Importance of Coaching
We’ve learned over the past few days in this expert interview series with Dr. John Berardi how life is all about relationships from peer pressure as shared in last day’s post to the importance of surrounding yourself with a strong support network when making a positive lifestyle change.
However, the one thing the author of Precision Nutrition didn’t share with us until today is the reasons for this motivational interview series. Let’s read what he has to say.
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CRAIG BALLANTYNE: We really covered a lot of ground and have addressed almost every one of the major problems in terms of motivation and compliance and sticking with it that so many people have. And so again, I appreciate your time and your insight. Is there anything else you wanted to add?
JOHN BERARDI: I know a lot of people think of me as sort of the nutrition guy. And what that means to most people is should I eat carbs or proteins and fats and at what times, etc. I know originally when we talked about doing an interview that was kind of some of the area’s you wanted to cover. And I probably screwed up your whole plan by going into all this motivation and psychology stuff.
But for me this has just become a really important area because my whole journey, going through my undergrad, Masters, Ph.D., etc. And the reason I started this whole thing was so that I COULD HELP PEOPLE. So I could get better at coaching people to look better, feel better, and to perform to their highest potential, whether they’re recreational exercisers or whether they’re at their the highest level of their performance.
And so I went through this whole process. In the beginning I realized, there’s some stuff I need to know. I needed to know more about exercise physiology. I need to know more about nutritional biochemistry and digestion and all that kind of stuff. Then I went through this long 11 year educational journey after high school and when I came out the one thing I didn’t actually know was “HOW” to coach people. And I was like, “Damn it. I just spent a couple hundred grand on education and 11 years.” And I know so much about physiology, nutritional biochemistry and the science and all about designing research projects. However, I don’t actually know how to coach anyone.
I graduated in 2005, and so the last five years have been figuring that process out. And really what it involves is a second education, an education in psychology, an education in coaching, an education in human behavior and how to help people change, because that’s what people are asking us for. I’ve never had anyone come to me and say, “Hey, J.B.. I love doing squats more than anything else and pushups too. And I’d really, really like to never eat anything that tastes sweet or salty or rich or anything like that again. Can you help me with that?”
People don’t come to me and say that. They just say, “John, there’s something about my life that sucks right now. I don’t feel good. I don’t look good, and I don’t perform well at all. Can you help me change that?” And inherent in their question is they want to change. And the old way that I used to try and help people change didn’t work. The way most people think about helping people change doesn’t work.
So what’s required is a different education, a different set of skills. And that’s what I’ve been spending a lot of time on. I’m super passionate about doing that.
Certainly, I haven’t forgotten the nutritional biochemistry and exercise physiology stuff. And granted I talk about that quite a lot on our website or coaching programs, whatever it might be. But for me, when we have these kinds of interviews and conversations this is the sticking points for about 90% of the people I never meet. So that’s why I really like talking about this stuff. And I hope that the people who are reading this like it.
CRAIG BALLANTYNE: Absolutely. I certainly know they do, and you’ll be getting feedback and people popping by and asking more questions. And just to let you know. I ordered Switch. I ordered it on my Kindle. I haven’t started using that regularly, but that will be a new habit, and the book will probably help me. So I appreciate you recommending that resource for us and for trainers and for everyone who wants to make changes.
All right. I want to thank John Berardi from PrecisionNutrition.com. You can visit their website for more information on their certification program and the nutrition area, and also on their transformation contests as well. And those contests are just so important.
So have a great day everyone, looking forward to your transformation. You have all the tools mentally, physically and nutritionally now thanks to John.