Redefining success in health and fitness coaching

“Success” in coaching used to mean a nice roster of ~30 in-person clients, full ownership of your practice, and a net profit that afforded you a vacation or two a year. These days, health and fitness coaches are ditching the cookie cutter definitions and building businesses their own way. Here are 7 inspiring coaches who are redefining success in health and fitness coaching and how you can too.


Making it” as a fitness and health coach used to be pretty straightforward.


“Success” meant having a steady stream of clients knocking on your door, and making enough money to easily pay the bills, live comfortably, and take your family on vacation from time to time.

But, lately, we’ve noticed that health and fitness coaches are getting more creative with their definition of “success”. They’re building their businesses to support specific personal and professional goals.

Everything from: building a practice that allows them to work from anywhere in the world (even amazing, exotic locations), to setting flexible work hours so they can hang out more with their children or pursue other hobbies and interests, to working with specific groups that are most meaningful to them because of past experiences or future aspirations.

It’s awesome to watch.


That’s why we decided to ask a few of our ProCoaches:

What does success look like for you?
And how are you achieving it?


Their stories were so good — so inspiring — that I wanted to share them with you today. They might even help you re-define what success means for you.


Success is… living life on your own terms.

Daniel Hennessey is living the dream.

Thailand, Costa Rica, California… Dan travels around the world with his business partner and fiancé, Wendy, while coaching fitness and nutrition online (and creating an enviable Instagram while he’s at it).

Dan used to live his life on the gym floor (or sitting in traffic on the long commute to work.) But after years as a trainer and gym owner, he finally said to himself, “what am I doing?”

The truth is, life in the gym just wasn’t for him. He wanted to be in the outdoors. To travel. To seek out new perspectives on life, and new ways of being healthy.

Most of all, “I wanted to do things my own way.”

Dan took the plunge. He sold his possessions and embraced the minimalist life, traveling with just a backpack. Meanwhile, he established a new business for himself as an online coach.

Now, at 30, Dan focuses on people who he feels are better served by online, rather than in-person coaching — such as busy moms, or people who feel intimidated by the mere thought of setting foot in a gym.

“With online coaching, a lot more people can have access to this thing called health, and I can coach you while sitting at home.” 


 How he does it:

Dan uses Procoach to deliver online nutrition coaching. At the higher-end, his services are priced at $200/month; at the lower-end, he offers a “90 day for 90 dollars” program that helps people get started.

Overstressed and Overeating?

Feeling overworked and under-appreciated? Having trouble staying consistent with nutrition and fitness because of life’s demands? Wondering if you’ll ever be able to find time to achieve the body and health you want? This article is for you.



Putting others’ needs before your own? For lots of women, it’s an everyday reality.


Whether you’re a high-powered professional, a mother, a caregiver, a partner, a worker, a daughter, a friend, or all of the above and more….
 
….if you’re a woman, you’re asked to do a lot.

Many of us spend our days putting out fires, handling to-do lists, wiping little noses, meeting deadlines, and making sure other people are fed, safe, and happy.

  Here’s the thing…

We’ve gotten to know a lot of women through our Precision Nutrition Coaching program. And we’ve learned that most of them enjoy — and thrive on — that impossible list above.

They like rising to the challenge of supporting others and getting stuff done.

That is, until their energy runs out and they realize they don’t have any left over for themselves.



And slowly, after months or years of putting other people first, multi-tasking, and wrangling that epic to-do list:

• They’re drained mentally and emotionally.
• The time they used to invest in self-care has disappeared.
• The clothes that used to fit..feel a little (or a lot) tighter.
• The sugar and junk food cravings seem much stronger.
• The exercise classes/workouts are postponed, then canceled.
• The bathroom mirror and scale are avoided. (Along with the bed.)
• The stress of yo-yo dieting starts up again.

With putting so much time into caring for others, and juggling all their responsibilities, women end up neglecting themselves.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.


You can feel healthy, fit, and good in your own skin.


You can regain control of your schedule and your body.

You can overcome emotional eating and cravings.

You can show love and appreciation to others while still taking care of yourself.

Foods May Help You Rest Easy

When you eat well, you support healthy sleep. There are certain foods that you should promote or avoid if you want to sleep better.

In general, foods that impact the production of melatonin, serotonin, or contain tryptophan are supportive of sleep. Vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, and B6 can be helpful for promoting good sleep as well.

Foods With Tryptophan

Foods with tryptophan can support production of serotonin, which creates melatonin, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy and regulates sleep and wake cycles. Tryptophan rich foods include:

• Dairy, including cheese and milk
• Fish
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Beans

Melatonin Rich Foods

Although foods with tryptophan can support production of the sleep hormone melatonin, there are some foods that are naturally rich in melatonin already. These include:

• Oats

• Bananas

• Nuts

• Cherries

• Tomatoes

Foods that are a good source of the vitamin B6 can support your body’s production of melatonin. These foods include:

• Fatty fish

• Pistachios

• Chickpeas (found in hummus)

• Raw garlic

• Bananas

Calcium Rich Foods

If you’re waking up at night and finding it difficult to get back to sleep, you may have a calcium deficiency. Eating foods rich in calcium before bed and throughout the day can help you stay asleep through the night. Choose foods including:

• Milk

• Cheese

• Yogurt

• Leafy greens

Foods That Support Sleep

Overall, the foods that support a healthy diet also support healthy sleep. These include:

• Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt

• Eggs

• Nuts

• Whole grains

• Leafy greens

Foods to Avoid for Healthy Sleep

But not all food is helpful for supporting healthy sleep. There are some foods that can make it difficult to sleep well or fall asleep and should be avoided. For example, a large, fatty meal can take significant energy to digest, and eating that before bed can shift your body’s focus from sleeping to digestion. Foods to avoid for healthy sleep include:

• Late night coffee or other sources of caffeine

• Alcohol, which can make your sleep more shallow

• Fatty, sugary foods

• Heavy meals

Healthy Sleep Habits

Of course, food isn’t the only factor in a good night’s sleep. Eating a healthy diet won’t help you sleep well if you’re not supporting good sleep with healthy sleep habits.

• Healthy sleep habits include:

• Following a regular bedtime routine

• Scheduling enough time to sleep at night

• Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule

• Treating sleep disorders

• Creating a healthy sleep environment, including choosing the right mattress

Eating well and sleeping well go hand in hand. If your diet or sleep habits need improvement, you could be sabotaging healthy sleep. Consider improving your diet with foods that support sleep and following healthy sleep habits for a better night’s sleep.

Additionally, carbohydrate rich foods can support production of tryptophan. Research indicates pairing carbohydrates with healthy fats can help make you feel sleepy. The higher the glycemic index (complex carbohydrates), the faster it will help you fall asleep. Pair complex carbohydrates with proteins, and you can keep your blood sugar stable through the night.

Should there be criminal responsibility for medical errors?

First, we must define how legal scholars define medical error, medical malpractice,

negligent treatment, medical mistake, doctor's error, doctor's fault or doctor's

mistake. All of these phrases are used more or less synonymously. However, it is

more appropriate to speak of medical error, medical mistake or medical malpractice,

since the latter terms are not limited to doctors but also include negligent treatment

rendered by other medical professionals (anaesthetists, medical nurses and other

health professionals that treat or help treating the patients). Doctors and hospitals

are expected to provide medical treatment employing all of the knowledge and skill

at their disposal. Doctors owe certain duties to their patients and a breach of these

duties triggers a cause of action for negligence against the doctor (Pandit & Pandit,

2009).

In the IOM report “To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System”, clinical error

was defined as failure of a planned action to be completed as intended or the use of

a wrong plan to achieve an aim (Kohn, Corrigan & Donaldson, 2000).

Legal definitions of medical error began in 1869 when medical expert Rudolf

Virchow defined medical error as an error that occurs in a deviation from the

generally accepted rules of medical profession because of insufficient care (Matz,

1869, in: Kaufman, 1989).

Today, medical malpractice is defined as an act or omission by a physician or

medical expert during treatment of a patient that deviates from accepted norms of

practice in the medical community and causes injury to the patient (Sonny Bal,

2009). Grunsven (1997) argues that only an extreme deviation from generally

accepted standards of practice should constitute gross negligent medical care.

It is undeniable that in criminal law, the first element that must be considered when

determining whether a doctor’s negligence or medical error constitutes a chargeable

offence is to determine whether there was a breach of the medical profession’s

standards (Korošec, 2016). 

Medical duty of care

The relationship between a doctor and a patient is a special one. Most anaesthetists work in a hospital environment and do not usually have patients directly admitted under their care. When a patient is admitted to hospital, a duty of care relationship is created, which can be applied to any doctor coming into contact with the patient not just the admitting team. Hence, it has been argued by medical law academics that any patient we come across in our professional environment is owed a duty of care, not only by the doctors the patient comes into contact with, but also by those who are employed by the Trust to deliver patient care. For example, a patient who has a cardiac arrest on a hospital corridor is owed a duty of care by any doctor who happens to be passing, and provision of assistance in such circumstances would probably be expected and would not be classed as a ‘good Samaritan’ act, however this academic view has not currently been tested in a British court environment to our knowledge.

Who’s at fault here? And if it’s more than one individual, how much of the “blame” should each be accountable (and perhaps punishable) for? We now enter the next great difficulty in trying to use a punitive model to address medical errors: the complexity of how errors occur in medicine means that true analysis of them require honest self-reflection and reporting. In other words, the culture of how we view and approach medical errors must first shift away from the traditional shame-based paradigm.

Harm and causation

Establishing causation can be difficult, as it must be demonstrated that ‘but for’ the doctor's action/inaction harm would not have occurred. Anaesthetists rarely work alone and it can sometimes be difficult to establish where the harm occurred in relation to an episode of medical care (e.g. paralysis after aortic aneurysm repair may be caused by the surgery or the provision of epidural analgesia). Unsurprisingly, claims for medical negligence most frequently fail due to an inability to establish causation as there are often a variety of possible explanations for the outcome. However, if it can be shown that the breach materially contributed to the damage or it is more likely that the damage was due to negligence than another cause that is usually sufficient.

Sometimes, in the absence of any other reasonable explanation for a phenomenon, the principle of ‘res ipsa loquitur’ (literally ‘the thing speaks for itself’) applies (e.g. the finding of a retained swab in the abdomen at laparotomy can only be assumed to be due to its negligent loss during a previous laparotomy). Such a situation would apply to procedures performed on the wrong limb/side (e.g. brachial plexus block and if damage occurs from that, then causation is assumed to be established unless the defendant can show that there is another reasonable explanation).

Conclusion

Medical negligence is a three-part test whereby a duty of professional care is owed to a patient and as a consequence of a breach of that duty, the patient suffers harm. All parts of the test must be satisfied.

Civil considerations of negligence require doctors to act to an appropriate standard usually but not exclusively judged by the standard of their peers, whereas for criminal negligence the standard of practice has to result in serious harm from actions that could be considered to be incompetent or grossly negligent. Due to the greater availability of practice guidelines to guide the courts, doctors should always consider the implications and justification for deviations from accepted practices should the patient suffer harm, and doctors in training should be aware that they are expected to seek advice and assistance where they lack experience in order to preserve public safety. Adequacy of note keeping to help defend any claims is vital.

Some Simple Tricks & Ways To Take Care Of Your Hair

Looking for tips on how to take care of your normal hair? Consider your search complete. Read on for expert-approved advice to keep your normal hair looking and feeling its best!

How many times have you felt jealous of those luscious and long hair? Everyone has at some point or the other. While some people are born with beautiful hair, some are stuck with dull and frizzy hair. The growing pollution adds on to the hair problems which makes it more irritating to tame those unmanageable hair. But with right kind of solution, you can achieve the look you have always longed for.

Let’s just say you have normal hair. (It’s probably a good assumption if you’ve made it this far in the story, but I digress.) Normal hair is often

characterized by a healthy amount of hair shine that’s not quite oily. It’s typically soft to the touch and easy to manage. In fact, some would say it’s quite lucky to have this hair type. While normal hair types may have won the easy-to-care-for-hair lottery, they’re not completely off the hook. Without consistent hair care, maintenance and follow through on good hair care habits, they too can experience woes often associated with other hair types, including hair frizz, hair moisture loss, and excess hair volume. Ahead, we share tips on how to take care of normal hair…the right way.

1. SHAMPOO HAIR SPARINGLY:

Traditional shampoos can strip the hair of moisture, especially when used too often. Instead of lathering up every day, stick to a schedule of two to three times per week. Since normal hair is typically not prone to excess grease the way oily hair is, this should pose no issue.

2. APPLY A WEEKLY HAIR MASK:

With all the aggressors your hair can come in contact with daily—think: pollution, UV rays, chlorinated water, excessive styling—we recommend giving your strands a little extra TLC every now and again. To help improve the overall quality of your hair and address specific concerns, hair-masks-what-are-they-all-about. Hair masks are easy to use, take very little time, and can be worn while multi-tasking. Win-win-win.

3. BE GENTLE WHEN BRUSHING HAIR:

Forget what you may have heard. You don’t have to brush your hair strands 100 times a day for perfect hair. In fact, you’ll probably be best served not to. Unless your hair is curly, brush your hair when it’s dry. Hair that’s wet and filled with moisture is more fragile than hair that’s dry, which can result in hair breakage and snapping when brushed. Also, be gentle! Start a few inches off the bottom and slowly work your way up the strand in small sections using short strokes. Removing hair tangles this way is much more efficient at keeping unwanted hair damage at bay.

4. GET REGULAR HAIR TRIMS:

The easiest way to remove split ends is to get—yup, you guessed it!—regular hair trims. Visit your hairdresser for a trim every six to eight weeks. The longer you wait, the more hair damage can ensue as the split travels further and further up your hair shaft.

5. LET HAIR DRY NATURALLY:

Are blow-dryers, curling irons, and flat irons staple tools in your hair styling routine? Perhaps it’s time to reconsider. Excess heat can wreak havoc on your hair, especially when used daily. We recommend dialing back on your use of hot styling tools in favor of air-drying. If you don’t want to leave the house with hair that’s sopping (we don’t blame you), use a microfiber towel to get as much water out of your hair as possible. If you absolutely must use these hair tools, apply a heat protectant product and use the device on the lowest temperature setting.

Some Other Tips:

• Eat a balanced diet to have healthy hair.
• Choose a sulfur-free shampoo for your hair. Also, be careful of the kind of product you apply in your hair. Conditioning is essential for healthy hair. Deep conditioning once or twice a week can stimulate hair growth. 
• Washing your hair with cold water can keep the moisture in your hair and give you shiny and soft hair. 
• Do not get a haircut every now and then, but it is necessary to trim your hair every 6 months to get rid of split ends and keep them healthy. 
• Only wash your hair once or twice a week to keep your scalp from losing its moisture.

Now I am suggesting some very important ingredients for your hair: 

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is known for its hair care properties and has been used as an ingredient in many hair care products. It is considered as a natural conditioning agent for hair. It helps in restoring hair’s shine and softness. The conditioning properties of aloe vera improve strength and suppleness of your hair. Aloe vera gel has a similar chemical composition of keratin, the naturally occurring protein in hair cells, which allows for easier penetration in the hair and gives you frizz-free hair.

Apple Cider Vinegar 

Apple cider vinegar, (two teaspoonfuls), when mixed with a cup of water, makes an excellent hair rinse. Douse your hair after washing and follow with a light conditioner. The acetic acid gets rid of residue from product buildup and makes your hair shiny and lustrous.

Eggs 

Eggs contain a lot of nutrients which can restore the damage done to your hair. It nourishes the hair and make them shiny by improving their texture. It improves the quality of the hair and adds shine to dull hair. Prepare an egg mask and apply it once or twice a week to get best results. 

Curd 

Curd is rich in vitamins B5 and D, both of which are important for stimulating hair growth. It helps with hair problems such as dandruff and itchiness. Curd is also rich in fatty acids - a good source for healthy and frizz-free hair.  It also contains zinc, magnesium and potassium which is beneficial for your hair as well as your health. It is one go-to solution for pretty much all hair problems. 

Easy Meal Preparation Tips For Packing Healthy Lunches

Meal prep is the key to your sanity in the kitchen, where no rules apply, and anything is better than nothing.

Meal prep makes life a lot easier when it comes to healthy eating and the great news is that there are no rules! Some people might want to prep all their dinners for the week, some might only want to do lunch, while others just benefit from cleaning and cutting produce ahead of time.

Aim to stock up on at least a few different food groups, if not all of them:

• Protein– helps keep us satisfied and feeling full longer. There are many options from vegetarian sources like beans, nuts, nut butters, tofu and animal products like beef, chicken, turkey, ham and eggs.
• Carbohydrates (especially whole grains)- provide us with energy, fiber and antioxidants. I like to make one batch of  a whole grain like quinoa or pasta. Brown rice crackers are also a great choice.
• Fruits– generally low calorie per serving and vitamin packed, fruit provides us with natural sweetness and fiber. The variety is endless- whole apples, peaches, nectarines, grapes and berries make the top of the list.
• Vegetables– also lower calorie and packed with vitamins, vegetables are an important part of our diet. Grape tomatoes, celery sticks, spinach salad, mini bell peppers, cucumber slices and baby carrots are easy to prep ahead of time.
• Dairy– you can bet there is always yogurt and cheese involved in our meal prep. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing intake of nutrient-dense foods, such as fat-free or low-fat dairy products, like yogurt. Yogurt is nutrient-dense and can be a good source of protein, calcium and vitamin D.

Some ideas for lunch and snack meal preparation are :

• Wash and cut fruit such as melon, pineapple, grapes, strawberries
• Boil eggs
• Wash, cut and package veggies for lunches
• Stock up on individual yogurts and cheese sticks and take them out of the original package
• Divy up individual portions of protein such as hummus, cottage cheese, ham or turkey slices, grilled chicken, etc.
• Make homemade energy bite, granola bar, oatmeal bar, muffins etc. Freeze this item if needed.
• Make and freeze sandwiches- chicken and cheese, peanut butter, homemade Egg sandwiches can all go in the freezer
• Try a make-ahead breakfast burrito (this can also be frozen)
• Cook and store some sort of whole grain carbohydrate like quinoa or pasta.

Storing your food in small see-through containers in the fridge is not necessary, but it sure is helpful. It gives you a visual of what you have ready and as it starts to empty, you can take a few minutes to restock.

Doing the above really helps lunch come together in no time and it makes your dinner prep easier because you will not spending as much time on lunches. When I don’t do this prep, you always feel more frazzled and disorganized.

I challenge you to take a step forward toward meal prep each and every week. I’d love to hear, what works for you? Do you meal prep for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Dannon® believes in a “Do What Fits You” philosophy which supports that not one thing works for everyone!

Eating and Exercise Tips for Your 50s

Good news: Life really does get better at 50 — in fact, according to one poll, the majority of Americans said that if they could stop time and live forever at one age, it would be 50. Which means that if you're in your sixth decade (or about to be), then you'll want to take advantage of this time — and stay as fit and healthy as the day you turned the big five-oh.

Of course, we'd be lying if we said that hitting the half-century mark didn't come with certain physical downsides: This is around the time your start to naturally lose muscle mass, while weight accumulates your midsection. Fortunately, that doesn't mean you're destined to acquire a midlife muffin-top. Read on for all the food and fitness advice you need to counteract those pesky age-related changes happening in your body, and to stay you fit for years to come.

Cut Back on Calories

For women, unless you're considered very active (the equivalent to walking more than 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour), you'll want to consume approximately 200 fewer calories in your 50s than you did in your 40s, according to the latest dietary guidelines from the USDA. The reason? That loss of muscle that comes with age results in a slower metabolism. If you're moderately active (equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour), that means going from 2000 calories a day to 1800. And if you don't workout at all (which is about to change, of course), then you'll want to go from 1800 calories a day to 1600. If you're very active, you can hold steady at 2200 — at least until you hit 60, when you can drop to 2000.

For men, the numbers are a little different (because, guys, you're slower to lose muscle mass compared women, so your metabolisms are still humming). Your calories counts stay the same until you hit 56, when — if you're very active — you'll want to go from 2800 to 2600 calories a day. Otherwise, you can aim for 2400 calories a day if you're moderately active, and 2200 if your lifestyle is basically sedentary.

Get Enough Calcium

In addition to losing muscle mass with age, bones begins to shrink in size and density around age 50 for women, and closer to 70 for men. To keep bones strong, make sure you're getting 1200 mg of calcium a day, along with 600 IU of vitamin D (which helps with calcium absorption). The National Osteoporosis Foundation offers a list of healthy, calcium-rich foods, including collard greens (360 mg/8 oz. serving), fortified almond, soy or rice milk (300 mg/8 oz. serving), and sardines (325 mg/3 oz. serving). Added bonus: Those sardines are also an excellent source of vitamin D, containing close to half of the recommended daily amount.

Bring on the B12

Vitamin B12 is the sort of thing you don't have to worry about until you're not getting enough of it. The vitamin is essential for keeping keep nerve and blood cells healthy, and symptoms that you're lacking in it include numbness or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet; muscle weakness and fatigue; and difficulty thinking.

Unfortunately, according to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an estimated that 3.2 percent of adults over age 50 are seriously deficient in B12, and up to 20 percent may be borderline deficient. The reason the vitamin suddenly become an issue at 50: You have less hydrochloric acid in your stomach to absorb the B12 naturally occurring in food, reports the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

For that reason, it's recommended that you get most of your B12 from fortified foods (like cereals and non-dairy milks) or supplements. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about which route makes the most sense for you. Other supplement to consider: vitamin B6, omega 3, folic acid, calcium and vitamin D.

Warm Up

After 50, muscles tend to become less flexible. To reduce your risk of injury, you'll want to warm up before working out. walking or time on an elliptical machine to get blood flowing to the muscles to make them pliable.

Get Strong

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends people over 50 strength-train all major muscle groups at least two and up to four times per week to gain muscle. Allow at least 48 hours between strength-training workouts for full recovery. Overtraining can cause injuries and setbacks in your plan, which can lead to muscle loss.

Try 10-Minute Workouts

If you're in your 50s, chances are retirement is still a ways off. Plus, it's likely that you still have kids at home who demand your attention. Which means that it's probably not easy to make time for the gym. If that's the case, consider sneaking in ten-minute workouts throughout your day, suggests the National Institute on Aging. Your minimum goal should be 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

What Do YOU Think?

Are you in your 50s? Do you agree with these eating and exercise tips? Are there other questions you have for us? Leave a comment below and let me know.