Don’t Tell Me I Can’t… …become a health coach
An unsettling time in Margaret Bell’s life proved to be a catalyst for change
‘I’M NOW IN A POSITION TO HELP’
Thumbing through the pages of the
True Taste recipe book, I’m drawn back to the front cover. No matter how many copies I look at, the excitement of seeing my face and name on my very own cookbook will never subside. Having spent two decades working in events, retraining as a health coach at the age of 40 was terrifying. But now, with a book and a successful coaching business to my name, it’s proved to be one of the most worthwhile things I’ve ever done.
I haven’t always had the healthiest relationship with food. When I was 14, some kids at school referred to me as ‘thunder thighs’.
At around 9st, I wasn’t overweight for my age – but, as I examined myself in the mirror, I convinced myself that the bullies were right. Desperate to lose weight, and the nickname, I started starving myself, foolishly believing that was the answer. Eating only bread and water for days on end, in just three months I’d plummeted to 7st. I was tiny and remained so until my 20s.
But then, aged 24, following the sudden passing of my father, I turned to food again to cope with my emotions. But this time, I scoffed biscuits, chocolate and takeaways to give me a momentary high. And in just two months, my weight had increased by 5st to 13st.
It wasn’t until I met my husband that I began to find some stability. Feeling content, I became more mindful of my diet and started eating fresh fruit and vegetables, and meals made from scratch. I started exercising, too, running and walking when I got home from my job as Head of Accounts and Business Development for an events and ticketing company.
But in 2015, my marriage broke down, leading to a divorce. It was an incredibly difficult time, made worse when I lost my job just a few months later.
I again turned to the only thing I could exercise control over – my diet – and began starving myself. It didn’t go unnoticed and worried friends encouraged me to speak to a counsellor.
I did, and during one session, talk turned to work. ‘Have you ever thought about stepping outside your comfort zone?’ the counsellor asked. By now, I was 40, and the thought of switching careers terrified me.
But thinking about it, I began to have an idea. My relationship with food and dieting was so turbulent, and I wondered about retraining to be a health coach. I could improve my own diet and lifestyle while helping others to do the same.
I knew I needed to lead by example, though, so in June 2015, I began an online course in health and nutrition. I learnt how to overcome food cravings and emotional eating through nutrition and mindset, and incorporated the teachings into my own lifestyle. I began eating balanced meals rich in nutrients, such as those containing white meat and vegetables, and exercising often, running at least three times a week and doing resistance-band training.
By the following summer, I’d passed my exams and was a fully qualified health coach, then in 2017, I launched my own business, Naturally Empowered Health. I love teaching my clients about making the right healthy-food and lifestyle choices, and being able to draw on my own experiences really helps. But my proudest moment was writing my own recipe book and seeing it advertised online this year. That was testament to how far I’d come. Just a few years ago, I had such an unhealthy relationship with food, but now I’m in a position to help others change their lifestyle, and that, for me, is the best reward of all.
✱ For more information, visit nehhub.com