Drop the Weight with EJ: Can You Get Weight Loss Coaching on a Budget?

When you’re trying to lose weight or change your body, it’s on your mind all the time. And when a coach promises that she can get you results and help you take that burden off once and for all, it can feel like Christmas in June. But when she tells you how much it would cost, it goes back to being June because you can’t afford that.

I get it, spending a ton of money on a coach can seem frivolous especially in economic times when everything is so expensive that weight loss coaching is not a priority. But there’s a reason why the sticker price is so high – because you’re asking for all the things.

Most coaching packages out there for weight loss include what I refer to as “all the things” of coaching. By this I mean that it includes customized plans, regular instruction to keep you on track, regular check-ins to make sure you’re doing okay, and of course cheerleading along the way. This means your coach is playing planner, teacher, accountability guru, and cheerleader.

The thing though is that getting all the things at once is expensive and it can be overwhelming, so you might be doing yourself and your wallet a favor by handling one thing at a time. And here’s how you can do it.

Coach Yourself for Free One Thing at a Time
Not everyone needs all the things at one time, and knowing exactly what you need can help you shop around for free or cheaper options out there. For example, if all you need is someone to cheer you on, you can join a free Facebook group that is designed with that purpose in mind. Some groups include the So You Think You Can Healthy Nigerian Food or my own Team by EJ Ogenyi Community.

If you’re struggling with inspiration for your workouts, following the Instagram accounts of Fitness Pros can help you get exactly what you need for free. You can also hit up YouTube where FitPros like Adura O share short workouts that you can do at home.And I’d if you want the advanced workouts Facebook pages like Kaisa Fit’s Facebook Page will give you inspiration in spades; her workouts are droolworthy and make me want to hit the deck and do some push ups.

If meal plans are what you’re after, do a Google search to find generic meal plans. You’ll have to dig through to weed out the fads from the real things and spend some time learning about healthy eating to help you tweak the meal plan to fit your needs. The upside is, you’ll know what’s behind the meal plans and it will be a better fit for your lifestyle because you made it.

Level Up On a Budget
When you’re ready to spend a bit of money, you can go up a level and search for reputable programs that offer the aspect of a healthy lifestyle that supports weight loss that you’re missing. So you might be getting the cheerleading and answers you need from a group like mine, but you want a structured program to help you level up your results. In this case a program like Esta Morenikeji’s 21-Days Exercise and Nutrition Programs or my new Four Weeks to a Flatter Tummy.
These are a more affordable investment because they focus on one aspect needed for weight loss. This is good because your wallet and your motivation will be less likely to be overwhelmed.

Take Action
When you choose to pay a coach, you’re paying a coach for her expertise and you’re also outsourcing certain aspects of your lifestyle to her. But you can do it on a budget if you identify what you actually need.

Remember I broke down what you would typically get in an “all the things” coaching program and those are customized plans, regular instruction to keep you on track, regular check-ins to make sure you’re on track, and of course cheerleading along the way.

But if you’re willing to be flexible, you can get coaching or coach yourself on just about any budget.

I did my best to break down two levels depending on what your budget is and here’s the recap:

• Free – You’ll get cheerleading from a coach, workouts on social media, or generic plans that you can customize. Google is your friend and so are Free Facebook Groups.
• Level Up On a Budget – You’ll be handling only one aspect of your healthy lifestyle. So it might be exercise or nutrition, but rarely both. You might also get some access to a coach, but what you’ll get in programs at this price point is information you can use for a long time and might be more valuable than a gym membership that costs about the same for a month or two.

If you’re on the hunt for a Free Facebook Group to get answers to your questions and cheerleading, check out the Free Team by EJ Ogenyi Community. Speaking of questions, next time I’ll be answering a popular one about exercise and its effect on hunger.

Till then…