Program Overview

The demand for accurate nutrition guidance from experienced coaches is increasing as populations age and our understanding of healthy living and eating grows. Lifestyle medicine—the evidence-based practice of helping people adopt and sustain healthy behaviors, such as improving diet, increasing activity, managing stress and sleeping well—drives the need for comprehensive patient support as both a preventative measure and treatment option. Health coaches, nutritionists and lifestyle trainers have a bright opportunity to improve their credentials and confidence and coach clients and patients with uniquely personalized plans. Learn lifestyle coaching methods that influence behavioral change and support healthy choices. Examine the six pillars of lifestyle medicine to develop evidence-based nutrition plans and motivate lifestyle changes.

  • Examine the connection between a healthy lifestyle and its impact on disease and chronic conditions 
  • Apply the five-step collaborative cycle to motivate and empower clients to adopt and sustain healthy behavioral patterns 
  • Identify evidence-based guidelines for healthy eating patterns and explain why certain foods are health-promoting 
  • Understand the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and explain their dependencies on one another to achieve sustained wellness 
  • Create a plan for behavioral change that begins a joyful journey to adopt and sustain healthy practices through all life stages 
  • Apply a growth mindset, self-compassion and internal motivators to implement a plan for sustained behavioral change

Curriculum

This program covers the design of personalized plans for nutrition and sustained lifestyle changes. Learn to adapt frameworks to create customized behavior health plans for yourself and others. With real-world insights into nutrition science across life stages, this program will guide you in strategies and motivations for behavioral change to use in your personal and professional life.

Elizabeth Frates.

Elizabeth “Beth” Frates, MD, Program Director

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  • Module 1: Behavioral Causes of Disease and Lifestyle Impact
    • Understand the inter-complexities of lifestyle, nutrition and wellness by learning the concepts of lifestyle medicine, the evidence base for it and standards of wellness and health.
    • Identify the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and determine your strengths and areas for improvement.
    • Describe how societal factors can impact lifestyle patterns and chronic health conditions.
    • Explain the impact of social determinants of health on adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
    • Identify research-based recommendations for reducing the risk of chronic health conditions through lifestyle changes.

  • Module 2: Coaching and Influencing Others
    • Identify strategies for empowering clients to adopt and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors while learning the components of an effective plan, practical strategies and motivation.
    • Describe common theories of behavior change.
    • Model the principles of motivational interviewing.
    • Differentiate between the EXPERT and the COACH approaches to conversations.
    • Formulate a COACH-approach response to a real-world scenario.
    • Apply the five steps in the collaboration change cycle.

  • Module 3: Eating Patterns for Optimal Health
    • Identify the components of healthy food and understand the role of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals in body function.
    • Describe the healthful elements of various diets.
    • Discuss the role of micronutrients, macronutrients, antioxidants and phytonutrients in healthy eating patterns.
    • Explain why certain foods are, or are not, a healthy choice.
    • Use PubMed to identify current recommendations for a healthy lifestyle.
    • Identify the recommended portion sizes of macronutrients required for optimal health.
    • Discuss the role of hydration in a healthy lifestyle.

  • Module 4: Empowering People to Adopt Healthy Eating Practices
    • Discuss the components of the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate, dietary patterns and the connection between diet and the environment with guest speaker Walter C. Willett, M.D., Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
    • Identify the components of the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate.
    • Discuss the evidence underlying the components of the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate.
    • Discuss the relationship between dietary patterns, weight control and mortality.
    • Explain the 1 + 1 guideline when considering healthy, sustainable eating patterns for the planet.
    • Identify ways to make your plate closer to the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate at every meal.

  • Module 5: Diet, Lifestyle and Disease - the Connection
    • Review case studies on the components of lifestyle medicine to relate diet and lifestyle to health, wellness and disease.
    • Discuss the links between chronic health conditions and sodium, trans and saturated fats and sugar.
    • Identify sources of sodium, trans and saturated fats and sugar in your diet.
    • Describe strategies for persuading clients to make healthier diet and lifestyle choices.
    • Analyze your eating patterns and develop a plan for limiting unhealthy food consumption.

  • Module 6: Healthy Eating and Living through the Ages and Stages of Life
    • Discuss evolving physiologic needs by fitness, age and wellness stage, including the needs of children and adolescents, elderly adults, competitive athletes and women.
    • Describe the nutritional needs of children and adolescents.
    • Discuss the nutritional demands required to support pregnancy, lactation and menopause.
    • Explain the challenges that can impact the nutritional intake of older adults.
    • Identify strategies for combatting food insecurity.
    • Explain how to address the special nutritional demands of athletes.
    • Discuss strategies for weight management.

  • Module 7: Applying Nutritional Concepts at the Individual Level
    • Identify nutritional needs, realities and strategies for individuals. Look at key considerations for nutritional diagnostics and motivational strategies.
    • Learn to use nonjudgmental open-ended questions to evaluate a client’s eating patterns.
    • Identify a client’s stage of change and discuss how to empower them to make healthy choices.
    • Discuss the power and importance of eating mindfully and the role of satiety.
    • Discuss ways to make healthy eating appealing, engaging and entertaining.

  • Module 8: Assessing Nutritional and Lifestyle Needs to Develop a Plan
    • Understand the considerations and components of a lifestyle medicine plan and develop sample plans for individuals.
    • Discuss the impact of exercise on eating patterns.
    • Explain the connection between sleep, stress and nutrition.
    • Identify ways in which social connections impact our eating patterns.
    • Explain how alcohol consumption impacts nutrition.
    • Describe what you will do to improve your life or the lives of others using what you have learned in this program.

 

This Harvard Medical School Executive Education program is taught by HMS faculty and is promoted by Emeritus. Emeritus is responsible for advertising, marketing, registration, and collecting payment.

Questions?

Contact one of our program advisors at corporate_learning@hms.harvard.edu.

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