Understanding the Client Lifecycle
Most of my clients follow a similar path as they work with me to lose weight. Here's what to expect.
Each client is different and my coaching is custom, so I meet each client where they are, and not all of them follow this pattern. For example, Sabrena came in, lost 20 pounds in two months, and THEN freaked out. But here are the normal client lifecycle phases.
1. Let's talk about food and exercise.
This is where most clients start, because for most clients this is where they believe the problem is. And this is what diets teach us, right? The first steps are usually cleaning up the diet and starting an exercise regime.
I don't share my clients' confidence that this is the issue or these are the solutions, but I do take advantage of this initial burst of energy and enthusiasm to support them in making a few changes.
We talk about everything I've learned about the science of habit creation to help them make some changes – changes that THEY choose (because we all basically already know what we should be doing).
2. After two or three weeks, their enthusiasm for whatever they've put into place starts to wane. This is where we quit when we start on our own (hello, New Year's resolutions). But this is where I as a coach really start to swing into gear.
There's a saying in ThetaHealing – the problem is never the problem. And usually this is the phase where the truth comes out. Clients are overeating because they feel bad and they are using food as a mood altering drug. So we start talking about why they feel bad. For many clients they are mad at their husbands, their adult children, or stressed out because of their jobs. We dive into the thinking that is driving how they are feeling.
3. This phase kicks in around week 6-8. The client has dealt with some of their underlying issues, and they are feeling more in control. We've done some coaching, and identified and broken some of their patterns (seeing patterns is one of my personal superpowers that really helps clients). Now the clients have cleared the decks and are really ready to begin again in earnest. This is where the weight loss truly begins.
4. The next two months the weight comes off at about a pound a week. Of course free will is a thing and everyone is different, but clients usually lose about 8 pounds during this phase. That plus a pound or two at the beginning of the program brings their total weight loss for the 4 month initial engagement to 10 pounds, which is enough that they've usually dropped a size, and someone they know has said something to them, so they know they are getting results.
At this point we usually decide if they want to continue on their own or if we want to continue to work together, but clients can see they have made a change, and they have tools and concepts they can take with them for life.
Ready to get your own results? Email me at lisa@lisaduke.net and we'll jump on a Zoom to make sure my program is right for you.
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