Exercise support is a key to success. There is no question that making lifestyle changes is difficult and the path to a healthy life isn’t the same for everyone.  According to the CDC less than 20% of exercisers typically stay with a plan long enough to reap any health benefits.  It’s not that people won’t give it a try, because they do - over and over again. It’s just that the ability to stick with exercise is less likely unless and until it becomes part of a daily routine. This is where a wellness coach comes in. It’s amazing that we’ll commit to an agreed upon meeting time to exercise, but we’re less likely to just do it for yourselves or by ourselves. Wellness coaches, like The Coach Approach program at the local YMCA, work with you one-on-one and personalize a plan based on your needs and your current lifestyle.  An assessment gives you a starting point. An agreed-upon program gets you committed. And the follow-up meetings not only offer continued motivation, but are a chance to celebrate your successes. Getting started and sticking with an exercise routine can help reduce fatigue, increase energy levels, improve moods, and ward off diseases. So if you won’t do it alone, consider a wellness coach. Call your local YMCA for details.

Roger Shrum gives a great testimony, “Two years ago I was an overweight couch potato. Now, after having graduated from the YMCA’s Coach Approach program, exercise has become a regular part of my lifestyle. The program eliminated my fear of how to get started and helped me set personal fitness  goals with the guidance of a fitness expert. Today I’m 70 pounds lighter and can truly say that I enjoy my workout sessions.”