FAQs

A health coach is someone who will partner with you in your quest for better health. Just like any other coach, your health coach will empower you and provide you with all the motivation, encouragement and support you need to get back to health and start taking a more proactive role in staying healthy. I called my health coaching practice Live HEALthfully because my goal is to help you HEAL first and, then continue to live healthfully.

When I partner with you, I will seek to understand all aspects of your life, e.g., sleep, stress, emotions, diet, exercise, that could be contributing to your physical illness. I will, then, create a personalized program for you based on achievable goals, regular contact and motivational encouragement…because you are unique and one size does not fit all.

When you work with me, you will not be limited to 5 minutes of face time and you won’t leave feeling like you haven’t had all your questions answered. My personal health model takes a completely different approach to the current system of healthcare. I create a relaxed setting in which you do not feel pressure and where you feel confident discussing your health situation.

We’ll start with where you are now, then we’ll set weekly action steps that will give you something concrete to work towards and help you achieve your overall goals.We won’t remove anything. We’ll just ADD the healthy stuff first. The healthy will squeeze out the not-so-healthy…and I know from personal experience that once you get on the health treadmill, you wouldn’t want to stop!

We’ll quickly address any challenges that are coming up. We’ll celebrate every success you have! Goals are much easier to reach when you have small victories along the way. Every little step towards your goal is a success. We’ll take the time to appreciate you and acknowledge your hard work.

Many people are familiar with the term “nutritionist” when it comes to someone who provides guidance on healthy eating habits. The details beyond that tend to get a little blurry. A nutritionist or a registered dietitian will see you in a doctor’s office setting and will focus on what you can or cannot eat.

While food is very important, there is much more to your symptoms than food. We cannot overlook all of the other factors present in our daily lives that contribute to our sense of nourishment and fulfillment. Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and spiritual awareness all play an important role.

I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means that I look at how all parts of your life affect your health as a whole. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of the food and lifestyle choices that work best for you so you can implement lasting changes.

Like nutritionists, therapists focus on only one aspect of your well-being, emotional / psychological imbalances, but do not necessarily put all the pieces of the puzzle together. A holistic health coach brings all areas of your life together to help you improve.

As you’ve experienced for yourself, doctors are pressured for time and only have a few minutes to see you at your appointment. You feel rushed and uncomfortable asking questions. Despite the extensive training that doctors receive, they are not trained to provide nutrition or lifestyle advice. The health coach fulfills a need you have that a doctor can’t.

Coaches are not meant to substitute physicians. The program that your health coach designs for you should not rule out or even encourage you to give up the medications that your physician prescribes – that is a conversation that only you and your doctor can have. Health coaching is a supplement to what is already offered by your doctor. The most effective course of action is to make the most of both worlds so that the benefit you derive from all methods will be much, much greater than the sum of the individual parts.

Choosing the right health coach for you is not a matter to be taken lightly. A health coach needs to understand your struggles and challenges:

1. I’m a health coach who specializes in autoimmune disease, particularly Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Hashimoto’s, Uveitis and Scleritis because I’ve been there, done that. I understand your struggles. I know how the things that everyone else considers second nature can suddenly become a challenge; I understand what it’s like to wake up every morning feeling paralyzed; I know what it’s like to feel weak and depressed; I understand what it’s like to be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help; I understand what it’s like to be labeled a “cripple” and to be made fun of; I understand the fatigue that accompanies the cocktail of drugs that you take. I understand your illness; it’s what I focus my work on a 100% of the time. I have not tacked on autoimmune disease to a portfolio of other services I offer. I can give you practical tips that another health coach who has never experienced autoimmune disease cannot tell you.
2. Because I understand what you’re going through, I can help you discover what is blocking you, your health, and your progress. I will help you get past those blocks so you can start living the life you want. I keep abreast of the latest developments in nutritional and medical research so you don’t have to get mired in the tons of information that’s out there.
3. I will inspire you with my story as well as the stories of those who used to be just as sick as you and who are now living the kind of life you want to live!
4. I believe there’s hope for everyone. I know that with the proper changes, your life can get better. I will support you and encourage you, but I will also hold you accountable. It’s my mission to see you through your own health goals.

Rana from Live HEALthfully was one of the best sources of help and inspiration that I found during my recent challenging period of out-of-control rheumatoid arthritis and severe corticosteroid withdrawal a few months back. Whether it was a suggestion on what to eat (or what not to eat), or how to safely exercise different parts of my body, or what forms of nutritional supplements were the most effective, she always seemed to have the answers I was looking for. I would highly recommend her health coaching services to anyone who is looking to get more in touch with their body, mind, and soul. ~ RA Guy

I have a genuine passion for helping people like you who are dealing with autoimmune disease overcome their challenges. I genuinely care for you and the progress you make. I will allow you to be the expert on your own life, but will provide you with enough guidance to show you where things might not be working.

Rana “didn’t pressure me, but she did encourage me to learn how to listen to and connect with my body. She also provided some valuable hints and tips that made everything just a little bit easier…although, as she told me often, *I* was the one who was doing the work and making the changes. The last thing I needed at the time was pressure. I did need a lot of support and encouragement though, which is what I got.” ~RA Guy

Do you want to give health coaching with me a go? Are you ready to transform your life or the life of your child? Click here to schedule a HEALth Breakthrough session. I look forward to connecting with you!

Are you someone who would:

• Do whatever it takes to heal?
• Be willing to take control of your life instead of relying on your doctor, magic pills and surgery to do all the work for you?
• Describe yourself as strong-willed and persistent; someone who will not give up on their vision of a healthy future, especially when faced with a bump in the road?
• Enjoy a bit of silly humor from time to time?
• Want to inspire positive change in others and lead by example?

If these sound like you, then we would work well together! I invite you to schedule your HEALth Breakthrough session today so we can get to know each other and start you off on your journey.

There are various investment levels depending on whether you choose to enroll in a Private or Group coaching program. Payment plans are available to make it as easy for you as possible to get your life back on track.

I cannot take insurance but I will help you find ways to reduce the cost of your prescription medication. Often, health coaches that are made available through insurance companies are under intense pressure to show results and you may end up feeling forced to make changes that you may not necessarily want or be ready for.

Let’s lay out the costs vs. benefits of investing in a health coach!

• Costs: Hiring a health coach is an out of pocket expense; a minimal one compared to the money you would otherwise spend in Emergency Rooms, on prescription meds and doctors
• Benefits: You have your own personal health trainer, who has been through similar if not the same struggles as you and is here to help you get over the obstacles that prevent you from having the life that you want. Having guidance from someone specialized in what you’re dealing with – RA, MS, Hashimoto’s, etc. – and who really cares may be the key that allows you to transform your life in ways you may not think possible

Absolutely! You and I will sign the contract prior to starting our sessions. This way we can put the admin portion of the program to the side and focus on what’s really important…getting you to feel healthier and happier!

Our bi-weekly coaching sessions will take place via phone or Skype, which means you can still do your session regardless of where you are or how you might be feeling on the day. If you do live in the Manhattan area, we can meet in person. For all of my health coaching packages, I am available for support via e-mail between appointments. You can also connect with me on my Facebook page: Live HEALthfully or follow me on Twitter @liveHEALthfully.

You can e-mail me personally at rana@live-healthfully.com and I will return your e-mail within 24 hours. If your e-mail is urgent, please write “URGENT” in the subject of the e-mail and provide a phone number that I can call you on.

One-on-one coaching sessions will be 45 min – 50 min long. Group coaching sessions will be a little longer, between 60 and 75 minutes, to allow everyone in the Group to feel that they’ve received the support they needed.

VIP days are intensive 5 hour long days, broken into several 45 minutes sessions with breaks in between.

One-on-one and group coaching sessions will be done on a biweekly basis. If you are working with me in a one-on-one program, we will set a schedule that works for both of us.

You are required to provide 24 hours notice if you wish to cancel or reschedule your appointment, otherwise, you will forfeit that session. Health coaching is commitment that you make to yourself, to your loved ones and to your dreams. I want to lovingly discourage you from not following through on this commitment.