
“Hi, I am Sheetal”
“A mum of two boys…one a young adult and the other a teenager…”
I am also a Health Coach”
This introduction invariably leads to:
“Seriously? You don’t look like the mum of two boys”.
And “What does the Health Coach do? Is it like a Dietician or a Nutritionist?”
Well, I did look like the mum of two boys many years ago. My younger son was just born and I had put on loads of weight. Often as young mothers do, I found it difficult to prioritise my own fitness needs over the needs of my family.
This would have continued had I not reminded myself of my early life experience. At the age of 17, I lost my father after a long illness; a loss I took years to recover from. That gave me the belief that I needed to prioritise my own health not only for myself but also for my family.
So, I joined a fitness club for the first time in my life. I expected to quickly fall off the wagon, as most people do who take up fitness later in life. However, much to my own surprise, I got hooked on to physical exercise and my new fitness regime became an integral part of my life. My weight fell away, my stamina increased and my overall well being improved significantly.
As my interest in fitness deepened, I began to appreciate the role of nutrition in overall fitness and well being. That led me to acquire a formal accreditation from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a USA based and world’s largest health coaching organisation.
I had suffered a hormone imbalance due to my weight loss, an experience that led me subsequently to acquire additional specialization in Hormone Health from IIN.
I firmly believe in doing work that has a positive impact on people. As a public speaker in wellness, I share my knowledge with audiences across the UAE; I have been a coordinator for a Toastmasters Club for youngsters for many years helping scores of youngsters in improving their communication and leadership skills; and I also act as a volunteer to support people of determination.
My health coaching practice allows me to combine my interest in health with my passion for impacting people positively.