Why Do You Need a Weight Loss Coach?

It always amazes me when people come to me for coaching, yet they can't wait to pop the question... "Why Do I Need a Coach To Lose Weight?"

I wonder what would happen if the same person woke up one morning thinking he wanted to be a tennis player. Do you think he (or she, no sexism intended) would have just gone to TotalSports, picked up a racket and a set of 3 balls and taken off to the court on his own?

Anyway. For some reason everyone seems to think that one should know how to lose weight. I mean, there surely are enough diet books out there. The web is full of advise. And the skinny chicks at the Point with their matching socks and sports bras can easily fool you that eating nothing but steamed chicken breast for 3 weeks at the time is easy. Or at least tolerable.

So off you are, to Fruit & Veg City to stock up on organic carrots and lemon juice ready for the Monday morning kick-start! You secretly hope that the lemon juice diet can turn you into Giselle Bundschen in a fortnight although you know better. And you pray that drinking green tea (yep, with lemon juice) is nowhere near as disgusting as a week on the Cabbage Soup.

Ag, it can't be that bad. It is only 2 weeks after all! I can be 6kg's lighter! Finally! It will be all right!

Now the previous paragraph is what is going through the mind at about 16:30 on Sunday afternoon. This is the "mental preparation" that apparently every diet requires, more often than not carried out while watching Desperate Housewives reruns and eating Pringles... cause you are starting a diet tomorrow, right? I mean, every time you are about to wash your hair, you go stick your head in the mud. Just like every time you are about to clean the carpets you make sure the dog pees on them. So, why should you not binge. You have every reason to do so. You are about to go on a diet!

Along comes the coveted Monday and once again the entire office knows that the diet is on. Comments of encouragement pour from "concerned souls" who have simultaneously developed a whole betting system based on your diet's collapse. Yet, they are supportive. They scold you for using sugar in your (green) tea. They lustfully devour double pieces of chocolate cake right in front of your eyes "to help you". And heaven forbid if you hear the Doritos in the vending machine call your name when you walk by (which invariably happens by day 3). Then you are condemned as the weakest link in the office for the next 15-minutes or so. Your best friend quickly speeds off to the bathroom (to collect her winning 50 bucks) and then, suddenly "you are not really that fat... I don't even know why you try this... You look just fine... Let's go buy new shoes at lunch!"

Well, the truth is that not everyone knows how to lose weight. And just because someone had enough money to publish a book doesn't make him a guru (look at Robert Kioyosaki!).

The toughest thing about weight loss is not the beginning. Everyone is very eager to take the first step. But then, as the weeks go by, the enthusiasm wanes. The cold front grips Table Mountain and hot chocolate with marshmallows seems much more appealing than a jog on the Promenade.

This is when you need help. This is when the diet book will fail you. This is where you need the phone call that says "Remember the goals we set? Remember what we are doing this for? Now get off your butt and work it!"

Some people struggle with motivation. Some need information. Some need to be hand-carried and hand-fed. Some need to be pushed. At the end of the day, they all need the personal touch and they are all friends.

Welcome to my blog and welcome to the extended Food & Fitness family. I hope you find it enjoyable, informative and entertaining. I look forward to your comments and posts! Please take this opportunity to share, have fun and show off (if that's what you really feel like!). But remember... there is no competition. It is all about YOU!

To being slim!

Jeni