When I started Health Coaching I was concerned about my blood pressure and my stress level.

I told Mirabai my concerns and she helped me set short and long-term goals I could live with. Instead of just telling me to do this or that, we came up with things I would actually do. My blood pressure was ranging between about 145/90 and 135/88, and that’s on meds. Mirabai helped me find a home blood pressure machine with a cuff that would fit my arm and give me a more accurate reading at home. To check myself, I started going to the nurse’s office once a week to check my pressure. It took over a year to get it stable and I’m still on meds but now my pressure is mostly around 128/79

To work on getting it to that normal range, I started logging my food and how much sodium I was eating. I was surprised by how much it was. I was eating on the go and not making the healthiest food choices. I started bringing a healthy lunch to work and cutting way down on the fast food and soda. I gradually cut my sodium down to the American Heart association guidelines of 1500 mg a day. I’m a power lifter and I work out all the time, but I wasn’t doing any cardio. So I added cardio to my routines. I built up from zero cardio to 30 minutes 3-4 days a week.

I’m a disciplined person but it was tough at first. Mirabai was a neutral, non-judgmental person I could rely on. It helped me to stay accountable to myself and keep my eye on my goals.

It wasn’t only about my blood pressure though, it was also the stress I was under. My Health Coach helped me minimize my stress. Sharing why I was feeling this stress and talking about it instead of keeping it inside helped me deal with it more effectively. It was like having an umbrella to protect me from the rain of my stress. Mirabai sent me a link to a meditation video I could do at my desk. She said “just try it and let me know what you think”. I’ve used it a lot and it does help.

As a coach, Mirabai was a perfect fit. I felt Mirabai had the expertise and experience I needed. I could trust her and rely on her to give me resources to help me make my changes much easier.

Setting and achieving goals spilled over into the rest of my life too. Formulating a plan and goals, and steps to achieve those goals, has helped me in my work and with other things.

I’ve achieved many of my goals but I still work with Mirabai on a less frequent schedule to help keep my maintenance on track. Currently I’m working with Mirabai to help combat some recent orthopedic issues. She’s helped me get the right tests and be my own advocate for the healing of this issue I’m rehabbing.

I recommend health coaching to anyone who is serious about their health and longevity, and wants that extra help with whatever they’re dealing with.

John Murrell
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

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We’ve all seen the athletic coaches on TV, crouched on the field, attention on the players, ready to leap up if needed, rushing out on the field, shouting encouragement and definitely being there for the athletes. The coaches are vital to the success of the individual players and the team.

I have had the good fortune to work with our Health Coach Mirabai Holland.

While it is totally believable to picture Mirabai wearing a cap out on the field ready to come to my aid, our meetings have been on the phone or at the Fitness Center.

My initial reasons for working with Mirabai were nutrition, exercise and weight loss. I knew I needed to exercise regularly, eat better and lose weight, but I was confused about how to do this. With Mirabai’s help, I learned to set small, achievable goals that I could integrate into my lifestyle.I am better able to break down large problems into these smaller parts and successfully deal with the problem one step at a time. Not only did this help me achieve my goals, but it also reduced my stress by making my problems manageable.

Some of my goals were to schedule regular workouts on my recumbent bicycle for a set number of days per week. Gradually, I built my time from 10-minute workouts to 45 minutes or more, and from an easy pace to one more challenging. I now bike an average of 45 minutes at a time 5-6 days a week. I no longer have to make myself do this. I just get up and hop on the bike with a book and start pedaling. Thanks to regular exercise, I have lost about 2 dress sizes.

Then, we tackled the Fit Nuts challenge and set up a program of exercise based on the skills at the beginning and end of the program. Mirabai worked with me and with her encouragement I was able to significantly improve my scores and it felt wonderful to meet this goals-I had lost both weight and inches and was more limber.

I enjoy making different soups and we made that into a goal as a way to integrate more vegetables into my diet. Starting the week with a big pot of soup also provided me with several dinners and lunches that were delicious, satisfying and healthy.

During our time working together, I never doubted Mirabai’s support. Whether I met my goals or not, she was never discouraging or disappointed in me. She always is confident in my ability to succeed and is willing and able to adjust the goals or even change to entirely new goals if that is what is best for me. She helps me feel confident about myself.

Mirabai continues to amaze me with the range of her knowledge. Her background in exercise, nutrition, movement, psychology and in the inner workings of the body is extensive and what she doesn’t know, she is enthusiastic about finding more about. It truly is a win/win situation to work with Mirabai. She not only has the skills and knowledge to be helpful but she is also a warm and caring individual whose support is unwavering and unconditional.

Judy Mullen  
Librarian, Braden River Library

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I’ve had the same doctor since I was 19. I have 5 wonderful granddaughters now, so you can guess how long this doctor has known me, my habits and my condition. He knows I want to stay healthy as I age. So, when my A1-C stayed up around 6.7 for a while, and I didn’t really do much about it, my doctor started nudging me toward meds to keep my sugar in line. I absolutely didn’t want to go on meds unless it was absolutely necessary, and I was thinking about making some lifestyle changes, but I guess I wasn’t quite ready.

That nudge from my doctor may have been the final motivator because I finally decided to DO something.

I heard about Manatee’s health coaching and read a couple of testimonials like this one about Mirabai. It sounded like the kind of help and non-judgmental support I needed to get on track. So, I contacted her.

We talked about my issues, set some goals and together we came up with things I would actually do to reach those goals without going nuts and giving up. Health coaching helped me focus.

We also came up with gradual plan for exercise. We incorporated intervals of light cardio with short spurts of more intense cardio that helped me become more aerobically fit.

Mirabai introduced me to the Mediterranean way of eating and sent me information that showed me what it’s all about, what you should eat and what to avoid. She sent me healthy recipes that I could make to help empower me to stay with it. My husband was very supportive too.

I’m a cruncher and I used to eat late morning carbs like pop chips and rice cheddar snacks. But now I feel much better eating a hard-boiled egg, red peppers or celery with low fat sour cream dip. I’m happier having a few almonds or apple slices with natural peanut butter to keep me away from empty carbs and sugary snacks.

I had done weight watchers in the past, so I already knew how to read food labels and I went back to doing that and not eating the yucky stuff. I lost a few pounds and it felt good.

As for my A1-C, it came down too. And I didn’t have to go on meds to do it.

Health coaching has helped me become more conscious of what I was doing and helped me wake up and simply get back on track when would get off.

This process could have taken a year or more but Health coaching with Mirabai helped me get it done in 3 months. But I was ready. And that was the key for me. The help, information and lifestyle I needed and wanted were there waiting for me. But I had to be really ready.

So, if you’re really ready to make those changes. I would recommend Mirabai and health coaching for you.

 Mary Beth Tollise, Clerk’s Office

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When I started health coaching with Mirabai I weighed in at 389.4lbs. In order to be eligible for Bariatric Surgery I had to lose 10% of my body weight.

It wasn’t easy. The hardest part was not seeing the instant results to reach my goal weight before surgery.

I lost quite a bit of weight up to that point and I was 10lbs away from my goal. But I was at a stand still and became frustrated that I wasn’t getting the results. During my next health coach session with Mirabai I told her that I am going to stop and leave the program. And said I don’t think this is going to happen. I am going to leave with what I have right now and try to keep this weight off. During that session we tried to figure out what was keeping me from my goal. We looked at everything; my food choices, my exercise routine, and my stress level. We figured out if I could eat a little more protein and little less carbs, use a combination of weights and cardio to keep my heart rate up and increase the duration for my workouts a little bit, I had a good chance of dropping that last 10 lbs.

I did it and it worked!

I had successful Bariatric surgery and I lost a total of 122lbs over the last year and half. I am now at 267lb and counting.

Mirabai and I are a good fit. She asks me what I am looking for, gives me resources, and researches information that can help me. I feel that Mirabai and I communicate well. She knows how to keep me focused and progressing, and she’s constantly giving me new input. You need it after surgery. You still have to find more ways and support.

• I’m more active now outside of the house.
• I’ve kept up playing basketball with my son.
• As I lost the weight, I got more fit and ate better, healthier foods.
• I have more energy to do many of the things that I couldn’t do before. 
• Having the weight off helped me climb in and out of the truck, and my knees don’t hurt me any more.
• I have more stamina.
• I’m taking more responsibility at work.
• I have more confidence in myself.
• I feel and look better.

I would definitely recommend health coaching.

You need the support, dialog and resources. It is really hard to do it on my own. Outside the coaching box and talking person to person, it was more like talking to a friend who I trust. I am continuing to work with Mirabai and I am shooting for 250lb.

Testimonial by Juan Acevedo
YourChoice Health Plan Member

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My wellness vision is to live a long and healthy life, but I struggle with managing my stress level. Mirabai has coached me on getting it under control.

I am learning how to react to stress in a more mindful way, which has led me to be more centered and balanced. Mirabai has helped me to step back, take time to think before I act, and set boundaries for things I do and don’t want to do. I realize it’s ok to say no to situations that cause stress. This has caused a positive change in my behavior.

For example, I lost someone very close to me and it had an impact on my health both physically and mentally. Plus, I am Diabetic and a stress eater. When I am stressed, I tend to reach out for the sugar, eat more and in less healthy manner than I should. Mirabai has given me tools to be more mindful of my eating habits. She helped me plan my meals instead of eating on impulse. For instance, now I take my lunch and am less likely to go out to eat or grab food that is less healthy with bigger portions. Now If I go out to lunch, I try to balance it and have a lighter dinner.

Another strategy that Mirabai suggested and really works well for me, is when you know you’re going out to eat, look up the restaurant’s menu online and choose a healthier option ahead of time. Doing this really took the pressure off going out to eat and I succeed in eating healthier.

In general, I have changed to eating more chicken, fish and less red meat. I eat more grains, beans, fresh veggies and fruits. I’m tracking my food, looking at my nutrients, and my calories. I’m keeping my saturated fats lower because of other health risk factors I have and I am learning how to be more vigilant about food so that I will lower my chances of getting other health problems.

My A1C went from Diabetic 7.0 to Pre-diabetic 6.2 in 5 months. I am still on meds but I think what made such a difference in my labs is the change to a better diet. Managing my stress and sticking with a regular exercise program have been particularly challenging.

This is still a journey for me but I feel better and I have more energy. I am concentrating on getting my life more in balance and Mirabai is a great resource to help me achieve this goal.

Mirabai and I are a good fit. I don’t feel I am being judged – I feel Mirabai is compassionate and listens to me. She realizes it’s not going be a quick fix. It’s more than eating better and losing weight, it’s all aspects of my life that impact my health. She also helps me look at my blood work, manage health issues and be more informed so I can ask the right questions of my health provider.

Health coaching has given me tools to help manage my stress, make better food choices, and encourage me to exercise more. I think health coaching has been so beneficial for me. It has enabled me to better my well being mentally and physically. I have recommended many people to do health coaching and continue to do so.

If you have health issues and need guidance, resources and support in a confidential environment, health coaching may be for you.

Sharon Tarman

Public Safety, EMS

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