The difference between coaching and counseling is subtle but highly effective: Instead of telling you what you need to do, I assume you are smart enough that you know what you need to do. Of course I am here to provide the most accurate and up to date nutritional information, and to redirect you if I think you're off base. But basically, I skip the lecture about what's wrong with what you're doing, and instead assist you in coming up with ways to do it!

For example, a person who is overweight knows they need to eat less and move more, but they probably don't look forward to exercising and they certainly don't want to feel deprived or hungry. So we'll talk about changes you will find easy to make, and we go slowly. Since you are never on a 'diet', you never go 'off the diet': You learn new habits and stick with them.

My clients and I speak three or four times a month, depending on their preference. We have a 45 minute phone conversation, usually the same day and time each week, to talk about what's been working for them and what hasn't. Each week they will chose one or two new actions to try. Examples are: keeping a food diary, including a fruit serving at breakfast, making the car a "no eating zone", or going for a 30 minute walk three evenings that week.

Over time, these small changes add up to calorie deficits that promote weight loss (if the goal is to lose weight) or an increase in activity level, more fiber, etc depending on the individual's goals.

Most of my clients want to lose weight; all of them want to eat healthier, and are overwhelmed with all the choices and decisions. It's tough to know what really is "good for you" with all the information bombarding you from magazines, ads, talk shows and helpful co-workers! And sometimes it's tough to get motivated to make those changes.
Most of my clients are women; often they realize they have been devoting so much of their energy to their career, their education, or raising a family, they just haven't had the time or energy to focus on doing what's best for themselves! A person will seek me out when they are ready to take the time to make themself a priority.

That depends on how much weight you want to lose, how aware you are of your habits, and where you would like to be compared to where you are now. Some people just need a gentle nudge in the right direction and they are good to go after two months. Others are in it for some serious lifestyle changes and will continue working with me for over a year.

Another option is going from three to four calls a month to one or two calls, as you feel more secure making decisions about behavior changes on your own. And still others have spent four or five months with me, then taken a break for a month or two--to see how they fend on their own, or maybe to just maintain their weight for a little while before attempting to lose another ten or twenty pounds--then come back to our regularly scheduled meeting times.

I would be happy to set up a time to speak with you, at no obligation of course. We can talk for 15 or 20 minutes and I can answer any questions you have. Then I will help you come up with one action you can start working on while you decide if this style will work for you. If you are looking for something else (for example, a dietitian in your area who will make a visit to your home) I could direct you to someone who will be the right fit for you.

We first have a brief chat to be sure we both feel comfortable working together (there are some cases I will not take, such as extreme obesity, which I feel would be best addressed by another specialist); then I send out some forms and questionnaires for you to fill out so I can get to know you better; then we usually have a long first call (about 90 minutes), and after that it's about 45 minutes a week.

Expect that it will take at least three months to start changing your habits and get into the flow of making new changes, checking in with yourself frequently relating to your current goals, and recognizing what will work for you in the long term. If you decide this just isn't the right time for you, or that you would better benefit from some other intervention, there is no financially binding contract past paying for one month at a time. Remember that I am not successful if you are not successful, so it's in my best interest to work with people I sense are really ready to do what it takes to start changing their habits. If it's not right for you, I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. But I can guarantee that you'll have some great ideas to start working on whenever the time is right for you, even if we only meet once.