mentoring loses their first 5 pounds, celebrate. Whatever the success is celebrate (not with food). That celebration can be in simply telling them you are proud of them and you know they will do it, or with some pampering or whatever works, simply celebrate the success!
8. Be spiritual support ~ This is the last entry, but it really is number one. Sometimes individuals are dealing with more than an extra 10 or 20 pounds, sometimes what is burdening them the most is the burdens in their lives and on their souls. Be willing to have a discerning ear to really hear what the person is telling you about themselves. You may not be able to help, but you can pray and encourage that person to seek help if additional help is needed above what you can offer. But most importantly, is be there for support.
Who will you begin to journey with as they seek to WIN in health?
