What Does A Health Coach Do (including Their Typical Day at Work)

Alyssa OmandacCareer, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Health Coaches

The primary responsibility of a health coach is to mentor individuals or groups and help them set specific lifestyle and nutrition goals. They guide, motivate, and help people achieve changes to live a healthier life.

Salary
$47400
Personality
Interest Match


A health coach is an authority in wellness who helps people design a plan for their diet and lifestyle to meet their specific goals. They can coach individuals privately or offer group classes. They focus on bio individuality, which is the concept that different people have different nutrition, exercise, emotional, and lifestyle needs.

Health coaches usually have a degree and certification. They can have entry level positions in hospitals or wellness centers, and many specialize in different areas of health, such as weight management, fitness nutrition, or sports. They need to have good communication skills and enjoy helping people meet their goals.

What they do

The primary responsibility of a health coach is to mentor individuals or groups and help them set specific lifestyle and nutrition goals. They guide, motivate, and help people achieve changes to live a healthier life.

Assess Clients’ Current Health Condition

A health coach will meet with a client and assess his or her current health condition. This includes looking at the client’s overall state of health, including lifestyle habits, physical condition, happiness, and desire to change. The health coach will ask a series of questions to develop a full understanding of the client’s history and any major events that have occurred in the client’s life.

The health coach uses this assessment to help the client understand where they are and what it will take to get where they want to be in life. The assessment will also help the client develop self-awareness, which is essential as an agent of change.

Develop Goals for Clients

Health coaches develop goals for their clients. These goals are comprehensive and take an individual approach to achieve results specifically for the client. This involves consideration of the client’s overall emotional, physical, and nutritional health. Some clients may need to make small changes to reach a specific goal such as improving in a sport, whereas others may have health issues that require a completely new lifestyle.

Counsel Clients

Another important part of a health coach’s job is to provide counseling for clients. These lifestyle changes can be hard to make, and clients need encouragement and motivation. The health coach will talk to the clients and help them remain motivated and focused on the big picture. In the course of counseling the client, the health coach might provide encouragement, explanations, and listen to the client’s concerns.

Document Clients’ Progress

As the client makes progress, the health coach will document their progress. It is important to keep track of these results so that the client can see and understand the progress and remain committed and motivated going forward. The progress will vary depending on the client’s primary goals, such as fitness, weight loss, overall health, and more.

What is the job like

Sideline Prep

There isn’t a typical day at work, which I love. Every day is different based on my class schedule, one-on-one client sessions, and/or my nutrition and fitness consultation calls. However, every morning starts the same. I wake up at 4:30 am to eat a pre-workout meal and drink. That consists of 2 eggs with spinach … Read More


An Integrative Health Coach works with clients to engineer habits and behaviours that are the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. The behaviours and habits are led by the client and the Coach is a guide to assist the client in the process of building healthful habits. What some proponents of health coaching may call integrative … Read More


Pros

You get to help people improve their lives

If you enjoy helping people, this is an exciting career. Clients will come to you wanting to make changes that improve their overall health, and you make a positive impact on them.

You can set your own schedule

If you start your own health coaching business, you can choose when you meet with clients and set your own schedule.

You learn more about health and wellness

If you already have a passion for health and wellness, you will learn more and be inspired to live a healthier life every day.

You can gain financial freedom

As a health coach, you have the freedom to take on as many clients as you can handle and you can develop your own business. This gives you an opportunity to create financial freedom.

Cons

You may have challenging clients

Some clients might come to you because they need to make a change, but they might not be fully committed to the process. This can be frustrating.

Your schedule can be unpredictable

You may have days when you are very busy, and other days, clients might cancel. You need to work hard to balance your schedule and bring predictability to it.

Where they work

Hospitals
Self-employed
Fitness centers
Schools


Health Coaches can work in a number of different environments. They might work in medical centers, schools, fitness centers, or privately for individuals. They can be self-employed and have their own set of clients, or they can work for an organization. They may be part of a larger team that helps individuals in sports programs, or they can help people overcome health concerns.

How to become one

Step 1: Earn a Degree

You can earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in wellness coaching, health sciences, or some related field. This is especially important if you want to work for an insurance agency or a medical center. You can also earn your degree in nursing or another health-related field.

Step 2: Get Certified

Choose an accredited Health Coach certification program, such as those offered by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools or the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The training takes from three months to a year, and you will take an exam to receive your certification.

Step 3: Apply for a Job

You can start off by gaining experience in hospitals, fitness centers or gyms, or health insurance companies. As you gain experience, you can decide if you want to specialize within health coaching. You can continue working for an organization or go out on your own once you gain experience.

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Helper

People with this personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who become Health Coaches need to have excellent listening and communicating skills so that they can develop the best possible plan for their clients. They need to be motivational and compassionate and enjoy helping others. It is also important to be honest and professional while being sensitive to different clients’ weaknesses and insecurities. In addition, a Health Coach should have a passion for learning and enjoy leading by example.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

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