What I love about talking with graduates of the Primal Health Coach Institute is that they all have something unique they bring to the table. Like Chris Prior, who splits his time between coaching and working as the Creative Arts Director for his local church. And Rachel Barber, who stays connected to her purpose and serves her clients through daily meditation. And Adan Rios, who puts his PHCI certification to work for Virta Health, a start-up aimed at reversing diabetes in 100 million people by 2025.
Not only does our Day in the Life of a Primal Health Coach series introduce you to some of our recent grads, it gives you a real-life look at what it’s really like to be a health coach, from the hours they keep and types of clients they see to how they manage their businesses and balance their responsibilities outside of coaching.
This week, you’ll meet Lindsey Cusey, a 2017 Primal Health Coach Institute graduate who works as a health coach and a personal trainer.
5:00 a.m.: Lindsey trains clients at her gym in South Scottsdale early. So after her alarm goes off, she gets ready for the day by reading her daily devotional, then taking her year-and-a-half-old rescue chihuahua, Macy, out for some exercise.
Living in Arizona, she rarely drinks hot coffee in the morning, opting instead for iced almond milk lattes and either paleo muffins or protein energy bites that her private chef has prepared for her (yes, she has a private chef)!
6:00 a.m.: Her personal training business, Fit Happy Girl, is 100% women focused. And when her first group arrives at the gym, they’re ready for a workout that includes functional movements as well as weighted and bodyweight exercises. Lindsey started her career as an in-home trainer in Las Vegas about 9 years ago, so she’s extremely comfortable with minimal-to-no equipment, adding, “you can get a great workout without using anything extra!”
9:00 a.m.: Mid-morning, Lindsey takes a break to squeeze in her own workout, which is typically weight lifting or boxing. On weekends, she prefers walking and hiking, but says she’s a big believer in listening to her body and resting when rest is needed. Which is good, because between personal training and her health coaching practice, Fit Happy Primal, she’s working a lot of hours to support and grow both sides of her business.
10:30 a.m.: Throughout the day, Lindsey meets with her health coaching clients, either at their homes or in the offices of doctors she partners with who focus on preventative care (and are also the team doctors for the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Cardinals). Lindsey says she doesn’t work with athletes though, just regular men and women looking to improve their health.
11:30 a.m.: Right now, Lindsey offers three health coaching packages, ranging from 4-session tune-ups to 12-session overhauls. Because she’s a Primal Health Coach and a personal trainer, her packages include everything from one-on-one coaching calls and detailed nutrition guides to body composition analysis, in-personal training sessions, and no-equipment workouts her clients can do at home.
1:00 p.m.: This multi-tasker takes a break mid-day to walk her dog, reply to emails, eat lunch, and if she’s lucky, she also sneaks in a nap. On top of that, Lindsey mentors a foster child and makes time to hang out with her once a week. Plus, she’s really involved with her church, leading bible study and sometimes running ministries.
3:00 p.m.: When it comes to social media, Lindsey posts as often as she can. With Instagram and Facebook accounts for both of her businesses (you can find her @fit_happy_girl and @lindsey_cusey), she says “social media is like a whole other job of its own.” Luckily, she’s recently hired someone to help grow her following. Lindsey knows it can be a full-time job if done right, adding “I hope one day to have someone working directly for me as an office and marketing manager to handle this and other business tasks. In addition to posting on social media, Lindsey regularly sends emails and coupons to her clients, and tries to publish one blog post a week. Did I mention she’s busy?
4:00 p.m.: Back to the gym for more group training sessions. While every day is a little different, Lindsey loves watching people transform and receiving messages like this one she got a few weeks ago: “I was a size 16 when I started, and I just bought my first ever size 6 jeans.” Whether it’s at the gym or in the doctor’s office, she says the transformation in confidence and positive medical reports are her two favorite parts of her job.
7:30 p.m.: Lindsey works until 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. most nights. Since she’s at the gym late, she usually doesn’t eat dinner, or she’ll have a protein shake or something light that her private chef has whipped up.
9:30 p.m.: Knowing she has clients bright and early the next day, Lindsey makes bedtime a priority. So, after spending time with her dog, it’s lights out by 10:00 p.m.
What’s Next for Lindsey
As if she’s not busy enough, Lindsey has big plans over the next year. She’s dedicated to growing the health coaching side of her business, and is gearing up to work with more doctors in the Arizona area who share her holistic approach to wellness.
Lindsey says that her background in personal training and health coaching helps her focus on the whole person. She adds that you can provide all the nutrition and fitness guidance in the world, but if your clients are still stressed, struggling mentally, and losing sleep, they won’t make much progress.
