Why Your Health Problems Aren't Actually About Food

Let me tell you something that might make you uncomfortable: that stubborn weight, those energy crashes, the way you feel disconnected from your body? It's probably not because you don't know enough about nutrition.

I know, I know. Revolutionary stuff here.

But seriously—when I was drowning in my corporate job three years ago, stress-eating my way through yet another 80-hour week, I had already read approximately 47 books about healthy eating. I could recite the glycemic index of a sweet potato in my sleep. I knew that processed foods were "bad" and vegetables were "good."

And yet there I was at 2 AM, eating cereal straight from the box while mentally beating myself up for having zero willpower.

Sound familiar?

The Willpower Myth That's Keeping You Stuck

Here's what nobody talks about in those shiny Instagram wellness posts: Information without transformation is just intellectual clutter.

We've been sold this lie that health is about finding the perfect diet plan, the right workout routine, the magical supplement stack. That if we just had more discipline, more willpower, more... something... we'd finally get our act together.

But what if I told you that your "health problems" aren't actually about food at all?

What if they're about that voice in your head that says you're not worth investing in? The way you learned to suppress your emotions with snacks because nobody taught you how to feel feelings? The perfectionism that makes you quit after one "bad" meal because if you can't do it perfectly, why do it at all?

Yeah. That stuff.

The Real Reason You Need a Witness (Not a Drill Sergeant)

This is where health coaching gets interesting—and where most people completely misunderstand what it's actually about.

A good health coach isn't someone who's going to meal prep for you or count your burpees. They're more like... emotional archaeologists. They help you dig through the layers of stories, beliefs, and patterns that have been running your life on autopilot.

Let me break this down:

You Need Someone to Call Out Your BS (Lovingly)

We all have blind spots. Those little ways we sabotage ourselves that we can't see because we're too close to our own drama.

Like how you always "forget" to eat lunch when you're stressed, then wonder why you're ravenous and making questionable food choices at 4 PM. Or how you only start caring about your health when you hate how you look in photos, then abandon ship the moment progress gets slow.

A coach sees these patterns. More importantly, they help you see them without judgment—which is probably harder than it sounds if you're anything like me and have perfected the art of self-criticism.

You Need Permission to Want What You Want

This one's big. How many times have you downplayed your health goals because wanting to feel good in your body somehow feels... shallow? Selfish? Like there are more important things to focus on?

I spent years convinced that caring about my health was vanity. That I should just accept feeling tired and disconnected because I had "bigger problems" to worry about.

But here's the thing: You can't pour from an empty cup. And pretending you don't want to feel energetic, strong, and comfortable in your own skin isn't noble—it's just another form of self-abandonment.

A coach gives you permission to want what you want. To take up space. To invest time and energy in yourself without having to justify it with a dissertation on why you deserve it.

You Need Someone to Translate Your Body's Messages

Your body is constantly trying to communicate with you. Those afternoon energy crashes? Your stress headaches? The way certain foods make you feel sluggish or anxious?

It's all information.

But most of us were never taught body literacy. We learned to override our hunger cues, ignore our exhaustion, and push through discomfort until something breaks.

A good health coach helps you become fluent in your own body's language again. They teach you to notice patterns, trust your instincts, and make choices based on how you actually feel rather than what some expert on the internet says you should do.

The Accountability That Actually Works

Let's talk about accountability for a hot sec, because this is where most people get it wrong.

Real accountability isn't about having someone shame you for eating pizza or skipping the gym. It's about having someone who believes in your capacity for change even when you don't.

It's about having someone ask you the questions you avoid asking yourself:

• What were you feeling right before you stress-ate that entire bag of chips?
• What would need to be true for you to prioritize sleep this week?
• What's the story you're telling yourself about why you "can't" find time for movement?
• What would change if you truly believed you deserved to feel good?

These aren't the kinds of questions you can Google. And they're definitely not the kind you'll ask yourself when you're stuck in your own patterns.

The Magic of Having Someone in Your Corner

There's something profound about having another human being consistently show up for your growth. Someone who remembers your goals when you forget them. Who can remind you how far you've come when you're focused on how far you have to go.

It's not about dependence—it's about having support while you build new neural pathways. Because changing lifelong patterns is hard work, and doing it alone is unnecessarily brutal.

But What About the Practical Stuff?

Okay, okay. I can practically hear you thinking: "This all sounds very touchy-feely, Maya, but what about the actual logistics of getting healthy?"

Fair point.

Here's the truth: The practical stuff is actually pretty simple. Eat mostly whole foods. Move your body regularly. Get adequate sleep. Manage your stress. Stay hydrated.

See? Not rocket science.

The complexity comes from implementation. From figuring out how to do these things in your actual life, with your actual schedule, your actual food preferences, your actual body, your actual challenges.

A health coach helps you bridge the gap between knowing and doing. They help you:

• Design systems that work for YOUR life (not some idealized version where you have unlimited time and a perfectly stocked kitchen)
• Troubleshoot obstacles before they derail you (because there will always be obstacles)
• Adapt your approach as your life changes (because what works in your 20s might not work in your 40s)
• Build habits gradually instead of trying to overhaul everything at once
• Navigate the inevitable setbacks without throwing in the towel completely

The Art of Sustainable Change

This is where most DIY approaches fall apart. They're designed for short-term results, not long-term integration.

A coach helps you play the long game. They're thinking about how to help you build habits that will still serve you in five years, not just five weeks.

That might mean starting smaller than you want to. It might mean addressing your relationship with stress before tackling your diet. It might mean working on sleep before worrying about exercise.

It's not always the most exciting approach, but it's the one that actually sticks.

Addressing the Elephant in the Room

I know what some of you are thinking: "This sounds expensive and time-consuming and maybe I should just try harder on my own first."

I get it. I really do.

I spent years convinced that needing help meant I was weak or lazy or somehow fundamentally flawed. That "successful" people figured this stuff out on their own.

But here's what I wish someone had told me earlier: Getting support isn't a sign of failure—it's a sign of wisdom.

You wouldn't try to therapy yourself through trauma, right? You wouldn't attempt to be your own accountant or lawyer or hair stylist (well, maybe you would, but probably not with great results).

So why do we think we should be able to navigate the complex intersection of psychology, physiology, and behavior change all by ourselves?

Investment vs. Expense

Yes, working with a health coach costs money. But so does feeling like crap.

So does buying supplements you don't need because you saw them on TikTok. So does joining gym memberships you never use. So does eating out constantly because you never figured out how to meal plan in a way that actually works for your life.

So does the medical bills that come from ignoring your health until something breaks.

When you frame coaching as an investment in your long-term well-being rather than an expense, the math starts to look different.

The Time Factor

"I don't have time" is probably the most common objection I hear. And I get it—we're all drowning in responsibilities.

But here's the thing: You're already spending time on your health. You're just spending it inefficiently.

Think about all the time you've spent:

• Researching diets online
• Feeling guilty about your choices
• Starting and stopping exercise programs
• Dealing with energy crashes and poor sleep
• Mentally berating yourself for not "doing better"

A coach helps you redirect that time and mental energy toward strategies that actually work.

The Plot Twist Nobody Expects

Here's something that might surprise you: The goal isn't to need a coach forever.

A good coach is actively working themselves out of a job. They're teaching you to become your own expert, to trust your own judgment, to navigate challenges independently.

They're not trying to create dependence—they're trying to help you develop the skills and confidence to take care of yourself for the rest of your life.

Think of it like learning to drive. You need an instructor to help you build the basic skills and confidence, but the goal is always independence.

Same thing here.

What This Actually Looks Like

So what does this kind of coaching relationship actually look like day-to-day?

It's usually less Instagram-perfect than you might expect.

It might look like:

• Weekly check-ins where you process what worked and what didn't
• Text support when you're standing in the grocery store feeling overwhelmed
• Help identifying the real reason you skipped your workout three days in a row
• Celebrating small wins that nobody else would even notice
• Reality-checking your goals when perfectionism starts taking over
• Learning to distinguish between hunger, stress, boredom, and genuine appetite
• Figuring out how to maintain your health habits during busy seasons
• Developing strategies for social situations and travel
• Processing the emotional stuff that comes up when you start changing

It's messy and human and definitely not linear.

But it's also where real, lasting change happens.

The Question Nobody Wants to Ask

Here's the question I want to leave you with: What would your life look like if you actually felt good in your body?

Not perfect. Not like a fitness model or a wellness influencer.

Just... good.

Energetic. Strong. Comfortable. Connected to yourself in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

What would be possible for you if you weren't constantly battling your health? If you had the energy and confidence to show up fully in your relationships, your work, your passions?

What would change if you trusted yourself to take care of your own needs? If you had systems that supported your well-being instead of working against it?

I'm not saying a health coach is the only way to get there. But I am saying that if you've been trying to figure it out alone and getting nowhere, maybe it's time to consider a different approach.

Maybe it's time to invest in yourself the same way you'd invest in anything else that matters to you.

Maybe it's time to stop trying to be your own expert in every single area of your life.

Maybe—just maybe—you're worth getting the support you need to finally feel at home in your own body.

What do you think? Are you ready to stop googling your way to health and start actually living it?

If this resonated with you, I'd love to hear about your own experiences with health coaching—or the barriers that keep you from seeking support. Drop a comment below and let's get real about what it actually takes to create lasting change.