When you are ready to hire a health coach, here’s my list of questions to ask to make sure it’s a good fit. Hiring a health coach is an investment in your long-term health, and you want it to be a successful partnership. Asking the right questions during a health coaching free call is the best way to feel positive about getting started.

What can a health coach do for me?

A health coach, or nutrition coach, can help a client reach their health goal. They also can help develop these health goals if a client is unsure of where to start. Eating well and making a change can be overwhelming. Having someone on your team to help hold you accountable and clear through the noise of what’s healthy can be a great step towards success.

I personally love the functional medicine health coaching approach as it looks at the root cause of your issues. Determining what is causing your symptoms will help resolve them in the long run.

After you share your health situation, ask what this health coach can do for you. If you hire a health coach, you want to know the result even before you get started.

As the women’s health coach myself, I’ve realized I like working with a certain clientele because I’m confident I can help them reach their health goals. By talking on the phone with women in advance, I can determine if I am a good fit for them or if it’s better to refer them to another resource I know.

What do you charge as a health coach?

Health and nutrition coaches can charge for their services in any of the following ways:

• hourly
• monthly//multi-month packages
• group coaching support
• cooking classes or workshops
• online course plus accountability

Costs will vary with experience and also how specific the end goal is for the client. You will want to make sure the time investment each week matches up with what you think your schedule can handle. The goal is often to help save you time in the kitchen, boost your energy, and improve your mood. All of these things are worth making time for in your schedule, right?!

What does a nutrition coach do?

A nutrition coach can offer consulting, coaching, support, and motivation all in one. Crafting meal plans for food allergies, weight loss support, or a seasonal detox are all possibilities when working with a nutrition coach. Ask if your potential coach offers you specific recipes and meal plans or just a list of foods to add or avoid.

Some clients want a nutrition coach to map out macros, count calories, or figure out “points” they can have during their meals. I don’t work that way myself as I really focus on lifestyle changes and swaps, so you don’t do the math to enjoy your meal. If you love the numbers game (and some women do!), make sure you find a health coach supporting that type of meal planning.

How do you communicate with your health coaching clients?

This is such an important question. There are so many ways to communicate in this day and age, yet not all of them will be appropriate for a health coach. I have seen them all as health coaches on Instagram share conversations with clients on their Stories. (and no, that’s not HIPAA compliant.) 

When my clients hire me as their health coach, we start working together using Practice Better. I find this is a lot more efficient and organized than using email. Everything is one place so all conversations can be monitored, and my health coaching clients have access to a chat forum with me in between sessions.

There are various health coaching platforms available, but you want to make sure your health coach is treating your conversations with privacy in mind. I appreciate that Practice Better is HIPAA compliant, so everything my clients share with me stays in one place.

Do you have health coaching office hours?

You’ll want to ask your health coach if their office hours are full-time, part-time and if they include weekends and holidays. Some coaches will charge more for support outside of normal business hours. Some packages offered by a health coach do not include any follow-up. Make sure you understand what is and isn’t included in your session prices.

I try to stick to office hours myself, but those working with me for the long term will often see me responding to their questions over the weekend when they are at the store trying to decide which brand of almond butter is best.

How long should I hire a health coach?

This is going to be different for every client based on their health coaching needs. Some clients may need a short-term session to help them get out of a funk in the kitchen, whereas another client with chronic health issues will need 3-6 months of health coaching at a minimum. Health changes take time, and even with a health coach, there is no magic bullet.

In my practice, I offer clients who start with me for 3 months to continue for another 3-month package. Sometimes the client is ready to graduate at the end of three months, as we have discovered the root of their food sensitivities or food allergies. Other clients are so excited about their progress they want to keep the momentum going and move on to the next level.

As you look to hire a health coach, make sure you ask for a realistic idea of how long it will take to see progress. On some of my calls, I’ve told women that I would not take on their case with less than a 3-month commitment. I know that making changes to gut health, or dealing with an autoimmune issue, will require additional time, and I’m not about making promises I can’t keep.

What kind of support can I get after our package is complete?

This is a new question that came up after a few of my clients wanted continued support but didn’t need another monthly package. (I like graduating my clients!) Instead, I’m able to offer additional meal planning support for returning clients, or they will book a one-time coaching session. We all need a little pep talk here and there, so ask your potential health coach how they can continue to connect with you after your health coaching package is finished.

Okay, I hope these questions help you hire a health coach that will be the perfect fit for you! Taking the next step to partner with a health coach is such a wonderful investment in your health and living younger longer. If you would like to learn more about my health coaching process, please see my nutrition coaching information.