As coaches, we value education and the effect it’s had on us. And we like to think we will be able to educate others into better health. We are probably wrong.
Education alone does not seem to be an effective tool for long term behavior change. We see the struggles especially in the field of public health. Just knowing something might contribute to better or worse health outcomes isn’t enough to really move the needle. Why?
Well, there’s probably no simple answer but one big contributing factor is that we are not simply logical creatures. We base most of our decisions on emotion (whether we admit it or not) and emotion is far more powerful a motivator than logic. There’s not a huge hormonal response when we think about the long term effects of a caloric surplus on bodyweight and potentially metabolic health. The same can’t be said of the excitement created when we open up a box of donuts or a pie from Di Fara.
This isn’t to say we stop trying to educate. It’s vital that we help to dispel the BS that emanates from all corners of the internet but we also need to understand that it might not have the desired outcome we think it will. And that’s where coaching comes in.
Figure out how to create importance around better health habits for clients. Figure out how to help them easier implement change. And help them to develop that internal motivation that drives long term behavior.
*while calorie listings haven’t changed consumer behavior, restaurant listings have resulted in new menu items having an avg of 113 cals less than prior to legislation.
