Kristen Glass battled with her weight for her entire life. She tried various programs but with little success. However, a dinner with a friend, who had recently lost weight and seemed glowing with a newfound sparkle in her eyes, turned out to be a game changer for her. Intrigued and inspired by her friend’s transformation, Kristen decided to give whatever had worked for her friend a shot. To her surprise, she crossed paths with an independent coach who eventually transformed both her life and her lifestyle.
The coach was part of the OPTAVIA program, a lifestyle initiative that focuses on habit formation to achieve desired weight loss and maintain fitness levels. Kristen found OPTAVIA so effective that she decided to become a coach herself later that same year. Over the past six years, Kristen has positively affected the lives of over 150,000 people within the OPTAVIA community by motivating them to lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Kristen views coaches as the key to not just weight loss, but an overall well-being transformation.
All of us are in need of a coach at some point. Someone who can guide us, be with us through our highs and lows, and keep us dedicated towards our goals. This applies more so to someone on a weight-loss journey. It is stated that 96% of people acknowledge that lifestyle changes are needed for weight loss, while only 17% are certain they can manage such changes on their own.
Kristen believes, where weight loss can become complex with fashionable diets and calorie counting, coaches play a significant part in simplifying the health and wellness regime. “People long for someone who can help simplify this process,” she says, paying special attention to women and mothers who form the majority of her clients.
To Kristen, keeping it real is substantial. She challenges her clients by making them stand in front of a mirror to face their life choices. Her coaching philosophy is to jump into discomfort swiftly and together, and cope with the reality. She pushes her clients towards understanding their decisions to induce personal growth.
Empathy and shared experiences are critical aspects of a coach’s approach, she believes. The power of relating to someone who has walked in your shoes is unparalleled. In fact, over 90% of coaches at OPTAVIA were clients before they took up the guiding role. Kristen herself understands the challenges many women face in their quest for weight loss as she has been through them herself.
Last but not least, a coach is there to cheer and inspire at every milestone, big or small. A healthy lifestyle choice or a weight loss milestone is celebrated, reinforcing positive behaviors. They cheer, mentor and guide, offering the needed encouragement and support to stay committed to your goals.
Kristen’s journey from struggle to success and her current role as a coach continually inspires many women on their personal path to health and wellness. It testifies to the value a coach can bring on the journey towards not just achieving a weight goal but also in maintaining overall health.
