Location manager, personal blogger, housewife, health coach in training
Hey there!
My name is Kelly, and I am an integrative health coach in training at Institute for Integrative Nutrition. So far, I have my half way certification, and I am set to graduate May 2023. I’m super excited! What inspired me to be a health coach was my own health journey and learning from others. I am a food allergy warrior, and cooking and experimenting in the kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. Through my allergy, I learned intuitive eating, a holistic approach to life, and a desire to help and nurture others through coaching and writing. As of late, I have discovered the transforming power of art therapy, and I’m learning more and more about this. In life, I am a perpetual student. Each day, I am growing, developing, and learning, and that is what makes me feel alive.
The approach I take as an integrative health coach is client-led. Three terms I learned through Institute for Integrative Nutrition are: bio-individuality, primary food, and secondary food.
Bio-individuality is the idea that each person is different, and that no two health journeys are alike. For example, I am drawn to a paleo-like lifestyle, but I know that we all have different needs, and that paleo isn’t for everyone. We all have different needs, and each of us are wired and made differently. My goal would be to facilitate the client’s exploration of what it is that they need in their health journey, and provide a healthy space for growth, learning, and transformation. As my practice is client-led, the program will be personalized to them.
Did you know that the food on our plates is referred to as secondary food? I’ll get into that after we explore the concept of primary food. Primary food is the “food” that is off our plates. The twelve primary foods are:
- Creativity
- Finances
- Career
- Education
- Health
- Physical Activity
- Home cooking
- Home environment
- Relationships
- Social Life
- Joy
- Spirituality
In the grand scheme of things, the concept of “food” is something we consume for nourishment, so if we focus on just the food on our plates, we are neglecting the other twelve areas in which we need nourishment. The food on our plates is one form of nourishment. The way I see it, the twelve primary foods are spokes on a wheel. Each food is interconnected with the others, which further drives home the point of bio-individuality, and the holistic view of health.
The last term is secondary food, which is the food on our plates. Our bodies need fuel, nutritional nourishment. Our bodies are the physical vessels that we live in. One thing I learned recently is that if the body is neglected, it will grab our attention through sickness or pain. If nourished, our bodies will nourish us in return.
I’m at the beginning stages of building my health coach business, and as I’m approaching graduation in a few months, I’m inspired to give back in every way that I can. Please stay tuned as my business slowly develops, and I eventually start practicing regularly with clients. Meanwhile, as the perpetual student that I am, I will post blogs on what I am learning. Thank you so much for joining me in this exciting journey!
Kelly Konrad 