Tag: ask a health coach

Ask a Health Coach: How Do I Feel More Confident?

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about having patience and boosting confidence. Struggling to stay the course over the long haul? Feeling insecure about your wellness choices? We’re here with backup! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group. 

 
Sandra asked:
“This might be off topic, but do you have tips for cultivating patience? I struggle with it when it comes to seeing changes from working out (muscle tone, strength, etc.) and in all other areas. I don’t like to wait and find myself getting irritated at how long it takes to see results.”

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Ask a Health Coach: How Can I Become a Health Coach?

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about becoming a health or fitness coach. Considering a career change or side gig? Ready to take your Primal knowledge to the next level? We’re here to cheer you on! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.
Patrick asked:
“Primal eating, combined with exercise, has changed my life. You could say it was my personal pandemic project—made possible due to working from home. I’m considering becoming a health coach myself but work in a totally different field (accounting). I have no experience with science, nutrition, fitness, etc., outside of reading blogs like this one. I have ZERO experience coaching. Any recommendations for getting started? Is the Primal Health Coach program suitable for newbies? How long does it take to complete? Do you cover the business side or just nutrition?

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Ask a Health Coach: Social Media Triggers

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Erin Power is here to talk about social media triggers and tidying up your feed. If you find social media hurting your well-being, we’ve got strategies, tips, and backup! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.
Annie asked:
“I switched to Primal a few months ago, and it’s going pretty well. Before that, I had a long history of on-and-off-again dieting and calorie counting. FINALLY, I’m starting to feel like I can just eat real food and let the weight watching go (without gaining weight in the process). The problem: Part of what helped me go Primal was following hashtags on Instagram like #paleo #primal #keto, etc. This actually helped me stick with it and feel part of a community of people eating this way and loving life. BUT lately I’ve noticed myself getting super triggered by certain posts. Usually these are women who are super thin (maybe anorexic) using paleo and keto hashtags. While I’ve come a long way, I don’t look anything like that. It triggers old habits around food and body image. How do I deal with this but keep the good parts of social media inspiration? Sorry for the long question lol.”
First, welcome to the Primal eating crew, and congratulations on your conscious efforts to surround yourself with supportive messaging and community. Creating a supportive environment is HUGE when it comes to implementing and sticking with habit shifts and healthy change efforts.

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Ask a Health Coach: Foods to Help with Stress & Anxiety

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about what to eat (and what to avoid) when you’re feeling anxious. Struggle with stress, anxiety, or overwhelm? We’re here with guidance and support! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.

 
Max asked:
“I have really bad anxiety. Are there foods that can help? Any other ideas that don’t involve popping pills? I’m trying to take a natural approach but all the advice out there and people selling ‘solutions’ leave me more stressed. Thanks!”
Sorry to hear you’re struggling, Max! You’re not alone in dealing with anxiety or in feeling overwhelmed by all the information, advice, and “solutions” out there.

Good for you for exploring holistic options and recognizing that food can be helpful (or harmful) when it comes to mental health. This makes complete sense, after all! The food we eat is literally how we constitute ourselves, and there is no separation between body and mind. Traditional healing modalities have known this for thousands of years, and modern research in fields such as epigenetics and neuroplasticity offers an abundance of evidence!

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Ask a Health Coach: Why Is This So Hard? What Happened to Everything in Moderation?

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Erin Power is here to answer your questions about Primal eating and how to make it easier! If you’re wondering how to eat healthier without the struggle, we’ve got strategies, tips, and backup! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group. 
Roberta asked:
“Eating this way is such a struggle! I try to eat like you say but sometimes food is the only thing that brings me joy. What happened to ‘everything in moderation’? Also, I’m 67 and don’t like bringing attention to my weird diet around friends or family. I have high cholesterol and want to lose weight. Why can’t this be easier?!”

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Ask a Health Coach: Emotional Eating and Food Guilt

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Erin Power is here to answer your questions about comfort eating and eating when stressed. If you’re struggling with this, you’re not alone! We’re here with tips and support for cultivating a healthy relationship with food during stressful times. Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.
Michele asked:
“I always end up comfort eating when worried or stressed, and I’m always worried or stressed! After a hard day, I overeat pizza or other food that makes me feel like crap and gain weight. Then I feel guilty, can’t sleep, and worry more! How do I stop doing this?”
The pull towards soothing ourselves with food during stressful times is real. So, unfortunately, are the consequences of eating food that makes us feel worse rather than better.

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Ask a Health Coach: Seed Oils, Kiddos, and Eating Out

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about seed oils. Whether you’re wondering whether they’re really that bad, trying to avoid them when eating out, or scouting healthier treats for kids, you’ll learn some helpful tips and strategies. Got a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.    Marta asked: “Are seed oils really that bad? Are they okay in moderation? They’re in all the foods my kid likes to eat! Crackers, granola bars, muffins… Not to mention when eating out!” Sigh… I know. Highly refined seed oils are cheap and everywhere. Yes, we find them in the usual suspects: fast food, highly processed food, and most conventional food that comes packaged and ready to eat. They also hide out where less expected, including in foods marketed as “healthy” and at restaurants and hot bars that might otherwise pass as Primal. Unfortunately, the answer to your first question is Yes. Highly refined seed and vegetable oils are That. Bad. Even in moderation, they can be detrimental to health. While some folks are more sensitive to highly refined seed oils than others, they can cause inflammation in pretty much everyone. Chronic, systemic inflammation is a scourge of modern times. It’s implicated in countless minor ailments as well as more serious ones such as heart disease and cancer. It also weakens our general immune system response, since the body is too preoccupied with active, ongoing inflammation to deal properly with exposure to bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to (or can) avoid inflammatory oils entirely—particularly when eating out. Depending on priorities and life circumstances, this may be a great place to lean into the 80/20 principle: “In the context of full and earnest commitment, an overall 80 percent conformity with the 10 Primal Blueprint rules will yield a solidly healthy result.” That’s not a green light for choosing foods containing seed oils 20 percent of the time. Highly processed, inflammatory oils are never healthy, even in moderation. But if you aim to avoid them completely and a little slips by on occasion, overall outcomes will still land on the side of healthy. In other words: do your best, but don’t stress about perfection. Which oils are bad for you anyway? The fact that you’re asking these questions means you’re already on track! Once you know what to look for and find trusty staples, avoiding highly refined, inflammatory oils gets way easier. As a starting place, let’s consider your kid’s favorites. Since crackers, granola bars, and muffins are usually snacks and treats rather than a primary food source, it’s best not to go overboard in any case (whether or not they contain unhealthy oils). That said, sometimes a kid (or adult!) just wants a muffin. In those instances, you’re wise to check the ingredients when purchasing snacks and treats of any sort. Canola oil is an especially … Continue reading “Ask a Health Coach: Seed Oils, Kiddos, and Eating Out”

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Ask a Health Coach: Primal Starter Pack and Snacks for Long Hauls

Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach, and Primal Health Coach Institute’s Coaching & Curriculum Director, Erin Power is here to answer your questions about getting started with Primal and eating on the go. Whether you’re new to Primal or scouting new snacks, we’ve got options! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group. 
Mel asked:
“I want to go Primal but get overwhelmed by the rules. What’s in my Primal Starter Pack?”

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