After more than 6 months in this program, all of the participants were re-assessed to see what impact the program had on their lives.  The results are outstanding!

In the beginning of the program, “Pat” met with Paul Ratte, ND (naturopathic doctor at Woodwinds Natural Care Center) for an evaluation; he provided some recommendations for dietary changes.  Beyond that initial meeting, it was up to “Pat” whether the suggestions would be put into practice and to see if coaching influenced whether expert suggestions were followed.

Lifestyle Changes Put Into Practice:

• Taking cod liver oil regularly;
• Increased fruit and vegetable consumption (before varied from 0 to 1-2 servings per day; now 2-3 per day);
• Decreased the amount of calories eaten in the evening.  Not eating much at all anymore past 7 p.m. (drinking more water, etc. rather than eating);.
• Sparingly followed the rhythmic eating by switching to a higher protein cereal in the morning and eating lighter suppers.  Trying to eat a bigger lunch and eat more calories earlier in the day;
• Making time for regular exercise and “me” time;
• Making time for social connection with friends and spouse;
• Speaking up more for personal needs.

Physical Assessment

• Blood Pressure:  Compared to the initial assessment, “Pat’s” blood pressure remained consistent and is within the desirable range (120/74).
• Resting Pulse:  “Pat’s” resting pulse decreased from 71 to 62.
• Waist/Hip:  “Pat’s” waist measurement decreased 5.5 inches (now below the “at-risk” level), and the hip measurement also decreased 1.25 inches, reducing the waist/hip ratio by 0.03 to now be within the recommended range.
• Weight:  “Pat” lost 3.5 pounds.
• Body Fat:  “Pat’s” body fat decreased 7.2%.

What the Physical Assessment Means:

Although “Pat’s” weight did not change much, this is not a concern.  Weight doesn’t tell much about health compared to waist measurements, waist/hip ratio and body fat.  In fact, as people build muscle (indicated by the body fat measurement), it is often typical for weight lost to be very slow or for some to even gain weight.  The 7.2% decrease in body fat is tremendous and shows that the regular exercise program is building muscle and burning fat.  This is why, from a coaching perspective, we focus on multiple measures of success and progress when it comes to goals of weight loss.

“Pat’s” lifestyle changes are reflected in the examination findings.  The reduced resting pulse rate, weight loss, improved waist/hip ratio and inches and body fat loss show great improvement.  Just the 7.2% reduction in body fat and the 5.5 inch decrease in “Pat’s” waist measurement is outstanding!  “Pat’s” waist measurement and waist/hip ratio decreased from being too high and putting him/her at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease to being within the normal range.  Continued improvement can be expected if “Pat” continues his/her program and maintains the lifestyle changes made during this program.

Clinical Assessment

• Fasting Glucose:  “Pat’s” initial glucose was 91 and decreased to 83.
• Fasting Total Cholesterol:  “Pat’s” initial total cholesterol was 205 and decreased to 182.
• HDL/LDL:  “Pat’s” initial HDL was 48 and increased to 49; the initial LDL measurement was 132 and decreased to 120.
• Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio:  the initial ratio was 4.3 and decreased to 3.7.
• Triglycerides:  “Pat’s” initial triglyceride measurement was 126 and decreased to 65.
• Cardiac CRP:  the initial measurement was 4.3 and decreased to 4.2

What the Clinical Assessment Means:

With the exception of the Cardiac CRP test, every test result at the end of 6 months is within the normal and recommended rages.  “Pat’s” initial glucose measurement was within the recommended range but on the border of being out of range and showed good improvement at 6 months.  Fasting blood glucose is a good day-to-day measurement of prediabetes.  “Pat’s” triglycerides have dramatically improved which is a significant marker for prediabetes.

The improvement in “Pat’s” total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) was significant and brought these values from being out of the normal range to being within the normal range.  The slight increase in HDL (good cholesterol) and good improvement in decreasing LDL also lowered the total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio.  This ratio was considered normal initially but on the border of being out of range; now it is well within the normal range.  The overall improvement in lipids and glucose but not cardiac CRP is important to recognize.  Steps taken to reduce lipids do not necessarily impact the CRP value; this test is a marker of underlying inflammation.  Given the great improvement in the other markers, this value will be important to monitor.

These improvements are really due to “Pat’s” lifestyle efforts.   Cholesterol improvement could be due to cod liver oil (CLO). Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and decreasing the amount of calories consumed after 7 p.m. is moving in the right direction, and the clinical and physical assessments illustrate these improvements.   

Life Balance Wheel

The Life Balance Wheel provides a picture of how satisfied individuals are with eight areas of their life; each one is essential to being a whole and complete balanced person. When people are not living a balanced life, the wheel is lopsided; as they become more balanced, the wheel actually starts to resemble a circle.  “Pat” filled out this tool at the beginning of the program, at the end of February, and again at the end of May.  The results are remarkable!

What the Life Balance Wheel means:

“Pat” showed steady improvement in life balance throughout this program and is remarkably more balanced at the end of the program and is clearly thinking differently about all areas of life – not just the physical health.  In fact, when “Pat” reflected on all three wheels, he/she saw balance and realized how the intrinsic really spills into other areas of his/her life; “Pat” noticed being more intentional about spending time with friends and his/her spouse and is now looking at things differently.

Intrinsic Capacity

The Hartman Value Profile (HVP) is a tool developed by the leading researcher in axiological psychology, Dr. Leon Pomeroy.  This tool examines how people value themselves and the world and shows whether people function more from their intrinsic domain (i.e. the core of their being and what is most important to them) or from extrinsic or systemic domains.  When people make choices using the intrinsic, there tends to be less conflict because choices are made from what is most important as opposed to shoulds.

“Pat” completed the HVP at the beginning of the program and at the end of 6 months of coaching; the results showed a significant increase in his/her intrinsic capacity – particularly in how he/she views himself/herself and self-esteem.  “Pat’s” results indicate a decrease in the importance he/she places on the surrounding world while increasing the importance placed on the self.  Because we all work in a system of balance, one area can’t gain without another area losing; therefore, as the coaching taught “Pat” to value himself/herself more, his/her value of the world and surrounding people lost a little bit of importance.  This shift indicates an increase in intrinsic capacity and results in less struggle when making choices by being true to the self.  According to Dr. Pomeroy, based on these results we can expect to demonstrate that Intrinsic Coaching™ strengthensone's interpersonal and intrapersonal intrinsic dimensions of valuation and thinking (valuation is the building block of thinking).