Weight loss coaching: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What weight loss coaching is

Weight loss coaching is a set of sessions with a coach who helps you set goals, build habits around food and movement and stay accountable. It is not a medical program, and your doctor should know about your plans.

Signs you need it

  • You want help staying consistent with eating and activity
  • Past diets have not stuck and you want a different approach
  • Your doctor encouraged weight changes and you want support
  • You want accountability between visits
  • You feel stuck at a point and want a fresh plan

What the pro does

  • An intake on your habits, schedule and goals
  • Setting small habit goals for food, movement and sleep
  • Regular check-ins to review progress
  • Adjusting the plan as life changes
  • Planning how to keep habits going after coaching

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Coach's training and background
  • Session length and frequency
  • Messaging between sessions
  • In person or video
  • Group or one on one
  • Package or per session

What a written quote should spell out

  • Session length and schedule
  • What support is included between sessions
  • Cancellation and refund terms
  • Which topics are outside scope, such as medical advice
  • How progress is tracked

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What is your training?
  • Do you recommend I talk with my doctor first?
  • What do you do about plateaus?
  • Do you sell products?
  • How do you track progress?
  • What is the refund policy?

Red flags

  • Guaranteed results or timelines
  • Extreme diets or skipped meals
  • Selling supplements or products
  • Telling you to stop medication
  • Shaming language about bodies

What you can do yourself

You can track meals, add short walks and sleep on a schedule, but a coach adds accountability. Talk with your doctor before starting a plan, especially with health conditions or medication.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to offer coaching, so ask about training, any certification and how to verify it with the issuer, and ask for a client reference.

Weight loss coaching questions

Do I need my doctor's okay?

Talk with your doctor before starting, especially with health conditions.

Will you give me a meal plan?

Ask. For a condition-specific plan, see a dietitian.

How fast will I lose weight?

A coach cannot promise a pace. Be wary of those who do.

Is group coaching an option?

Many coaches offer small groups for shared accountability. Ask how check-ins work and how much one on one time you get.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer weight loss coaching remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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