Linda, age 66, retiree (Ashburn, VA):
“I have worked with health coach Sarah Sutton off and on for the last 6 years and her collaborative and caring approach has enabled me to meet my goals–including ones I didn’t know I needed, such as learning to eat intuitively. I came to her with the single desire of losing weight, but based on our discussions, she helped me articulate other goals that would be necessary to do that. In my case, it included social connectedness and a realistic exercise plan. At each meeting we set up very specific next steps towards each of the goals and I decided what I could commit to working on until our next meeting. Sarah checked in with me via email to see how I was doing both in accomplishments and challenges and what in particular I might want to work on at our next session. At that meeting we reviewed more extensively how I had or had not progressed and then set new goals I felt confident to attain. Making and keeping these tiny commitments enabled me to meet my broad and difficult goals.
With her coaching approach, I learned how to eat intuitively rather than the rigid eating rules I had set up for myself. I very gradually lost and kept off 65 pounds through intuitive eating and working with her to ensure that my life is balanced. I have come back as my life has changed so Sarah could help me identify, articulate, and achieve new goals. For example, although I am maintaining a good weight, I now need to develop ways to eat healthy with minimal cooking. When asked, she doesn’t give me broad suggestions but rather very specific ones and we keep reviewing what works, and what doesn’t. (I like the recipes on her website.) Her personal coaching style can help anyone move more successfully through their individual life challenges.”
