What is CooL?
CooL means Coaching on Lifestyle.
It is a program offered by a lifestyle coach for 24 months. It consists of a combination of group meetings and individual coach sessions. It has been scientifically researched and the first indications are that it is effective. \[source]
So it works! That is why it is reimbursed by the health insurances in the Netherlands.
What does a lifestyle coach do?
Positive lifestyle is everything you do and don’t do to stay healthy. A lifestyle coach can help you make better choices and take action. The coach will help you to choose a specific goal and to take concrete steps towards that goal.
The questions that will be addressed:
- What is healthy?
- How do I make healthy choices and how do I ensure that I keep doing this?
- What do I want to achieve with that?
For an impression of a session with the lifestyle coach, you can watch this film from the Dutch Healthcare Authority.
When can I participate?
You can sign up for the lifestyle program if you:
- are 18 years of age or older and
- are overweight (i.e. BMI between 25 and 30) and also have an increased risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease or apnea and arthritis.
- or if you are seriously overweight (i.e. a BMI over 30)
Do you want to know what your BMI is? Use this calculator from Het Voedingscentrum.
You can participate in the lifestyle program free of charge: it is fully reimbursed from the basic health insurance. Participation is free of charge, but certainly not without obligation! You are expected to be present at all sessions and to actively work on your self-formulated improvement steps between sessions. You only have a chance of success if you are really motivated.
What do you learn in the CooL lifestyle program?
The program has a total duration of 24 months and consists of a combination of group sessions and individual interviews. By tinkering with your habits for two years, you can really change behavior and make permanent changes so that you don’t fall back into old habits.
Aspects to be addressed:
- You learn to prevent that your motivation is losing from your frustration
- You learn how exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress and relaxation reinforce each other
- You learn what your temptations are and what you can do with them
- You learn how to survive a ‘fattening’ society
- How the strength of the group works in your favor
- How small steps work better than big mistakes
- How to avoid the most common weight loss mistakes
The start of the next English CooL program is scheduled for September/October 2024.
If you are interested and are / are not eligible for the CooL program, please contact me. I may have a solution for both situations!
If you have to wait (too) long and you still want to start with me in a small group, sign up so you will be on the waiting list and be sure of a place in the next round! In the meantime I can offer you a short personal coaching program to bridge the gap. (See also Offer and advice)
