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Here at IT’S TIME TEXAS, we want everybody to have the resources necessary to live a healthy life. That’s why we developed the free Living Healthier Coach hotline! Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm, anybody can call the hotline number (1-844-26COACH) for free support and access to information, referrals for healthy resources and opportunities, and one-on-one health coaching. We sat down with Natalie, one of our hotline coaches, for a Q & A session about what happens when clients call the hotline, and what a Living Healthier Coach is able to do for you!

Q1: Where were you born and raised before coming to Austin, and who/what inspires you to live healthier?

“I was born in Minnesota, and raised in Bolivia, South America. I finished high school in Bolivia and did college in Florida, and then I moved to Austin for my Master’s degree. My daughter, my fiance, and feeling SO good when I eat well and do exercise are what inspire me to live healthier.”

Q2: What does it mean to provide motivational coaching for those looking to live healthier?

“To provide motivational interviews as a Living Healthier coach means that you, as a client, will do most of the talking and I will do the listening. You are the expert of your own life and you know best what healthy habits will fit into your lifestyle. I am here to create a space for you to talk, to support you in your decisions, and to hold you accountable to your own health goals.”

Q3: What kinds of healthy resources do you refer people to when they call?

“Depending on your area and needs, I can find anything from running groups, to parks, discount yoga classes, diabetes classes, support groups, sliding-fee scale clinics, food pantries, healthy recipes, etc.” 

Q4: What kinds of questions and/or concerns are you able to help people with?

“I cannot offer medical advise or diagnosis, but we can chat about what a calorie count program looks like, why fresh fiber in your diet is important, what sort of changes you should be looking at as a newly diagnosed diabetic, what you can do as a newly diagnoses pre-diabetic, what additional support programs are out there for your unique needs, and ways to make self-care time on a tight schedule.”

Q5: What are some of the most common questions you receive? Are there difficulties you’ve noticed people commonly face when trying to live healthier?

“Some of the most common questions are around diabetes and some of the most common health goals are about losing weight. So far, there is one big thing a lot of people struggle with when trying to live healthier, and it is not ‘finding the time’. Finding time is usually tackled after the first couple of conversations. However, what many struggle with is depression and this is where a coach can really make a big impact. As a coach I am here to provide a safe, non-judgmental space to talk about depression and think about the next steps to address it.”

Q6: What would you say to encourage people to utilize the Living Healthier Coach Hotline?

“If you’ve been thinking about becoming healthier, need to get back on track, or just want a healthier balanced life, call the hotline so we can chat and brainstorm about it. I am all ears to your ideas, struggles, solutions and lifestyle dreams!”

Q7: What do you most enjoy about being a Living Healthier Coach?

“What I enjoy most about being a Living Healthier coach is that I get to share a tiny piece of somebody’s life. And I get to learn from, be inspired by, and completely transformed through each caller at the end of my work day.”

Thanks for answering our questions, Natalie! The Living Healthier Hotline is available in both English and Spanish, and is completely free for anybody to use. If you’ve been thinking about making health a greater priority in your life, don’t hesitate, call today.