Holistic Health Coaching 101: What It Is & Why You Need It
Most people who are gym goers are familiar with personal trainers and assume that personal training only involves cardio and muscle building.
But did you know that there are holistic health coaches and personal trainers?
what is a holistic health coach?
A holistic health coach or personal trainer is someone who uses an integrated approach to diet and lifestyle changes in addition to cardio and muscle building to improve their clients’ health.
Here at Left Coast Fitness, we apply the six pillars of health to every holistic health plan we build; they are the cornerstone of optimal health and well-being.
The six pillars of holistic health coaching are:
Sleep
Water (hydration)
Food
Exercise
Thoughts
Breath
If any one of these areas has a weakness, it might impair a client’s ability to achieve their fitness goals.
What Can You Expect With Holistic Health Coaching?
If you choose holistic health coaching at Left Coast Fitness here in Campbell, California, you will start with an assessment.
The assessment is a very important part of personalizing your wellness plan, and it is more than just “Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or both?”
Our holistic health coaching assessment addresses four fundamental areas: posture, movement, core, and stress.
Posture Assessment
Without proper posture, it is almost impossible to achieve optimal health.
Your posture will affect not only your spine and joints but also your visceral organs and how you breathe.
After locating all of your postural deviations you will then be introduced to stretches, mobilizations, and corrective exercises to improve your posture and in turn, your health.
We’ll measure your head carriage, pelvic tilt, spinal curvatures, first rib angle, and more.
movement Assessment
The movement (biomechanics) evaluation tests all of your seven essential movement patterns.
We perform each of these movements every day.
For example, mopping the floor includes bending and rotating, and we squat every time we get in and out of a chair.
Dysfunction in any of these movements creates unnecessary stress upon our spine and joints leading to repetitive stress injury.
It is crucial to perform each of the seven movements with proper mechanics and stabilization of your spine to stay healthy and pain-free.
core Assessment
When strong and functioning properly, your core musculature will stabilize/support your spine under load and while moving.
When your core muscles are weak and/or not working properly:
Excessive stress is put through the spine and joints
You have an increased risk of injuring your back/joints
The degeneration process accelerates
The goal of the core evaluation is to locate any weakness and/or dysfunction, so an exercise program can be designed to meet your specific needs. A proper core exercise program will not only flatten your tummy but also improve the overall health of your joints and lower back.
Stress assessment
Excessive stress adds to unnecessary weight gain and inhibits the body’s natural repair process.
Without proper rest and repair, the body is unable to achieve optimal results.
Most individuals think stress is just emotional but stress can be physical, nutritional, chemical, electromagnetic, and thermal.
Once your overall stress levels are recorded this allows us to prescribe just the right amount of exercise (physical stress) that your body will be able to handle in a positive manner.
So it makes sense to treat the whole person, not just isolated parts.
Here at Left Coast Fitness, we’ll help you learn where your weaknesses lie, and how to start overcoming them.
If you are interested in whole body training that looks at the whole person, then holistic health coaching is for you.
If you are in the Campbell, CA area, you can schedule an appointment with one of our coaches with just a few clicks online.
