Learn how to roast a whole chicken plus get tips and tricks for flavoring and cooking the most tender whole roasted chicken. Why Make a Whole Roasted Chicken A delicious herby whole roasted chicken recipe made with a whole head of garlic and lemon is the perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will love.
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These Cranberry Orange Muffins are bursting with all those seasonal flavors you love! Made from healthy ingredients, including fresh cranberries and orange zest. Enjoy! Cranberry Muffins – A Taste of the Holidays The first thing we said when testing these muffins: IT SMELLS LIKE THE HOLIDAYS IN HERE! And the flavor of these fluffy and
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The advice and tools you need to help anyone eat healthier, get the results they want, and enjoy the foods they love (100% guilt-free).
The post Course | Food Secrets That Change Lives appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
Health coach certification signals to prospective clients and collaborators that you’re serious about your craft and that you’re well-trained. Find out more about what it means to be a certified health coach.
The post How Earning Your Health Coach Certification Can Boost Your Coaching Career appeared first on Chris Kresser.
I am a huge seafood fan, so when I hear concerns from you about whether seafood is safe to eat, I definitely want to talk about it! One of the biggest concerns about seafood is the bioaccumulation of heavy metals from pollution in the oceans. It can be confusing to know what fish or seafood …
Continue reading Heavy Metals in Fish & Seafood: Should We Be Worried?...
Spice up your protein shake this week and make this delicious coconut chai protein shake! It’s made with frozen coconut meat, bananas, chai spices, and protein powder! It’s Chai Spice Season Say hello to another delicious recipe that uses chai spice! We have been using our chai spices in some delicious fall recipes and loving
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SERIOUSLY, 6:45am meetings are insanity. I mean, I’m up that early regardless, but conceptually, it just seems wrong. I feel like we should be sleeping or exercising at that hour, not meeting. Thankfully, all things…
Throw all of the ingredients for this Healthy Crockpot Sesame Chicken recipe into your slow cooker and have dinner ready in no time. Our Healthy Crock Pot Chicken recipes are kid-friendly, serve a crowd, and make for tasty leftovers. Check out more slow cooker chicken recipes HERE. Crock Pot Sesame Chicken FTW! Want to know
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“The single biggest threat of climate change is the collapse of food systems,” says journalist Amanda Little, quoting USDA scientist Jerry Hatfield. “Addressing this challenge as much as any other is going to define our progress in the coming century.” She speaks at TED Salon: Dell Technologies on October 22, 2020. (Photo courtesy of TED)
In a time that feels unsettled and uncertain, technology and those who create it will play a crucial role in what’s coming next. How do we define that future, as opposed to letting it define us? At a special TED Salon held as part of the Dell Technologies World conference and hosted by TED’s Simone Ross, four speakers shared ideas for building a future where tech and humanity are combined in a more active, deliberate and thoughtful way.
The talks in brief:
Genevieve Bell, ethical AI expert
Big idea: To create a sustainable, efficient and safe future for artificial intelligence systems, we need to ask questions that contextualize the history of technology and create possibilities for the next generation of critical thinkers to build upon it.
How? Making a connection between AI and the built world is a hard story to tell, but that’s exactly what Genevieve Bell and her team at 3A Institute are doing: adding to the rich legacy of AI systems, while establishing a new branch of engineering that can sustainably bring cyber-physical systems and AI to scale going forward. “To build on that legacy and our sense of purpose, I think we need a clear framework for asking questions about the future, questions for which there aren’t ready or easy answers,” Bell says. She shares six nuanced questions that frame her approach: Is the system autonomous? Does the system have agency? How do we think about assurance (is it safe and functioning)? How do we interface with it? What will be the indicators that show it is working well? And finally, what is its intent? With these questions, we can broaden our understanding of the systems we create and how they will function in the years to come.
Amanda Little, food journalist
Big idea: To build a robust, resilient and diverse food future in the face of complex challenges, we need a “third way” forward — blending the best of traditional agriculture with cutting-edge new technologies.
How? COVID-19 has simultaneously paralyzed already vulnerable global food systems and ushered in food shortages — despite a surplus of technological advances. How will we continue to feed a growing population? Amanda Little has an idea: “Our challenge is to borrow from the wisdom of the ages and from our most advanced science to [a] third way: one that allows us to improve and scale our harvest while restoring, rather than degrading the underlying land of life.” Amid increasingly complex disruptions like climate change, this “third way” provides a roadmap to food security that marries old agricultural production with new, innovative farming practices — like using robots to deploy fertilizer on crop fields with sniper-like precision, eating lab-grown meats and building aeroponic farms. By nixing antiquated supply chains and producing food in a scalable, sustainable and adaptable way, Little shows just how bright our food future might be. Watch the full talk.
“Investing in data quality and accuracy is essential to making AI possible — not only for the few and privileged but for everyone in society,” says data scientist Mainak Mazumdar. He speaks at TED Salon: Dell Technologies on October 22, 2020. (Photo courtesy of TED)
Mainak Mazumdar, data scientist
Big idea: When the pursuit of using AI to make fair and equitable decisions fails, blame the data — not the algorithms.
Why? The future economy won’t be built by factories and people, but by computers and algorithms — for better or for worse. To make AI possible for humanity and society, we need an urgent reset in three major areas: data infrastructure, data quality and data literacy. Together, they hold the key to ethical decision-making in the age of AI. Mazumdar lists how less-than-quality data in examples such as the 2020 US Census and marketing research could lead to poor results in trying to reach and help specific demographics. Right now, AI is only reinforcing and accelerating our bias at speed and scale, with societal implications in its wake. But it doesn’t need to be that way. Instead of racing to build new algorithms, our mission should be to build a better data infrastructure that makes ethical AI possible.
Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky, multimedia musician
Big idea: Modern computing is founded on patterns, so could you translate the patterns of code and data into music? If so, what would the internet sound like?
How? Cultural achievements throughout human history, like music and architecture, are based on pattern recognition, math and the need to organize information — and the internet is no different. Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky gives a tour of how the internet came to be, from the conception of software by Ada Lovelace in the early 1800s to the development of early computers catalyzed by World War II and the birth of the internet beginning in 1969. Today, millions of devices are plugged into the internet, sending data zooming around the world. By transforming the internet’s router connections and data sets into sounds, beats and tempos, Miller introduces “Quantopia,” a portrait of the internet in sound. A special auditory and visual experience, this internet soundscape reveals the patterns that connect us all.
You all ask so many great questions that I like to do a solo episode once in a while to answer some of the things on your mind. Of course I’m not a doctor, but I am a mom who’s been totally immersed in health for the last 15 years! I try to answer most …
Continue reading 387: Ask Katie Anything: Protein, Supplements, Sleep, Parenting, and Shoes...
I was blind, but now I see. Sourdough pizza is one of the most perfect foods. To make it at home, you don’t need a bunch of fancy tools or ingredients. All it takes is a few basic ingredients and lots of patience. As a new convert to the church of DIY sourdough, I can tell you that it’s worth the wait to achieve a flavorful, chewy, and airy crust at home.
To make sourdough pizza, you need a sourdough starter. A sourdough starter is basically a culture of bacteria and wild yeast that you use for baking sourdough breads and pizza. You cultivate the bacteria and wild yeast by mixing flour and water, and continuing to feed your mixture everyday until it is bubbly, sour (in a good way), and mature enough to make dough rise. Added to dough, the bacteria and yeast begin the process of fermentation, the result being bread that has a degree of sourness/tanginess, air bubbles, and a tantalizing aroma. Making your sourdough starter at home is very easy, but depending on the temperature of your kitchen it could take a few days or more than a week. Check out this blog post for instructions for making your starter. If you have a friend who is already making sourdough bread, ask them to share their starter so you can get started on this sourdough pizza sooner.
Now that you have your sourdough starter ready, it’s time to bake some incredible pizza. You don’t need a fancy pizza stone, special water, or expensive flour to make this. You will need a kitchen scale, and at least 1 baking sheet––I like using a cast iron baking pan or cast iron skillet best because you can preheat it and achieve a crispier crust, but a regular cooking sheet will do.
Other than that, you’ll need:
Since sourdough pizza (and sourdough everything) takes a long time, I recommend getting started on your pizza crust at least 3 days before you want to bake it. You could do it sooner, but in the event of any schedule hiccups, 3 days will give you the most flexibility. Another thing I love about sourdough pizza is that the crust freezes well. Watch the video below to watch step-by-step how I make sourdough pizza. Any of the technique I mention in the recipe is demonstrated in the video.
The video was sponsored by Daiya vegan cheese, but you can use any vegan cheese for your sourdough pizza. I happen to be allergic to cashews so my options are limited, and I do love the ease and affordability of Daiya. You could also skip the vegan cheese all together, or make your own.
I always make a combination of classic cheese pizza with tomato sauce, a potato pizza with kale, and, since it’s currently fall, my favorite is butternut squash and kale. My other favorite toppings are: mushrooms, garlic, broccoli rabe, artichoke, and olives. Add fresh basil or other soft herbs and greens when the pizza comes out of the oven. Same with finishing extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper.
This recipe comes from Alexandra Cooks. Check out her blog post for more details, and for amazing close-up photos of sourdough pizza. I’ve whittled down the process to include the steps that made the most sense for me, and included the video to show you a simple step-by-step of the process. If you have any questions make sure to watch my video, or visit the Alexandra Cooks blog post. And I implore you, do not be intimidated by sourdough pizza. The process, at least for me, is a lot easier than sourdough bread. As long as you have a mature sourdough starter, a warm kitchen/house, and patience, you will be successful!
If you’re craving pizza right now, and don’t have your sourdough starter ready yet, try my pizza recipe made with store-bought yeast. Or for something a bit more adventurous (yet still delicious), try my cauliflower crust pizza, or black bean crust pizza!
The post Sourdough Pizza {VIDEO} appeared first on Sweet Potato Soul by Jenné Claiborne.
Rose water is not only beautifully fragrant but extremely versatile. It has an extensive range of uses including facial toner, hair perfume, cooling mist, and linen freshener. Rose petals are edible and rosewater has a place in the culinary world as well. I use rose water to replace some or all of the water in …
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First Shea, now Piper. Their first (or second, maybe) crushes. But also their most significant crushes. Piper is NON-STOP talking about Gabe. Gabe attends daycare on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only which have now been renamed “Gabe…
In this episode of Revolution Health Radio, I talk with Trey Suntrup about the different testing options available for measuring ketosis.
The post RHR: How to Accurately Measure Ketones, with Trey Suntrup appeared first on Chris Kresser.
After a surgery my husband had years ago (with resulting secondary infection and IV antibiotic use), his gut needed a little extra help. A gut rehabilitation he was following at the time (see below) suggested he try making a cumin coriander fennel tea to help his bloating and digestive problems. It worked! Now we are …
Continue reading Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea (for Digestion and Weight Loss)...
Because they were.
It took her longer to complete the group session than everyone else, and the coach made a point of having the whole class stick around and encourage her.
Afterward, the coach and classmates approached Lili to say: “It’s really great that you’re exercising. Good for you.”
She understood everyone was trying to be inclusive and nice. But, deep down, Lili also knew she was being singled out for her 300-pound frame. It made her feel incredibly self-conscious.
So she never went back.
Ranjan had a similar experience. He struggled with binge eating, and felt ashamed when his coach said, “It’s not that hard to avoid fast food,” and “Unless you’re about to run a marathon, there’s no reason to ever eat a bagel.”
He quit two weeks into a 12-week group diet challenge—even though he’d already paid in full.
Angele ghosted her coach, too, after months of great progress.
She’d originally signed up to feel stronger and more in control of her body. And though her trainer knew weight loss wasn’t her goal, his compliment about how fit she looked was met with a blank stare.
Turns out, Angele was struggling with the trauma of an assault that happened years before. Comments about her body were majorly triggering.
These coaching scenarios? They’re all inspired by real client stories.
The coaches who made these mistakes never knew what went wrong. Or how much pain they’d inadvertently caused.
If reading that made you feel like putting your fist through the screen, hear us out: We’re not suggesting that helping clients lose weight is wrong.
Many of your clients WILL absolutely want to lose weight, for various reasons.
But there’s a difference between helping clients who come to you for weight loss and assuming all clients want to lose weight.
This is especially important to understand if you work with clients in larger bodies—many of whom may not want to lose weight right now, or ever.
Here’s the most important thing to know: Regardless of whether a client wants to lose weight or not, the way you talk about weight, body image, and fat loss can make or break the coach-client relationship.
It affects how freely clients share information—and ultimately whether they’re able to succeed.
This is particularly true with clients who:
(FYI: It’s pretty likely that many of your clients will fall into one, if not both, of these categories.)
In this article you’ll find:
(Note: This article isn’t intended to “fix” complex issues like weight stigma. But it can help you avoid reinforcing harmful ideas about weight, weight loss, and what health truly means.)
+++
It’s not a coach’s job to tell a client how their body should be.
Here at Precision Nutrition, we believe all clients:
Okay, so what does that look like in practice?
We’ll show you.
Sorta.
But also, not really.
Originally, the body positivity movement was a safe space for people in the most marginalized bodies—people who are treated as “other” for how their bodies looked.
These days, you might associate the term “body positive” with Instagram photos of people highlighting their cellulite, stretch marks, and stomach rolls.
Ironically, these types of posts have become especially popular among people in relatively fit, conventionally-attractive bodies. In other words, the movement has been co-opted by the mainstream.
That’s why some of today’s activists, particularly ones within the nutrition and fitness world, use terms like body liberation, body neutrality, and anti-diet instead.
If you want to learn more about weight stigma/bias movements like Health at Every Size, how fatphobia is intertwined with other “isms” like racism or ableism, and other related topics, you’ll find boxes throughout this article that provide further resources to explore.
See if you can spot what goes wrong in this coach-client interaction.
Martha is a 48-year-old woman. She’s always lived in a larger body. In the past year, she’s struggled with chronic back pain. She thinks making some changes to her exercise and nutrition habits might help, so she contacts a coach she found on Facebook.
In the initial consultation, Martha introduces herself in her customarily lively, outgoing way. The coach says:
“I’m so glad you reached out to me. In your email, you mentioned you’re dealing with back pain. I think we can definitely make some changes that’ll help with that! How much weight do you want to lose? It’s so smart of you to be proactive about this!”
Martha’s utterly deflated. This coach won’t be hearing from her again.
Why? Two big problems:
What the coach in this scenario didn’t know was that Martha has struggled with her weight for what feels like her whole life. She’s often felt too big, too bulky, too awkward in her body.
Now in her late 40s, she’s starting to feel at peace with herself. After all, this body has been home for nearly five decades.
So when Martha hears what this coach has to say? She feels those old emotions creeping back. She’s frustrated, angry, and fed-up with people—like this young, genetically-predisposed-to-be-fit coach—assuming she can’t possibly be happy with her body.
This isn’t just a rookie coaching mistake, by the way. Experienced coaches do stuff like this, too.
Thanks to our cultural conditioning, many of us have hidden biases in this area. So it’s important to be conscious of not equating:
Because when you’re fine with your weight but someone assumes you’re not… or they imply you shouldn’t be… it stings.
Even the most confident people will likely feel a pang of, ‘Wait, is my body okay? Am I okay?!’ Or even: ‘I was right. This fitness stuff just isn’t for me.’
The takeaway: Don’t assume your clients want to lose weight.
Check your assumptions. Consider what you don’t know about your clients, and how you might learn more about them.
Wait for them to tell you what they want.
Otherwise, you risk damaging your relationship—and causing your client pain—before you even get started.
… and why should you care about it as a coach?
People in smaller bodies are often shocked to learn what life can be like for people in larger bodies.
For instance, one client in a larger body told us that if she appears to be buying “junk” food for herself at the grocery store, she braces herself for comments from the cashier, other people waiting in line, and even people passing her in the freezer aisle.
And those comments? They can range from “are you sure you want to buy that?” to “better not buy that ice cream, fatty.”
If you’re a straight-size person reading this—that is, a person who can walk into any store and find clothes that fit—you may be shocked to learn this ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
Imagine not being able to buy your stinking ice cream in peace. Now imagine that’s the least of the prejudice you experience on a daily basis. (Especially if you’re also white, cisgender, and heterosexual—so you’re really not used to it.)
And if you’re in a larger body—or ever have been—you might be thinking ‘Do people really not know this happens?!’
People in larger bodies are discriminated against all the freaking time. We know this from real-life experiences and research. For example, people in larger bodies are more likely to:
These are just some of the disadvantages people in larger bodies experience. And for Black and brown people—especially women—they’re compounded by racism. This is particularly true in the area of health care. 11 12
These problems are part of why body positivity, fat activism, and other related movements exist.
But these movements are about more than helping people defend themselves from discrimination and stigma.
They’re also about helping people shift from feeling ashamed—and like they’ll never fit in—to feeling actively proud of their bodies.
Not in spite of being big. But because they’re big.
If fat activism’s existence doesn’t quite add up to you, consider this: What if no matter how you feel about yourself, society tells you there’s something wrong with your body and it’s all your fault? In this situation, reclaiming the narrative for yourself is one of the most powerful things you can do.
Health at Every Size and the anti-diet movement both reject the idea that purposeful weight loss is healthy, and that weight and BMI are reliable indicators of health.
Both communities advocate for only making changes to your diet, exercise routine, and lifestyle based on preference and quality of life improvements that aren’t related to weight.
About half of Americans say they want to lose weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 13 (And that trend is likely to translate to other similar cultures.)
There’s also this: Some clients say they want to lose weight simply because they feel that’s the only societally acceptable option for their body. Or because they’re living in a culture that tells them losing weight will automatically make them happier and healthier.
Plus, clients often have important secondary goals, in addition to weight loss. For instance, our Precision Nutrition Coaching clients are almost always interested in fat loss. But that’s not all they’re after.
On a 1 to 10 scale, clients commonly rank the following as a 9 or higher:
Over time, these goals may become more important than weight loss.
Talk with your clients to clarify their goals and motivations so:
The following strategies will help you do just that.
One way PN Master Coach Kate Solovieva normalizes all types of body goals: giving clients options.
For instance, whether she’s working with a 75-year-old woman or a 25-year-old man, Solovieva might ask: “What are you hoping to achieve through coaching? Do you want to gain weight, lose weight, feel stronger, move without pain, love how you look naked?”
By letting your clients know they have lots of different choices, they’re more likely to feel safe telling you what they really want. You might even open their eyes to the fact that weight loss isn’t their only way forward.
Here’s a powerful coaching question for any client who wants to lose weight, courtesy of Precision Nutrition’s Director of Curriculum, Krista Scott Dixon, PhD:
“What else is going on for you right now?”
Just ask it, and let your client talk.
Why?
“Being ‘on a diet’ is an A+ way to avoid all the other crap in your life,” says Dr. Scott-Dixon. Sometimes when people realize they don’t have anything to fill the void, they decide going on a diet will help them feel better and more fulfilled.
Your client might reveal that they’re going through a divorce, dealing with a sick parent, or feeling unhappy in their job.
Losing weight won’t fix those problems.
This is why it’s a good idea to…
We often use an exercise called The 5 Whys with our clients.
It starts with a simple question: “Why do I want to change my eating and exercise habits?”
Then, whatever answer your client comes up with, ask why again. And so on, five times, until you get to the heart of what’s really behind their goal.
You can use this worksheet to get started.
This exercise helps clients move past motivations that focus on comparing themselves to others.
Sometimes, when people can’t come up with a compelling deeper reason to lose weight, they realize weight loss might not be what they’re really after.
(And sometimes it IS weight loss. That’s okay, too.)
“If you work with clients enough, you know that almost everyone has some kind of body angst. It doesn’t matter what shape they have,” says Dr. Scott-Dixon.
As a coach, you can help people develop more productive, deep-health promoting experiences of themselves in their bodies.
Why should you care? “We know objectively that the more you hate yourself, the worse your life is,” Dr. Scott-Dixon says.
Struggling with body image:
Many people believe that criticizing themselves will help them excel at changing their habits and living better, healthier lives.
But constant self-criticism and being “down” on yourself can make it much, much harder to adopt healthy habits.
For example, clients in larger bodies who also struggle with body image sometimes tell us they don’t feel comfortable entering gyms and other fitness or wellness spaces. Often, it’s because they don’t feel these spaces are meant for people who look like them.
While it’s true some gyms aren’t particularly welcoming to people of all body sizes, improving body image can make finding a supportive fitness space and developing regular exercise habits feel much more manageable.
Chances are, you’ve heard a client say something like:
What can you possibly say to make someone feel better?
According to Precision Nutrition Super Coach Lisanne Thomas, the most impactful thing you can do is ask productive questions.
You might frame it like this:
“Can I ask you a question about that?”
If they say yes, proceed with something like…
“Imagine your best friend/partner/child just had that thought about themselves. How might you respond to them if they shared that thought with you?”
OR
“Imagine someone speaking to your loved one like that while in your presence. How might you show up for your friend/partner/child in support and response to those words?”
These questions can help people recognize just how unkind they’re being to themselves.
In a recent Facebook Live, Chrissy King, a writer, speaker, powerlifter, and strength and fitness coach shared her strategy for challenging what our bodies are “supposed” to look like.
When faced with a comment like, “My stomach rolls are so gross,” question what exactly makes them gross, and what standard you’re measuring against.
“This doesn’t come from a place of judgement or shame,” said King. “There are no right or wrong answers. It’s just that we’re taking the time to really think through it. When we really sit with our feelings, underlying a lot of these things aren’t our own personal beliefs. These are things we are taught. These are things that we see societally.”
So it may be worth asking:
People may find that their answers surprise them.
Of course, you can’t just snap your fingers and decide to love your body. So think about body image on a spectrum.
On one end: Body negativity, or actively disliking your body.
On the other end: self-love.
And body neutrality, or “meh,” as we like to refer to it? Somewhere in between.
Here’s the thing: We might exist on multiple parts of the spectrum at once. Human beings are complex, and body dissatisfaction and positive body image aren’t direct opposites of each other. 21
But the goal is to nudge ourselves up the continuum, so we’re spending more time in the body neutrality and self-love sections than before.
The bottom line: You can’t make a client love their body.
But you can refrain from adding more negativity to someone’s baggage.
And remember, complete body positivity and absolute self-love aren’t necessarily the goal.
“For many people, getting to ‘meh’ is actually a pretty good goal,” says Dr. Scott-Dixon.
Precision Nutrition Super Coach Lisanne Thomas often talks about self-love with her clients. “My role as a coach is to help a client love and care for their body and do with it what they want,” she says.
While conversations about self-love can be helpful, sharing articles, videos, books, and more that “speak for themselves” may also help start a productive discussion, or just provide food for thought.
Below are some of Coach Lisanne’s favorite resources.
Here’s another coaching scenario to consider:
Your client tells you they ate a pint of ice cream last night.
What’s your gut reaction?
Think about it. Then read on.
As much as possible, avoid saying anything that might make your client feel ashamed, Solovieva recommends.
Beware of responses that sound supportive, but are actually criticism, like, “Oh, that’s a bummer. How’d you get so off track?” or even, “No worries! We all slip up from time to time.”
“Clients are always listening to see how you talk about things,” Solovieva says. It helps them determine how trustworthy you are with their most difficult feelings and behaviors.
This is important in many areas, but especially when it comes to food. That’s why, when faced with a client eating a late-night pint of ice cream, Solovieva starts with:
“What flavor was it?!”
She might follow it up with any number of questions, like “How are you feeling this morning?” or “Did you enjoy it?”
These kinds of open-ended, judgement-free questions help clients feel comfortable talking about what’s really going on in their heads.
People aren’t great at remembering or estimating what or how much they’ve eaten. 22 This is often what’s at play when clients say they’re not overeating (or undereating), but still aren’t seeing results.
But there could be another reason clients aren’t reporting their food intake accurately: They don’t feel safe doing so.
And this can be conscious OR unconscious.
Conscious: Your client chooses not tell you about their late-night pint of ice cream because they fear your response—and how it’ll make them feel.
Unconscious: They underestimate their food intake because they want to avoid being shamed for eating eight ounces (or thumbs) of cheese instead of the “acceptable” serving size of one.
In either case, it’s going to make it hard for you as a coach to see what’s really going on.
One way to normalize food choices, according to Solovieva: Openly talk about foods that people may believe are “off limits.” (Friendly reminder: There are no “bad” foods.)
For instance, you might ask:
“What do you normally eat for lunch at work? Is it more like a salad, or a sandwich, or tacos?”
When talking about food planning for the weekend, you might say:
“What are you having for dinner Saturday night? My family always has pizza!”
From there, you can still encourage clients to make their meals “a little bit better” by adding a side of veggies, or upping the protein content. But normalizing your client’s food choices helps you meet them where they’re at.
Many coaches don’t realize certain phrases and cues can make people feel “less than.”
Here are some ways coaches might unintentionally be signaling clients that there’s something wrong with their bodies, plus what to say instead.
(Note: Many of these cues have been commonly used for what feels like forever. So we’re not criticizing coaches for using them. We’re pointing out why evolving your language will ultimately help your clients—and your coaching.)
You set an example for your clients. In many cases, they look to you for information about what it means to be healthy and fit.
So saying you’re going to “shred for summer” probably isn’t the best way to signal to your client that their post-baby body (or whatever kind of body) is completely fine.
We’re not saying you need to have it all figured out yourself.
In fact, it’s common for coaches to:
Ironically, coaches who have been through their own process of coming to health and fitness after feeling ashamed about their bodies are often the best qualified to really understand what clients go through, Dr. Scott-Dixon points out. That’s a superpower in itself.
So if you’re comfortable, it may help to share your own body image journey with clients once you’ve gotten to know them.
Showing vulnerability lets clients know they’re not alone.
Plus, people are more likely to be open and honest about their challenges when they feel you can relate.
No matter where you are on the body negativity to self-love spectrum, be conscious of the language you use. This includes what you say around your clients, in your marketing materials, and in your social media posts.
That way, you can ensure you’re not passing any of your own body image struggles onto others—or reinforcing their existing ones.
Trust is a key element in the coach-client relationship.
Here’s the tricky part: “You can’t make clients trust you,” says Precision Nutrition Coach Jon Mills. “You have to be trustworthy.”
So how do you do that, exactly?
The art of coaching is about being trustworthy for ALL your clients, including those who:
You might be thinking: “I don’t have any clients like that!” or “I don’t really cater to any of those groups.”
The truth is that you probably do—even if you don’t realize it.
Many disabilities and health issues, like ADHD and diabetes, can be completely invisible from the outside. You won’t necessarily know someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or race from looking at them.
And just because you don’t currently have clients who outwardly appear different from you in terms of body size, race, gender, or in any other aspect doesn’t mean you can’t coach those clients.
We can’t talk about weight stigma and bias without talking about race and intersectionality.
Intersectionality is a term coined by law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. It refers to how social and political categorizations like race, class, and gender interconnect to create both discrimination and privilege. 23
Crenshaw pointed out that when it came to discrimination, the legal system wanted to know, for instance, whether a Black woman was being discriminated against because of her gender OR her race. There wasn’t a framework for understanding how it could be both at the same time. Thus, intersectionality was born.
Intersectionality helps us understand that fatphobia and discrimination against racialized, trans, queer, disabled and other marginalized bodies are all deeply intertwined.
So it’s great to be a size-inclusive coach. But that also means understanding that multiple aspects of discrimination and marginalization compound each other, and how this effect may impact your clients.
Maybe you’re wondering: How can you possibly become an expert in body positive coaching, coaching trans athletes, working with people with disabilities, and anti-racism?!
This may come as a relief: You don’t have to be an expert.
First, you can turn to plenty of experts for help. Many of these activists have courses, books, and other resources, like the ones listed in the boxes throughout this article.
But what’s even more important, Mills says, is this:
Clients are experts in their own experiences.
Usually, you can learn directly from them.
That doesn’t mean it’s their job to educate you.
But you can listen to and engage with the lived experience of the person right in front of you, Mills suggests.
“Often, it’s not even that they need you to be really involved in their personal experience as their coach. They just need to know that you’re not going to devalue it.”
Many of us have hidden biases, body image concerns, and areas where our awareness is lacking.
To grow into more inclusive coaches, according to Mills, we first must lose the “fix it” mindset. We won’t solve weight stigma, racism, or any other type of discrimination by changing the equipment in a gym or taking a course. (Though those can be good action steps.)
“When we try to fix problems, we’re trying to get a sense of control,” Mills points out. “And to meet people where they’re at, you need to lose that desire to control things and be open and receptive.”
And meeting clients where they’re at? That’s what matters most.
Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.
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. The next group kicks off shortly.
The post Are you body-shaming clients? How even well-intentioned coaches can be guilty of “size-bias.” appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
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