What's in a Great Coach?

1) A great coach should have and in depth knowledge of Diabetes so they can teach you about the disease. They should have advanced degrees in healthcare and certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine where they are trained to work with people with Diabetes. The coach should have a background of working in medical settings and be able to work as part of your health care team along with Certified Diabetes Educators, Nutritionists and Physicians. Do not be afraid to ask for somebody’s qualifications. The wrong person may cost you valuable time and money and create great frustration. You can go onto the American College of Sports Medicines website and look up coaches in your area. http://www.acsm.org/.

2) The Coach must provide an In-Depth assessment – Your coach should have a clinical background and be able to know you as well as possible before you even begin to exercise. This includes meeting with you and going over; your past health history, risk factors, medications, lab work, family history, nutrition background, Surgeries and Orthopedic issues. The screening should be complete and include blood pressure and body composition measurements. The screening should also include an order from your physician acknowledging the exercise program and any contraindications you may have for exercise. This information will allow you and your coach to set effective goals and have a good starting point..

3) After the assessment you coach will develop an individual exercise prescription for you. This should be based on the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for exercise prescription for Diabetes. Your coach will start you slow and work you light to moderately letting you build up not only your endurance but your confidence. Your exercise prescription will Include 5 areas. These are warm up, aerobic training, strength training, flexibility and cool down. This plan will take into account all areas addressed in your screening and any recommendations from your Physician. I also like to include body composition as part of the prescription.

4) What to Expect – Through coaching you will gain knowledge of safe and effective exercise modalities. Also as mentioned in the top paragraph you should have a greater understanding of Diabetes as a disease. This will include knowing the difference between Type 1, Type 2 and Pre-Diabetes. It should also give you a working knowledge of how weight loss happens and plans for plateauing and moving forward. I instill in my clients to have an in-depth knowledge of lab results and blood pressure readings. Understanding what are normal and high ranges for cholesterol, glucose, hba1c and blood pressure give members a sense of autonomy and control over their Diabetes. Added to this is understanding nutrition, healthy eating and glycemic control through exercise and diet.

5) Your coach’s goal should always be to make you as independent as possible and a sense that you can do this with the proper guidance and support. Their goal should be to get you started and monitor you progress. The coach should be able to provide you with the information you need and get you started within as little as a few meetings which will include the assessment and then follow up with you monthly or as needed to help you adjust your program or go over any concerns.

Lastly- You should expect to start seeing results within one to three months. These can include weight loss, lower blood pressure, lower glucose, increased endurance and sense of accomplishment. Many clients also report feeling less stressed anxious and depressed. Many members feel a reduction of joint pain from as little as losing 2 pounds but also just getting moving again relives joints, tendons and muscles.