People have been asking me lately what makes me different. What differentiates me from other personal trainers? Well first, I am not "just a personal trainer". I am a nutritionist & wellness coach as well. Each of these skills allows me to have different relationships with my clients.
Nutritionist
When I’m a nutritionist, I inform, educate & give feedback. Depending on the client, and what their goals are, I will do as much education as I need to in order to get the client to a point where they’re able to make good decisions. The second step is to do weekly check-ins, where the client keeps an online food journal & we review those food choices; discovering how different foods affect mood, energy, sleep, etc. and also reflecting on any emotional eating that may have popped up.
Personal Trainer
As a personal trainer, I am focused on working my client out, and making them strong. I make sure that they’re using proper form, using equipment safely, and design their workout so that they get the most out of their time with me. I mostly perform circuit-style training, and push my clients gently; always trying to get more out of them than they would give the workout if they were by themselves.
Wellness Coach
Wellness coaching is a relatively new area in the Health Industry. Many people don’t understand it, but it’s where I can impact my client’s lives the most. Wellness Coaching is where I work with my clients to help them to make & accomplish their goals. Everyone has their own idea of what "healthy" or "healthier" is for them; where they want to be next year, or by the summer. Maybe you want to add more fruits & vegetables into your diet & sleep better, but you’re not ready to kick that soda habit? That’s cool. I won’t push it – there will be a day when you are. I walk people through the process of gradual behavioral change until it becomes a habit.
So again, what makes me different? It could be that I’m a nutritionist, personal trainer and wellness coach, but more than that. Clients that come to me want to do it on their own. I want to teach, engage & inspire each of my clients so that they will be healthier next month than they are now. I teach sustainable health habits: habits that are repeatable, that you can do while no one is watching & checking up on you.
Worst Fear
A few months ago, I was talking to another trainer & her client. They were bragging about the fact that they had worked together for 13 years. 13 YEARS! It’s not that I don’t want to have relationships with clients for 13 years. I do. However after a mere 3 years, that client had better be a walking, talking billboard! If we’re still working together on a weekly basis for 3 years, I haven’t done my job & should be fired.
Our Approach
It today’s economy, people don’t have the extra cash to be spending on anything outside of the necessities. In this article, we discuss how the best thing you can do in a down economy is to take care of your health. It’s an investment in your quality of life as you age. Science has the ability to keep us alive well into our 100’s. How much fun is that if you can’t do anything for yourself. By learning now how to take care of your body through nutrition and activity, you can increase your quality of life tenfold & also enjoy the money you saved.
I do want to have relationships with my clients that last for years & years. I want to watch them grow & have my clients inspire me with how they’ve integrated health into their lives. I think that relationship could look differently than meeting 1-3 times weekly for an appointment & rather do that through iterative phases: learn, incorporate, refine. Our initial phase is the learning phase – I teach, explain, motivate, discuss and you learn. The next two phases are cyclical – you go off on your own & incorporate the information into your life & come back when you need refinement, or want to take that next step in towards better health.
Our approach is what makes Total Health by Elizabeth different. We teach sustainable, resilient and repeatable habits for healthy living.