Are My Health Coach's Words Accurate?

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  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    laurawaterman19 wrote: »
    Okay, so I have a “health coach” who does my weekly weigh ins with one of those body fat scales. When I say health coach, I use that term very loosely, she’s not like a qualified anything, but she’s done some informal training, and she’s family.

    Anyway, she’s really worried about my fat %. Like, telling me I’m going to get all these diseases and that it’s really, really, alarmingly high. The scale says I’m sitting on 33% body fat, which I know isn’t healthy, but I don’t feel like I’m as unhealthy and fat as she makes it out to be.

    I’m 5’4 and currently at 74kg (163cm and 163lbs), there’s a picture of me too so you can see how my body holds it.

    I’m still on my weight loss journey, so I’m certainly not settling at 33%, but is it really as bad as she makes it out to be?

    Thanks for your honest opinions guys :smile:

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    You know there are health risks to being overweight and carrying extra fat in the belly area. You are working on it. I don't think you need to stress over it that much. Obviously getting to a healthy weight will help reduce health risks.
    If you are concerned about your immediate health go see a doctor and discuss your concerns.

    I'd think about getting this coach person out of your weight loss journey if they are stressing you out.
  • becomingbeautifultoday
    becomingbeautifultoday Posts: 131 Member
    jasondjulian wrote: »
    laurawaterman19 wrote: »
    Cbean08 wrote: »
    Please tell me you aren't paying this person anything...

    You definitely have weight to lose, but nothing that screams "omg, health scare!!" And yes, all those body fat scales are inaccurate. You could one reading in the morning and a completely different one at night. However, as long as you are losing weight, body fat percentage isn't really that important. Keep eating well and strength training and your body fat will drop.

    No, I'm not paying her. I'll stop stressing. Well, I'll try. It's difficult when I'm getting the 3rd degree from her for being so unhealthy. I just need to keep going and losing weight and then it won't be an issue anymore

    Laura, there is nothing "wrong" with the way you look, and 30% is not dire straits leading directly into diabetes and pulmonary embolisms... not necessarily. Your "coach", and I use that term even looser than you do, is crying wolf and pulling the fire alarm on you when really what is happening is that you've got the heat turned up a bit too high on the bbq grill.

    Unless this family/friend/coach with no training as a dietitian or personal trainer is actually employed as a certified physician, I'd throw what they are saying out the window.

    Maintain healthy eating habits at a slight caloric deficit, start or continue some strength training and I suspect you'll loose the little bit of belly fat in good time, at a healthy rate.

    It's clear that this person is really just causing you stress and anxiety over this... thank her for raising your cortisol levels and adding to the problem (sarcasm), but that you'll take care of it from here.

    Best of luck to you, check in with the forum group often- it's great here for realistic reinforcement and positivity.

    Thanks for your input! And you're so right, the feedback that I've received from everyone has made me feel so much better.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    IMO you look really good for your weight. I'm 12 lbs lighter and look chubbier for about the same height!

    Could you benefit from losing weight? Sure. Is it life-threatening to be 15 lbs in the overweight range? Absolutely not.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Whenever I hear "Herbalife" I think of this video:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6MwGeOm8iI
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    While having more body fat than desired INCREASES RISK for disease, it doesn't necessarily mean one will have it happen. Body fat is just part of health issues. Stress, lack of rest, genetics, risk behavior, happiness with yourself, etc. all attribute to one's overall health.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,232 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    laurawaterman19 wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    You say you aren't paying her, but it's she your Herbalife distributor? Because then you are paying her and she may be saying things to make you buy more products. It's very concerning that she's so negative and dire in her pronouncements while having no formal education in any of this.

    Yes, she's my distributor, however, I'm not purchasing the products at a marked up value, she's selling them to me at her cost value, so she's not making any money off of me.

    One of the reasons people distrust Herbalife so much is that their distributors are often encouraged to make false or misleading statements to their clients and potential clients in order to solidify their loyalty to the company and its products. Your friend may not know any better, but it sounds like they are passing on some of the fearmongering and nonsense that Herbalife distributors often pass on. It's one of the reasons the title "health coach" is not to be trusted at all. They often have no knowledge beyond a company brochure and some dubious claims passed down through message boards or the upper levels in their pyramid scheme.

    Exactly. You asked for opinions on Herbalife in another thread and what you've put in this thread is exactly why people distrust it. Your distributor may not be making money off you, but she's making money telling other people this dire, uneducated crap. She has no right to call herself a health coach.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
    What body fat percentage does she think you should be aiming for? If I'm remembering health classes from the past correctly (and I don't care enough to go look it up), isn't somewhere around 20-30% perfectly healthy for women, even up near 33%? Women need fat for reproductive and hormonal purposes.

    That said, those scales aren't very accurate. And from your picture, I'd say your body type is to carry your weight around your middle, the worst place to carry it, so as you age, if you gain more weight, you might have higher health risks than someone who carries weight in her hips and thighs.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    sssgilbe wrote: »
    I have a friend who was pushing supplements at me, $300 a month. I finally asked her for a list of ingredients (caffeine and a boatload of herbs) then told her my doctor, reviewing my history, doesn't want me to take unregulated, non-prescription pills. We're still friends but she can't understand how I'm losing weight faster than she is without using her product.

    The doctor excuse is a good one to get yourself out of the HL scheme. Any decent doctor is going to tell you not to put mystery products in your body.

    This article will explain the pressure she is getting from Herbal Life to keep you as a customer and develop you into another seller.
    http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2016/05/the_government_is_finally_closing_in_on_herbalife_herbalife_will_fight_back.html

    Good read; thanks for sharing.
  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
    If this 'life coach' really cared about you, she'd be encouraging you to eat balanced, nutritious meals at a small calorie deficit (500-700 calories a day) and to take the weight off slowly. She would not be railing on you about your body fat percentage. Your body fat percentage actually is on the high end of the "acceptable" scale, and you're working to reduce it. So, good for you. Someone who really cares about you and your health would be encouraging you to keep it up. This person just wants to intimidate you into buying more of that Herbalife crap. And, yes, it is crap.

    Eating real food in a calorie controlled diet is always going to be more effective and more enjoyable than slurping down a shake and starving until you can have another. I find the sheer number of ingredients concerning, and this is reason enough for me to avoid the shakes. And with fructose being second on the list of the product's ingredients and only 9 grams of protein, that means you'll feel full at first, then have a crash once your body has processed all that sugar. Additionally, there are only 3 grams of dietary fiber in Herbalife’s shakes. Again, this is on the low side. Protein and fiber are the main components of a protein shake that are supposed to make you feel full, and while cutting down on the protein will mean that the shakes are lower calorie, lower calories don't mean much if the shakes don't keep you full. And why the heck does a weight loss shake contain 9 grams of sugar?! Sure, the sugar makes it taste good, but it also is quite damaging to the body.

    Ditch the Herbalife, and if you feel you must replace meals with a shake, use a whey protein shake.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    What supplements are you even taking because there are only a few proven supplements: protein powder, creatine, caffeine, beta alanine and basic vitamins and minerals.

    None of which actually help with weight loss and more importantly, even at cost you can get all of these for 1/2 the price you are currently oaying for and better quality.

    Even then, literally the last thing that should be considered is supplements. What is more important is calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, timing of nutrients and training.

    So Id ask yourself why you are taking these supplements?
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Think carefully - were you relaxing your stomach or even pushing it out when you took that photo?

    I'm wondering if the Herbalife "coach" made you feel crap and you acted out on it.
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