Tobacco cessation is a key focus during health coaching to achieve better health and reduce risk of disease. When working with a TrestleTree Health Coach, not only are participants equipped with sustainable change to maintain their quit, they also lose an average of one pound, compared to the national average of 10 pounds gained when quitting tobacco. This week's Story of Success celebrates significant reduction in tobacco use and weight loss due to improved health habits along the way!
This TrestleTree participant entered health coaching with a desire to quit smoking, along with goals to be healthier and avoid weight gain through the process. At his initial appointment, he and his Health Coach developed a plan to achieve his goals by discussing his current smoking habits in detail and identifying his specific triggers for smoking. Together, they incorporated limits on smoking during his breaks and identified other activities he could do during this time. Instead of smoking, for example, he used one break to eat a healthy snack. His Health Coach helped him recognize the high sugar content in his snacks and their negative impact on his blood sugar, and he worked to substitute healthier alternatives suggested by his Health Coach. They similarly went through each trigger and found a plan to cope with it. During coaching, not only did this participant reduce his smoking from 15 cigarettes down to one per day, he also lost 12 pounds in the process due to sustainable lifestyle changes!
