What is health coaching?
Making healthier choices isn’t always straightforward. Knowing what to eat, how to exercise, and how to look after your overall well-being can feel overwhelming – especially with so much conflicting advice out there. Health coaching offers a more personalised, practical approach.
A health coach works with you to create realistic, sustainable changes to your lifestyle. They can help you improve your nutrition, fitness, and overall well-being, while supporting you to set goals and make manageable, sustainable changes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by where to begin, you’re not alone – many people seek support when making changes to their health and lifestyle.
What is a health coach?
Health coaching is a collaborative process where a trained professional supports you in making sustainable lifestyle changes to improve your overall health and well-being. Whether you’re managing a long-term condition or want to improve your health, a health coach can help you stay motivated and focused on your goals. They can act as an accountability partner, helping you to build healthier, sustainable habits, understand your choices, and put your well-being first.
Health coaching is a type of lifestyle coaching. This means a health coach can often help support with other issues associated with living a healthier life, such as weight management, career development, stress management, relationship problems, work-life balance, and more. A health coach can work through your existing goals and help you shape new ones. Together, you can discuss what you hope to achieve, helping you set smaller milestones towards bigger goals.
What are the benefits of health coaching?
Health coaching can offer a wide range of benefits and can be tailored to help you achieve your specific goals. You might find that health coaching helps you:
- improve your confidence in making healthier choices
- gain a better understanding of nutrition and lifestyle habits
- support you in setting and achieving realistic goals
- help provide a sense of accountability and increased motivation
- take a more balanced approach to physical and mental well-being
For example, you might work with a health coach to build a consistent exercise routine, improve your eating habits, or feel more in control of your stress.
Working with a health coach in the UK can also help you navigate local services and support that may be available to you.
What does a health coach do?
If you’re wondering what a health coach does, their role is to support you in making realistic, lasting lifestyle changes. Health coaches can help with a wide variety of issues, lifestyles, and abilities. Common issues people may choose to work with a health coach about can include:
- help manage chronic conditions
- support weight loss or weight management
- help reduce or manage stress
- improve diet and exercise
- support you to stop smoking
- help with lifestyle changes after illness or major life events
- support a healthier work-life balance
Health coaches use a variety of techniques to help you understand your motivations, work towards change, and start to make a difference. Common techniques used can include:
- stress management techniques
- self-help strategies
- mindfulness and meditation
- helping you find exercise you enjoy
- encouraging healthy sleep routines
- promoting self-care
What don’t health coaches do?
It’s important to understand that a health coach is not a nutritionist, therapist, personal trainer, or medical expert (unless they have specified another qualification on their profile or website). They cannot diagnose conditions or prescribe treatments.
How is health coaching different from other approaches?
Unlike some health professionals, health coaches do not diagnose conditions or prescribe treatment. Instead, they focus on helping you make changes that fit your lifestyle. Where health counselling may look more closely at the past and how past experience may shape your current behaviour, health coaching focuses on the present and the future.
Different kinds of coaching can help with different goals and problems. For example, wellness coaching focuses primarily on your sense of mental well-being. Health coaching may focus more on physical health and how lifestyle choices affect you overall. There can still be many crossovers between these coaching approaches, with many coaches offering a combination of health and wellness coaching.
Health and well-being coaching is also available for some conditions and lifestyle changes as part of the NHS. Find out more about NHS health and wellbeing coaching.
What to expect in a session with a health coach
Some coaches provide one-to-one sessions, typically lasting 45-60 minutes. This may be delivered in person, online, or by telephone. Others may offer group coaching sessions with a number of other people. Some people find that this can provide a greater sense of accountability and community, helping to encourage them to stick to their goals. It’s OK to take things at your own pace – lasting change often comes from small, consistent steps.
Sessions with a health coach are designed to feel supportive, collaborative, and focused on you and your individual goals. Rather than telling you what to do, a health coach works with you to explore what changes feel realistic and achievable for your lifestyle.
During your first session, you might:
- talk about your current lifestyle (diet, exercise, and sleep habits)
- share any challenges you are facing with your health or well-being
- discuss what you want to change or improve
- share your motivations and what’s important to you
From here, with the support of your coach, you can set clear, manageable goals. Together, you’ll break these down into smaller, achievable steps. In your following sessions, you may review progress, explore any barriers or unexpected setbacks, and adjust your goals if needed. Over time, sessions can help to build motivation and provide a sense of accountability.
Frequently asked questions about health coaching
Do health coaches need qualifications in the UK?
In the UK, health coaching is not currently regulated. This means anyone can call themselves a health coach. However, many coaches choose to gain qualifications or join professional bodies.
Is health coaching worth it?
Health coaching can be helpful if you are looking for support, structure, and accountability when making lifestyle changes. Only you can know if health coaching is worth it for you.
How much does a health coach cost in the UK?
The cost of health coaching in the UK can vary depending on the health coach’s experience, location, and the length of sessions. Many coaches offer packages where you can book a set number of sessions for a reduced fee.
What’s the difference between a health coach and a nutritionist?
A nutritionist usually focuses on diet and nutrition. In contrast, a health coach looks at lifestyle more broadly. This can include diet, exercise, healthy habits, stress management, and overall well-being.
How can I find the right coach for me?
Finding a coach you feel comfortable working with is a key part of the process. Many health coaches offer an initial discovery call. This allows you to have a quick, informal chat with them to discuss what services they offer, their areas of expertise, and to talk briefly about what you are looking for help with.
Ready to speak with a health coach in the UK? Whether you’re looking to improve your diet, manage stress, or make lasting lifestyle changes, you can find a qualified health coach online, by telephone, or in person near you using our advanced search.
