Former cookery teacher Paula Scott is helping people transform their lives through her health coaching classes. Savour finds out more …
With a slender size 10-12 figure, radiant skin and a beaming smile, Paula Scott is the epitome of health. Her secret? There isn’t one. She simply leads a healthy and balanced life.
And now she is helping others to do the same in her new role as a Health Coach.
A yo-yo dieter for many years, Paula took action herself just over 18 months ago when she finally admitted that she wasn’t where she wanted to be in terms of her health and well-being.
“I was the heaviest I had ever been. Even my ‘fat clothes’ were too tight. In my mind, my diet wasn’t too bad but when I look back now I realise how in denial I was, and consequently why I was continuing to struggle with my weight.
“At this point in my life I simply wasn’t prepared to go on another fad diet only to fail a few months later,” says the 36-year-old from County Durham, “and so I chose to try a new strategy of loving my body and treating it with the kindness it deserves.”
Now her cupboards are packed with organic peanut butter, coconut oil and in the fridge are gooey chocolate pots made from avocado and cacao powder as well as a whole host of delicious and vibrant fruit and vegetables. Paula has also adopted a gluten free diet as “it makes me feel so much better than when I don’t”.
She said: “In 18 months I have lost two stone, and developed a new appreciation for my body and my health.”
Paula has also completed a course with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, to enable her to follow her dream of helping others as a Nutritional Health Coach.
So what exactly is health coaching? “That’s a good question,” says the former cookery teacher of 10 years.
“A health coach is a supportive guide and mentor who will help to motivate you to begin making positive health choices which will ultimately lead to lifelong change.”
Working with both men and women, Paula specialises in creating personalised six month programmes in order to support the client in creating life-long positive changes. Health goals can include improving digestive issues, increasing energy levels and weight loss.
“As a health coach, I support the client in identifying the barriers that may have been preventing them from achieving their personal health goals. Once we have identified those barriers we can begin to remove them through small but significant lifestyle and behaviour adjustments. The client will begin to see the changes they desire without the need for constant willpower and perpetual struggle.”
“All I ask from clients is that they are committed to changing their life for the better,” she added.
An initial, 50-minute consultation is free. Paula will talk through a client’s health history and take the opportunity to get to know them. She also stresses that the initial consultation is just as much about the client getting to know her, so that they can be sure that the programme is right for them.
With her six-month health coaching plan, clients receive 2 x 1 hour one-to-one coaching sessions per month; continuous email support and personalised goals and resources.
“This is about lifelong change so that living a healthy and balanced life is something that is no longer a struggle but is simply second nature,” says Paula.
In addition to the coaching programmes, Paula is also offering a selection of private cooking classes for people who want to expand on their culinary skills and learn more about cooking healthy and wholesome food.
For further information regarding the Health Coaching programmes on offer, as well as private cooking tuition
