The internet is full of energy hacks.

Try fasting! Put butter in your coffee! Take this supplement!

What if you’ve tried all that—and your doctor has also declared you the healthiest and fittest of specimens?

Yet your energy and focus still aren’t where you want them.

Is it time to face the reality that you’ll never feel as spunky or get as much done as you want?

Nope, not quite.

There’s a good chance you haven’t yet explored all of your options. In this article, we’ll share three unexpected solutions. Experiment with one, two, or all three—and get ready to feel a whole lot better.

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#1: Optimize your sleep environment.

Our sleep habits are tied to our physical environment.

For instance, one PN client couldn’t figure out why she avoided going to bed every single night.

It turned out, her bedroom was a bit of a dumping ground for junk, which reminded her of all the work she had yet to do. More stress meant less sleep.

The thing is…

A relaxing environment is essential for a good night’s rest. 

People sleep better when their bedroom is optimized for comfort, light, and noise and temperature.

The experiment: Redesign your sleep area.

Think of this experiment in two levels.

Level 1: Declutter.

Marie Kondo, the famous tidying consultant, author, and Netflix star, based her “KonMari” cleaning method on this idea:

You can transform your home into a space of serenity and inspiration just by decluttering. 

In addition to helping you sleep, a soothing, restful environment can lead to mental clarity. (Hello, energy you’ve been missing!)

Importantly, your bedroom doesn’t have to reach Kondo-perfection, and you don’t have to do all the cleaning at once.

(If you’re completely happy sleeping in a pile of laundry or with your pet tarantula… then enjoy.)

That client we mentioned earlier, for example, committed to tackling one tiny pile of stuff every day.

Within a few weeks, her bedroom became a sanctuary, rather than a dumpster.

And guess what? She couldn’t wait to crawl into bed every night, relax with a cup of tea, read a good book, and go sleepytime.

Which leads us to…

Level 2: Redecorate your sleep environment.

Once you’ve decluttered, consider setting up your bedroom for optimal sleep. You might want to adjust:

➤ Light levels and quality: Dimmed or red/orange spectrum light (as opposed to bright or blue/green-spectrum light) can help promote sleep and relaxation.

For some people, a night light adds a feeling of safety, making it easier to sleep.

➤ Environmental temperature: In general, body temperature drops during sleep, so having a cool environment is considered sleep-promoting. However, some folks may find warmth more relaxing, and prefer a heated blanket or warm bath before bed. Again, go with what works for you (or your client).

➤ Noise (and silence) levels: Some folks need silence to sleep best. Others find background sounds—like music, storm or songbird playlists, or white noise—more relaxing.

➤ Tactile stimulation: How do you feel about flannel pajamas? A fluffy cat or dog? A body pillow or stuffed animal? A weighted blanket?

Don’t forget: These are all experiments. 

Not everyone is the same. Try stuff, and see what works.

#2. Help yourself feel socially safe.

Humans need supportive social connections.

And yet, other people often cause the most pain.

In other words, relationships can be a source of energy… or energy drain. 

One way to gauge whether a relationship is giving or taking your energy: attachment.

Attachment is the ability to form strong, secure, stable bonds with others.

When you’re securely attached, you feel free to be yourself and express your needs. You trust the other person to have your back and be an ally and advocate. You also gain energy from engaging and connecting.

When you’re not securely attached, you may feel as if you can’t honestly share your true thoughts or feelings. And that can be exhausting.

Your energy gets drained by the work of hiding yourself, attempting to manage others’ feelings, and/or trying to protect yourself from their toxicity.

The experiment: Do an attachment inventory.

Make a list of the people in your life.

Include animals (such as your dog, cat, or horse) as well as yourself.

For each relationship, consider how strong, safe, secure, or supportive the attachment or connection is.

Strong: The bond is robust and nearly unbreakable. This relationship has “life” and vitality. You’re connected.Safe: You feel validated, seen, and accepted. You can be messy, real, and vulnerable, and won’t be criticized, judged, or rejected.Secure: You trust this relationship. It’ll be there for you no matter what.Supportive: The other person genuinely cares about your goals and values, and wants to help you succeed.

Jot down some notes.

Whatever you notice, don’t judge it. Just observe. Then, record your answers to these questions:

Who gives you energy when you interact with them? Who drains it?Which relationships feel the most connected and close? What gives you that feeling?Which relationships feel more complicatedrisky, stale, or insecure? What gives you that feeling?Who helps you move towards being the person you want to be? How exactly do they do that?

Once you have your answers, consider which relationships might be stealing some of your energy. Is there anything you can do to strengthen them? Or, is it time to let go of some?

Conversely, who gives you energy, and how can you spend more quality time really engaging?

Maybe, instead of liking his photo on social media, you call the uncle who always makes you laugh. Or rather than half heartedly throwing the ball to your dog while you’re distracted on your tablet, you take Fluffy on a nature walk.

The answers won’t necessarily involve a quick fix. (You may not want to cut your sister loose even though your relationship is freaking draining.)

But bringing awareness to how relationships either energize or drain you  can be a key step.

#3: Give back… wisely

Giving some of your time to others can help you feel like you have more time overall, research shows.1

But there’s a catch. You can also deplete yourself, especially if you give for the wrong reasons, such as, say, to please certain people.

To gain energy rather than drain it, carefully choose the service and care you offer, and care for yourself, too. Look for options that bring you and others joy and comfort, but don’t run you down.

When you prioritize what you truly value, and select your caring and service thoughtfully (rather than it being just one more obligation), then giving to others feels great—rather than just another draining chore that pushes you further down your own to-do list.

The experiment: Create your own personal mission statement.

First, consider these questions.

Are you someone who enjoys thinking about Big QuestionsAre you someone who prefers “just the facts,” and doesn’t have a lot of time for that nonsense?Do your cultural traditions involve existential, philosophical, and/or spiritual exploration? If so, how and what?Have you ever had a profound, life-changing, “bigger-than-me” experience? A sense of wonder and awe? Or something that changed your sense of “self”? If so, what?Flip side: Have you ever had a tiny, single-moment experience that made a big difference? (Think: a kind word when you were down, a spontaneous gesture, sharing a genuine emotion with someone, a joke that caught you off-guard and made you laugh in spite of yourself?)

Take this exercise one step further by writing a personal mission statement. Create a list of three existential commandments (or, at least, personal guardrails) that guide your life.

Dig deep and reflect on the following questions:

What are the core values and beliefs that drive what you do?How do you give back or support others through your daily life, profession, or volunteer work—or simply by being who you are?What aspects of life are most important to you? What do you want to experience while you are here?What kind of a legacy do you want to leave behind?Okay now: What’s the smallest possible version (think: 5-minute action or less) of all of the above?

With your personal mission statement in hand, brainstorm ways you might be able to give back without totally overwhelming yourself, such as trying to brighten someone’s day and make them smile, bringing a coffee to a coworker, or holding the door open for someone.

Note: You’ll probably find that you’re already giving back in some ways.

That’s awesome. Recognize that, and remember that it’s a pretty great reason to get out of bed every day every day.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re a health coach who’s passionate about helping others live their healthiest lives.

You probably already give back by working with clients. But you might also:

Volunteer at a food bank, refugee welcome center, or soup kitchen to help everyone eat healthier—or even just get a square meal.Start, or contribute to, a community garden, cooking program, or walking group to boost neighborhood health.Organize a pick-up sports league (like an “everyone-welcome” soccer game) with the neighborhood kids to help fight sedentary habits.Offer a free coaching spot for someone in need.

Energy can hide in surprising places.

The experiments in this story? They’re just the beginning. Not every solution for better focus and energy will work for you or anyone else. Chances are, however, that, if you keep experimenting, you’ll eventually find the focus, spunk, and motivation you want.

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References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

1. Mogilner C, Chance Z, Norton MI. Giving time gives you time. Psychol Sci. 2012 Oct 1;23(10):1233–8.

If you’re a health and fitness coach…

Learning how to help clients manage stress, build resilience, and optimize sleep and recovery can be deeply transformative—for both of you.

It helps clients get “unstuck” and makes everything else easier—whether they want to eat better, move more, lose weight, or reclaim their health.

And for coaches: It gives you a rarified skill that will set you apart as an elite change maker.

The brand-new PN Level 1 Sleep, Stress Management, and Recovery Coaching Certification will show you how.

Want to know more?

The post Warning: People Who Try These Experiments Tend to Get a Lot More Done appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://trailsmart.org/?p=204

Kelly Coghill

trailsmart.org

“If I can do it, you can do it.”

You’ve heard that fitness advice. Maybe you’ve even said the words yourself.

(Sheepishly raises hand.)

And it’s time for this cliché to end.

Especially when it comes to fitness, nutrition, and health.

Because most of the time:

It’s not true. 

Just because you can do something doesn’t mean someone else can do it.

More importantly, this phrase backfires, making people feel worse than before.

Here’s why, and the fitness advice you might want to offer instead.

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When we use this fitness advice, we usually have the best of intentions.

Maybe we’re trying to relate to a client: “Hey, I’ve been there!”

Or perhaps we’ve felt inspired by any number of news stories. Think: Blind man climbs Everest.

But there’s a problem.

No two people are exactly the same.

We might, as coaches, think we’re comparing apples (our life) to apples (our client’s life). But more likely, our client knows they’re an orange… and feels misunderstood and alienated—usually for one (or all) of the following reasons.

#1: Someone’s background impacts their health.

Things like where we’re born, how we grew up, and what we do for work shape how we eat, move, and live. They also affect our ability to change for the better.

Technically, these factors are called social determinants of health. And they can influence us positively or negatively.

Examples of social determinants include:

IncomeEducationJob stabilityWork conditionsFood access and securityHousing and environmentEarly childhood developmentSocial communityNeighborhood environmentAccess to affordable and high-quality health care

Social determinants can be more important than lifestyle choices in influencing health, according to the World Health Organization

Here’s how this can play out with clients.

You tell someone to hit the gym. If you can muster the effort to get to the gym on a busy schedule, so can your client, right?

Well no, not necessarily.

Especially if they work long hours and don’t have childcare.

Or maybe you suggest “more veggies” to a virtual client.

You don’t like veggies either, you say, but if you can find a way to eat them, your client can surely figure it out. Except, your client lives with their mother-in-law who cooks all of their main meals, which tend to include few veggies. In your client’s home, everyone thanks the cook, whether they like the food or not.

Does your client have some options? Sure—but not as many as someone who has more control over their dinner plate.

There are thousands of ways social determinants of health can make what’s possible for you (with some hard work) straight up impossible (or a whole lot harder) for someone else. Some social determinants of health are really hard to recognize—especially if you haven’t walked in that person’s shoes. So heed this universal rule of thumb: Don’t make assumptions.

#2: Every person’s body is unique.

Let’s assume you and your client have the same social circumstances.

Is it okay to say “if I can do it, you can do it?”

Spoiler alert: Nope.

Because genetics also play a role. 

Say you’re a person who puts on muscle easily. For you, maintaining a lean, athletic physique means working hard in the gym and keeping a close eye on your nutrition.

Of course, those two things require effort. Maybe a lot of effort.

But a person who has a harder time building muscle, and tends to store fat around their middle thanks to their genes?

They’re not going to get the same results as you—even if they eat and exercise exactly the same way. Those are the genetic cards they’ve been dealt.

So no—they can’t “do it” just because you can.

#3: Some people are luckier than others.

Most people who’ve worked hard to get where they are don’t want to admit that the universe might have helped them out a bit.

Imagine this: You’re an athlete competing at the CrossFit Games.

The final workout—the one that decides who’ll win—happens to be deadlift-focused, something you’re specifically great at. (If it’d been snatches, it’d be a totally different situation.)

When you win the CrossFit Games after that final workout, it doesn’t mean you haven’t worked hard. But did you also benefit from the luck of the draw? Yup.

Perhaps a more relatable example: Maybe you met a coach or friend—just as you’re ready to make a change—who revolutionizes how you think about nutrition and fitness. And that sets you down the path to a healthier lifestyle.

In an alternate universe, where you didn’t meet that amazing coach at the right time, it might’ve taken you a whole longer to get where you are today.

The point: Don’t discount the “right place, right time” effect.

3 better ways to help your clients

Use all three together—or pick what works best in a given conversation.

1. Use limited relatability.

Say someone’s going through a divorce, and their coach has been through one, too. It could be tempting to offer advice like:

“I know this is a hard time for you. My divorce was brutal! But I managed to stay on top of my nutrition while going through mine, so I know you can do it.”

Ouch.

There’s a better way to use the experiences you have in common with a client, without making assumptions about their situation.

It’s called limited relatability, which helps you relate, while also allowing your client to feel heard and understand.

To master the technique, use this simple two-step formula.

Share your experience:“I know what [fill in the blank] looks like for me.”Get curious about your client’s experience by asking an open-ended question:What does it look like for you?”

Translated to a real-life coaching conversation, you might say something like:

“That sounds tough. When I was struggling with binge eating, I felt so powerless and frustrated. What are you feeling in this moment?”

2. Notice and name the bright spot.

This strategy is all about taking a moment to appreciate and applaud what your client has just shared.

You might say:

“You know what? It actually takes pretty amazing self-awareness to identify and acknowledge that this is a barrier for you right now. What does it feel like to have such a firm grasp on your situation?”

Or maybe:

“We can talk problem-solving in a second, but before we do that, I want to pause and tell you that it’s amazing you’ve pinpointed this as an issue. I don’t know if you’d have been able to do that six months ago!”

This can be really effective because the client isn’t expecting to pause. They’re expecting ways to move forward. You’re giving them a moment to stop, take stock, and reflect on their awesomeness before taking action.

3. Inspire them with their own accomplishments.

Let’s say your client’s apprehensive about the idea of shutting down earlier to get more sleep.

Instead of that old “if I can do it, you can do it” advice, try highlighting their past accomplishments. That could sound like:

“You know what? You actually told me this exact same thing a couple of months ago about going to the gym. And now you’re going regularly! We can talk about specific strategies to make going to bed earlier more doable, but also, remember how far you’ve come.”

Basically, instead of saying “if I can do it, you can do it,” you’re saying, “if you can do this one thing, you can do this other thing!”

You’re showing them that you see their hard work.

And most importantly, because of that hard work, you believe in them.

When you use the above strategies with your clients, you’ll accomplish something that the phrase “If I can do it, so can you” just can’t:

You’ll help them feel heard, seen, and valued.

That’ll go a long way towards strengthening your relationship—and ultimately help your clients get better results.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. The next group kicks off shortly.

–>

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

Learning how to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy eating and lifestyle changes—in a way that’s personalized for their unique body, preferences, and circumstances—is both an art and a science.

If you’d like to learn more about both, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

–>

The post Truly horrible fitness advice: “If I can do it, you can do it.” appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://trailsmart.org/?p=181

Kelly Coghill

trailsmart.org

The moment Dr. Karin Nordin exited the Zoom call, she knew she’d made a crucial mistake.

It was her first coaching session with a brand-new client, and from the get-go, things felt a little off.

The client (let’s call her Dierdre) was feeling emotional. Within minutes, tears were shed.

And when Dr. Nordin offered advice, Dierdre swiftly rejected it.

That’s when Nordin, a mild-mannered person and seasoned professional, did something out of character:

She got mad.

Instead of applying her coaching expertise, she found herself ranting at Deirdre, challenging her excuses, and trying to force her to change.

Naturally, the more insistent Nordin got, the more obstinate Deirdre became.

By the time she closed her laptop, Dr. Nordin knew without a doubt… that client wasn’t coming back.

What do you do when you screw up?

Turns out, you can learn from Dr. Nordin’s experience. 

Nordin’s a PN Certified coach, a curriculum advisor to Precision Nutrition, and has a PhD in Health Communication.

She also considers herself a pro at making mistakes. Well, not just making mistakes, but growing from them.

Her academic and professional expertise is in something called growth mindset, which views mistakes and failures as springboards for improvement.

(And yes, the term “growth mindset” is almost a cliché these days, but it’s an actual research-based psychological discipline, and something we can all benefit from.)

Here’s how Dr. Nordin bounced-back from her mistake—and how you can do the same.

(For even more helpful coaching advice, sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter, The Smartest Coach in the Room.)

Step 1. If you feel compelled to fix it right now… wait.

You know that almost barfy feeling you get when you mess up?

Dr. Nordin feels it too. After her conversation with Dierdre, “I felt vomity and gross for a while. I kept thinking, ‘I handled that so poorly, this is the worst’.”

While her natural impulse was to try to fix her mistake, she chose to wait a full 24 hours before taking action.

“We want to be able to react in a neutral state, or as neutral as possible,” she explains. “And that can take a bit of time.”

In other words, the classic ‘sleep on it’ advice still applies. Of course, that can take a bit of discipline (especially if your tendency is to fix things right away.)

“I knew I’d be thinking about it while I lay in bed at night,” says Nordin, “but with a bit of distance I was able to respond to the situation much better.”

The takeaway: Your inclination might be to try to make things right, immediately. But don’t rush. You’ll likely respond from a calmer, more rational headspace the following day.

Step 2. Practice radical responsibility.

A big part of coaching is helping clients recognize the autonomy and control they have over their choices and actions.

This is empowering: Clients begin to realize they have what it takes to change their habits, and achieve their goals.

That same principle applies to coaches, too. Especially after we’ve goofed up.

“I find it very useful to take a ‘radical responsibility’ perspective,” says Nordin.

“No matter the situation, I say to myself: Let’s just pretend for a moment that 100 percent of this is my fault. Then, on that basis, I ask myself: What can I do about it?”

Depending on your mistake, the answer might be obvious.

For example, if you gave a client information that turned out to be wrong, simply own up to the mistake and provide them with the correct details.

But even if the mistake was more cringe-worthy, Nordin says acknowledgment is still a good way to go.

In the case with Dierdre, Nordin waited 24 hours—and then penned an email that went something like this:

Hey Dierdre, 

I know our conversation got really heated, and I apologize for that. What you do in your life is 100 percent your choice—not mine.

I totally understand that you don’t want to move forward with coaching, and I’ve refunded your deposit. 

Thank you for your time. I wish you the best in all your future endeavors.

The takeaway: Resist the temptation to blame the client, deny the mistake, justify it, or sweep it under the rug. Take ownership for your actions, and do your best to right the wrong. This approach is not only more professional—it’s also more empowering.

Step 3. Look for the growth opportunity.

Once you’ve done the right thing on behalf of the client, consider what you can learn from the experience.

“My mistake taught me a lot about my coaching practice and how to market myself as a behavior change coach,” says Nordin.

Her biggest realization?

That she hadn’t properly communicated to Dierdre what to expect in their coaching session. “I think she expected someone who would just listen to her and help her sort through her emotional issues, whereas my coaching is more about habit change.”

And yes, client resistance is a normal part of change. But if Nordin had given Dierdre a better idea of what her behavior coaching typically entails, they might have avoided the conflict.

“It wasn’t Deirdre’s fault. Many people don’t know what behavior change coaching is all about,” adds Nordin. “I need to do a better job helping people understand what to expect when they work with me.”

The takeaway: Don’t beat yourself up for your mistake. Instead, focus on how you can use it as a learning experience. Aim to come up with at least one thing you’ll work on improving or do differently next time.

Step 4. Get curious with yourself.

In addition to professional growth, mistakes can be an opportunity to understand ourselves better.

Sure, sometimes mistakes are just mistakes—caused by inexperience or lack of knowledge. But they often point to areas where we can dig deeper.

“This is especially the case if it becomes a pattern,” says Nordin. “For example, if you find yourself repeatedly getting aggravated or tense, you might be projecting your issues onto the client.”

After the situation with Dierdre, Dr. Nordin asked herself, “Why did I get so mad about that?”

Ultimately, she decided that her emotional outburst had been triggered by some personal issues that she’d been neglecting.

So, being the growth-minded person she is, she decided to explore them with a therapist.

The takeaway: Do some honest self-reflection. Sure, “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” (That’s a Sigmund Freud quote, in case you’ve never seen it.)

On the other hand, some blunders (especially repeated ones) could serve as a wake-up call, or even a personal breakthrough.

Yes, mistakes might suck in the moment. But if you can approach them with curiosity, an open mind, and a dose of compassion, they just might make you a better coach—and a happier person.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. The next group kicks off shortly.

–>

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

Learning how to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy eating and lifestyle changes—in a way that’s personalized for their unique body, preferences, and circumstances—is both an art and a science.

If you’d like to learn more about both, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

–>

The post So you made a mistake with a client—now what? appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Kelly Coghill

trailsmart.org

Here’s an unpopular opinion…

Macro-style food logging and tracking (think: MyFitnessPal) is NOT the best way to coach your clients on nutrition.

There, I said it. Now hear me out…

I’ve been a nutrition coach for over 10 years and have worked with more than 1,000 clients. I now use my knowledge and skills to help gym owners and coaches grow and systemize their own businesses, so I get to see how coaching methods work on a large scale.

I’ve tried many different nutrition coaching styles over the last decade: entirely macro-based, habit coaching with food tracking, and entirely habit-based with no macros at all.

What if I told you that when I stopped having clients count macros, they experienced:

Better resultsHigher complianceA happier journeyLess stressBetter eating intuitionA longer coach/client relationship

Well, that’s exactly what happened.

Make no mistake: I don’t hate macros. They definitely have their place.

(Related: The complete guide to using—and coaching—macros.)

But for 99 percent of clients, I just think there’s a better way.

So what is it?

Photos, people. Photos.

I have clients track what they eat by taking a picture of their meal.

It’s simple, easy, and effective—and as a result, you get high compliance.

But the best part? It provides way more information and coaching opportunities than conventional tracking.

I know what some of you are saying:

“You can’t determine calories or macros with only photos!”

It doesn’t matter.

When it comes to food, there are more important details to address than WHAT clients are eating.

And photos help you see what macro-tracking can’t: the full picture.

To get the most out of them, though, you’ll need to know what to look for.

I have a method for that.

I call this method The 5 Ws.

Who, when, where, why, and what.

Let me explain each, along with the coaching opportunities they present.

(And for more nutrition, health, and coaching advice, sign up for PN’s FREE weekly newsletter, The Smartest Coach in The Room.)

1. Who are they eating with?

Who someone eats with can impact the food choices they make, as well as the amount of food they consume.

Have you ever had a friend who eats super healthy? Ever find yourself making healthier choices while eating with this person?

The inverse is also true. It’s more tempting to go wild on a Friday night when your friend, partner, or coworker is indulging, too.

Sometimes, simply helping your client gain awareness that they tend to overeat around a certain person can be a game-changer. (And no, I’m not suggesting they end the relationship.)

2. When are they eating?

Did your client  (unintentionally) wait until 3 pm for lunch because they got busy or didn’t plan properly?

Here’s an example of when this kind of info can be super useful. If you uncover a pattern of missed meals, you can look at why that’s happening and either:

Option 1: Help your client build more structure into their day to prevent missing mealsOption 2: Come up with “if-then” scenarios for when it does happen. Example: “IF I miss my lunch, THEN I will get XYZ meal/snack”

3. Where are they eating?

You can learn a lot from looking at your client’s eating environment.

➤ Are they sitting at their desk in front of their keyboard, working through lunch? They might not be taking the time to chew their food thoroughly, which could lead to overeating.

Here, you might work on eating to 80 percent full as a next step.

(Learn more: How to eat until 80% full)

➤ Are they sitting on the couch watching TV? They might be chowing down mindlessly, another reason folks overeat.

In this case, you might focus on learning to eat slowly.

(See: The 30-day slow eating challenge.)

➤ Are they eating at a dinner table? That’s great! They appear to set time aside for meals and are developing great habits here. (Can you say bright spots?)

➤ Does their food appear to come from their own kitchen, or is it in takeout containers? If your client logs chicken, broccoli, and sweet potato on a traditional food tracking log, you don’t know if that’s homemade or picked up from a local fast-casual restaurant, potentially laden with hidden oils and lots of sodium.

This could be an opportunity to educate them on different food preparation techniques, and explain why a home-cooked meal could be a better choice for their goals.

4. Why are they eating?

As coaches, we’d really benefit from asking this question more often.

Do people always eat out of hunger? Hardly.

People eat for a plethora of reasons, and hunger is often not the driving force. For example, people frequently eat because they’re happy, sad, stressed, tired, thirsty, or bored, or it could be due to environment, habit, culture, or tradition.

If you find that a client’s stress eating, you could help them find ways to better manage their stress, such as meditation and exercise.

Or perhaps they’re a social butterfly, and for them, eating is part of the social experience.

You can collaborate with your client on ways to make the best choices possible while celebrating with their friends and family—rather than feeling like they have to stay home.

Ignoring the many reasons why your client eats can make them feel like there’s something wrong with them. Instead, help them develop the tools to lean into their WHY in a positive way.

5. What are they eating?

To me, this is the least important question. Because in my opinion, there’s not a great coaching opportunity here.

If your client isn’t making great choices, more than likely, one of the other 5 Ws is at play.

How does it work, exactly?

Here are some practical tips for putting this strategy into practice.

➤ Use photo logging when onboarding clients. For the first two weeks working together, I have clients take daily photos of their meals.

Then, they upload the photos into folders organized by meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, for example.

After the first two weeks, I let the client choose if they want to continue taking photos.

➤ Look for patterns. You might notice your client is frequently skipping breakfast or snacks while feeling hungry throughout the day.

These patterns provide a great starting point for your coaching.

(You can encourage your client to look for patterns as they eat by using resources like Precision Nutrition’s Eating Behaviors Journal and How Food Feels Journal.)

➤ Make it collaborative. I don’t typically do official “reviews” of client photo logs.

You never want your client to feel like they’re being graded.

Instead, try asking questions about their photos rather than making statements about what you see.

For instance, you might ask: How did this breakfast work for you? How did you feel a few hours later?

➤ Let your client suggest next steps. Once you’ve worked together to identify some areas for improvement, ask your client what they feel like they could change with confidence.

This is where they decide on a new action to practice.

My goal isn’t to persuade you to abandon macros.

(Especially if that approach is working great for you.)

Rather, I want to share an alternative tool that’s profoundly affected the way I coach.

Give it a try.

I know it can be scary, but in my experience with over a thousand people, you’ll get better results and much happier, more balanced clients in the end.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. The next group kicks off shortly.

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If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

Learning how to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy eating and lifestyle changes—in a way that’s personalized for their unique body, preferences, and circumstances—is both an art and a science.

If you’d like to learn more about both, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

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The post How I stopped tracking macros with my clients—and started seeing better results. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Kelly Coghill

trailsmart.org