'I feel well for the first time in a long time'

This were the words of my client, Caroline after our 3 months working together. She had come to me initially because she wanted to take care of her health after a difficult year.

Here is her experience in her own words.

"I began thinking I needed to make changes for my health and wellbeing after feeling continuously unwell. I was suffering a lot with headaches and migraines and knew I was overweight. I wanted to make changes, but didn't feel I had the necessary knowledge on health and fitness to make a true difference. I was also feeling low after suffering a bereavement. 

My initial goals for Health Coaching were to feel less unwell and to lose weight. Lesley helped me to understand that diets don't work and we looked at how I could create a healthy work/life balance, with realistic goals. We identified my need to incorporate healthy eating and fitness into a daily routine that I could stick to.

I found the work more inspiring than challenging - I enjoyed the self reflection time with Lesley as it drew my attention to my own needs. 

The key aspects that made a difference to my wellbeing was talking with Lesley about my previous struggles and blocks around relating to food. I found great support in having conversations about what my problems were, for example emotional eating, then being able to draw on her deeper knowledge of healthy eating to get a better approach to eating in place. 

I actually began to eat healthily and discovered that I could still feel full and satisfied, I gave up drinking alcohol completely (I was drinking 2 glasses of wine every evening with no break) and immediately felt more in control. 

I had also previously broken my foot and was unsure how to begin exercising again and I felt Lesley really understood what direction to guide me in. We discussed and reflected on what was working for me regarding exercise and I felt she really inspired me to keep trying - I began to understand that small amounts of regular exercise can make a real difference and I began to lose weight.

My main initial goal was to lose weight and feel better, but I also found that within my work with Lesley I was helped to think more widely about how I could look after myself. I began to Meditate by myself and with my children - basic guided meditations that were great to relax to. Lesley knew about a great free App. 

I found throughout my work with Lesley she was able to help me to not only connect to my needs - but actually helped me to action them too. I had been suffering with headaches and migraines and Lesley put me in touch with a Migraine specialist who practised Reflexology, she suggested cook books when I was struggling with ideas for family meals, gave me meal planners when I was writing my own plans for the week...she leant me basic exercise equipment, filmed exercise routines tailored just for me to access online and suggested supplements that really helped. 

The key success of Lesley's Coaching Programme was this amazing/compassionate attention to my needs and weekly zooms whereby we went over what I had focused on the previous week, what I had achieved and then what I wanted to achieve in the week to come. I found this helped me to get the structure and routine into my life around eating well and exercising that had long been missing.

I would recommend Lesley to anyone who is feeling unwell, struggling to begin exercising and feeling out of control through eating/ living unhealthily. Her approach was so supportive, never judgemental and I felt Lesley genuinely wanted to help me feel better. I am now on a much clearer path - I am continuing to lose weight, I have far less headaches, my migraines (touch wood) have lessened and I feel well for the 1st time in a long time. I have Lesley to thank for that."

I don't think I could have summed this up better myself. The client created her own plan, that worked for her own life, I just added education, compassionate listening and a weekly dose of encouragement and accountability.