Private Coaching with Chris

Private coaching is the core service of Irene Iron Fitness and has the power to change your life. The online format is customized specifically for you, providing accountability, flexibility, progressive habit-building, and expert guidance for a healthy lifestyle. You get all of this for a fraction of the price of in-person coaching. I have worked with hundreds of clients across the country, driving results, with my proven approach. My coaching is a little different than traditional trainers, and my clients love it because it is pragmatic and sustainable. I offer two types of coaching: private coaching, and group challenge coaching. In this blog, we will take a deeper look specifically at the private coaching option.

How does it work?

Private coaching clients will receive access to my online coaching platform. You will have your strength program, coaching guides, logs, and trackers all in one organized location.

You can access the coaching platform either using an app on your cell phone or through the browser on your laptop. Some features can only be done from the laptop such as saving PDFs, printing PDFs, and dragging and dropping scheduled items on your schedule. Reading coaching articles and typing answers to onboarding assessments is much easier on a laptop, but doable on a phone if needed. Other tasks are easier to do using the app, such as uploading photos of your food or check-ins.

All of the scheduled tasks (such as assigned readings, scheduled workouts, daily habits, etc) will show up on your app.  You will quickly get accustomed to checking the app daily, and marking items complete as you go. You can reschedule any item as needed and complete the tasks on your own time. The only event that is scheduled for a set time that cannot be rescheduled is the coaching call if it is included in your package (only offered for combo-coaching clients).

All private clients (combo, nutrition-only, and fitness-only) get unlimited support through in-app texting and emails. I encourage you to use text often with questions, updates, thoughts, and feedback. The more engaged you are with communications, the better results you are likely to have.

A strong internet connection is required to use the app. If you may ever be without service for some time, I recommend taking screenshots of your workouts so that you can still complete them in the event service goes down. Once you have service again, you can complete and check off any tasks that you did prior.

What are the workouts like?

The fitness program prioritizes strength training. I am a muscle-centric coach and use strength training to help prevent the disabilities of aging, as well as promote overall health from the inside out. The programs are designed based on your individual fitness level, schedule, workout location, limitations, and equipment. The preferred equipment to have is either a wide variety of dumbbell sizes or a full kit of loop-style resistance bands.

The number of days and the duration of each workout will depend on your goals, current fitness level, and availability in your schedule. People who have never strength trained before may start with one or two days a week, with short routines. Advanced clients may train 4-5 days a week with longer routines. The programs will progress and evolve with time.

Each strength training program runs for 8 weeks. Running a program for the full 8 weeks allows you to master the routines, and incorporate progressive overload throughout the program, which is critical for results.

With private coaching, you will have access to demonstration videos so you can see exactly how to perform each exercise. Clients love this feature as it saves time and frustration when you’re not familiar with moves. Some clients like to let the video run as they “work out with me” in the video. In the app, you will track your weight and reps so that you can progress with time. There is even a feature to record your technique and send it to me to review your form.

What about injuries?

What about cardio?

In addition to strength training, there will also be cardio goals and daily step goals. They may be included right away for some, or added in later for others while we work our way up. Programs may also include light balance exercises, dynamic warmups, and generic cooldown stretches.

What is the nutrition plan like?

The nutrition program is a progressive curriculum that is based on habit tracking and development. The full curriculum runs for twelve months, and the habits change every two weeks. When a habit is introduced you will receive several coaching articles, guides, and infographics so that you can learn and understand why the habit is being practiced. Then you will have a daily habit tracker to check off if you are being mindful of this habit. While you will only track the current active habit, you will continue to practice all previously learned habits, layering good habits on top of one another.

The habits are mapped out in a very specific and strategic order. The first few habits focus on how you eat. At week six we shift focus to what you eat. These beginning pillar habits of how you eat are necessary to master before we get to the what. You could be eating the “best” foods on the planet, but if you’re not in tune with your hunger and fullness cues, you will not reach your goals. When we do get to the what, we focus on adding in nutrient-dense foods. You’ll learn about protein, veggies, carbs, fats, balanced meals, etc. I believe in the benefits of animal protein and the amino acids it provides for healthy muscles, and I do encourage focusing on eating optimal protein. However, I also fully support and work with vegan/vegetarian/whole food plant-based eaters to help them advance their preferred way of eating.

This program is all about progress, not perfection. It focuses on abundance rather than deprivation and breaks the all-or-nothing mindset. It is not a crash diet, there is no meal plan, and there are no lists of food off limits. This is a program that will help you improve your relationship with food and learn a sustainable way of eating. Hello, freedom from diet culture!

Do I need to track calories?

There is a food journaling option that includes a photo and a description of each meal. This adds a huge layer of accountability to yourself. The food journaling may take place for only a short period, or it could be long-term. Every person responds differently to it and you can choose to log food descriptions for as long as it serves you. This is not calorie counting. It is simply photos + descriptions.

While I am fully trained, knowledgeable, and experienced with tracking macros, I choose not to default to this method with my clients. Tracking calories can be a highly effective tool and there is a right time and right place for it, but most people can’t stick to it long-term. It can be time-consuming, alienating, tedious, and cause negative food thoughts. Tracking can also fuel the restrict and binge cycle and the “on” vs “off” mindset that I am desperately trying to break you free from.

Many traditional trainers and coaches stick strictly to meal plans and macro tracking. Because, scientifically, it works. And if it’s not working?? Well, they just lower the calories you can eat. Unfortunately, this isn’t how humans work. We’re busy and we have a family and social life. We need flexibility and a plan that will work forever, not only while we’re tracking every gram that we put in our mouths. So much of life is based on eating and drinking together. We need a long-term approach that works. My approach is just that, and my clients love it.

Who is private coaching for?

The fitness program is for people who want to get strong and fit. People who want to prevent the disabilities of aging and grow old gracefully. People who want to stay out of nursing homes and take care of themselves. Be able to play with their great-grandkids.

This program is extremely helpful for beginners who have never done any sort of strength training, or maybe it’s been a decade (or two, but who’s counting!). It is also for those who simply want to remove the guesswork of programming, and have a professional write their programs. Be warned…most clients sign up wanting to get “toned” or “lose weight”, then along their journey they just want to continue to get stronger.

The nutrition program is for those who want to learn about food and understand how food affects their body. It is for people who are sick and tired of dieting. Yo-yo diets, crash diets, fad diets, diet culture, it’s all out the door. If you’ve tried all of these things and continue to be frustrated with your weight, this is for you. It’s time to try something different. Together we will focus on eating more protein, more fibrous vegetables, the right amount of the right carbs, and the right amount of healthy fats.

The combo coaching is for those of you who want all of this! You want to be fit, have more energy, sleep better, feel better, eat better, have a good relationship with food, and trust yourself around food. If you want all of the knowledge mapped out and full accountability, this one’s for you.

Who is it NOT for?

If you need a standing appointment with an in-person trainer to show up and put in the work, this program isn’t for you. While the online format provides excellent accountability at an unbelievable price, you still need to show up and put in the effort, consistently. If you are looking for a cardio-based routine, or a program that changes every single week, this is not for you.

This is not a “quick fix” diet to lose 10 pounds before your vacation next month. You won’t be provided with a meal plan that will make you skinny, fast. I get people strong and feeling good from the inside out, without focusing on “getting skinny”. Don’t get me wrong, we will be changing your body composition. You will put on muscle and burn fat, getting that “toned” look that you want. But it comes with the right approach, the right mindset, and with time. This is a way of eating and exercising that you will enjoy and will do for the rest of your life, and it’s worth giving up the crash diets for, I promise.

What are Chris’s credentials?

I am a legit Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I have also completed several ongoing fitness specializations including fitness for seniors, and balance training. For nutrition, I have completed not only level one but also level two master certification of Precision Nutrition Certification. This high-level certification is an approved education program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)—the most prestigious organization for vetting and recognizing professional health coaches.

There are a lot of online coaches out there who don’t have any education or certifications. Watch out for Multi-level Marketing participants who are more interested in pushing products than your actual health.

What are the costs of private coaching?

The cost per month varies depending on if you do combo, fitness only, or nutrition only. From there, there is also a price discount depending on the number of months you commit to. The 12-month programs are the lowest price point per month, then the six months, then the three months. You can review all of the different options on my packages page.

Once you are a private client you are locked into your current rate for as long as your subscription stays active. If my rates ever do increase with time, you are locked into the rate. Another perk, is private clients get free enrollment to participate in my group challenges that happen a few times per year. The group challenges are optional, but many private clients enjoy the energy of the group challenges now and then. It is especially nice for fitness-only clients to get a refresher on the nutrition curriculum.

How to choose a private coaching package?

My private coaching is broken up into three category options: combo coaching, fitness only, and nutrition only. The combo coaching yields the best results since it incorporates both the fitness and the nutrition aspects into your program. But, everyone’s goals are different, so that is why I also offer fitness on its own and nutrition on its own. When you are selecting a program to sign up for, picking your category is the first step.

The second step is to choose your commitment duration. All services are offered in either a three-, six-, or twelve-month package. The day that you sign up for your package you are charged for the first month of service. Then, the credit card that you sign up with will be automatically charged the monthly rate every 30 days. Choosing your monthly commitment is the second step of selecting your package.

If you are not sure about which time commitment to choose, you can always reach out and email me to share what your goals are and ask for my input on duration. A great way to test out the private coaching is to take advantage of our new client special. This is one month of the combo coaching, at an introductory rate of only $99. It allows you to see if you like me, my approach, my app, and the program in general. It will also give you a better idea of how much time you may need in the long run.

Upon signing up for any of these packages, you will go through an onboarding process. The first step to building your customized program is filling out a detailed assessment form. This form will help me understand your unique situation, goals, challenges, and conditions to work with. The more detail you include in this the better I can build your customized program.

How do I sign up?

If you’re ready to commit to your health now, you can sign up for private coaching immediately. The day that you sign up is the day your package starts. It can be any day of the month, at any time.

Upon signing up, you will get a couple of emails from me with information on how to download the app and log in. Once you are in the app there are two legal forms to fill out. There is also a personal assessment to fill out. The assessment is a longer questionnaire and helps me learn a lot about who you are, what your life is like, and what you want to get out of this. It’s important to fill out these forms right away so that we can maximize our time together.

If you have any specific questions that aren’t answered in this article, please send me an email at chris@ireneironfitness.com. My heart beats for helping others, and I have found my purpose to help you live longer, move better, feel better, and love yourself.

-Coach Chris