Community Call Recap: Solving the 23-Hour Problem: How to Coach Beyond the Gym Without Burning Out
Based on the July CoachRx Community Call with Coach Ashley Brownell, CoachRx Coach Success Manager
Your clients spend one hour training with you and 23 hours living their lives. What happens in those other 23 hours often determines whether your programming actually works or if your clients hit a plateau after a few months.
As fitness professionals, we've all experienced this frustration: clients who show up consistently, follow their programs religiously, yet struggle to see the progress they want.
The culprit? It's rarely the training program. It's what's happening in those other 23 hours.
The Reality Check: Client Results Are Won or Lost Outside the Gym
Even the most perfectly periodized training program can't outwork:
Chronic sleep deprivation (4 hours per night)
High levels of unmanaged stress
Poor digestion and irregular eating patterns
Energy crashes from blood sugar spikes
Running on caffeine instead of sustainable energy
The data backs this up: 91% of successful client outcomes occur when we address lifestyle and nutrition alongside training not instead of it, but in harmony with it.
The Evolution of Coaching: From Rep Counter to Change Maker
There was a time when being a great coach meant having the perfect periodized training program. Today's reality is different. Our clients don't just come to us for workouts, they're seeking:
Energy to keep up with their daily demands
Confidence in their bodies and abilities
Better sleep to recover and function
Weight management that actually sticks
Clarity through the noise of conflicting information
Most consultation conversations aren't about lifting PRs or performance metrics. They're about feeling better, moving better, sleeping better, and managing stress more effectively.
Why Clients Don't Follow Through (And It's Not What You Think)
When clients struggle with lifestyle changes, it's rarely because they don't care. The most common reasons include:
1. Solutions That Are Too Complex Going from eating out every meal to tracking macros is like jumping from walking to sprinting a marathon.
2. Misalignment with Real Life Perfect plans that don't account for work schedules, family obligations, or existing habits are doomed to fail.
3. Information Overload Social media has created analysis paralysis. Clients are drowning in conflicting advice from influencers and "experts."
4. All-or-Nothing Mentality Many clients believe they need to completely overhaul their lives overnight, leading to burnout and abandonment.
The Life-Fuel-Person Framework: Your Blueprint for Holistic Coaching
At OPEX, we use a hierarchical approach that ensures sustainable progress:
Level 1: LIFE (The Foundation)
This is where most clients need the most work. The basics include:
Sleep quality and duration
Hydration (often as simple as half their body weight in ounces)
Stress management (even basic breathing techniques)
Digestion and regular meal timing
Movement outside the gym (daily walks, taking stairs)
Remember: What seems "basic" to you may not be easy for your clients. Basic is relevant.
Level 2: FUEL (Building on Stability)
Once lifestyle factors are stable enough to support change, we layer in:
Food quality and variety
Appropriate quantities for their goals
Meal timing that supports their lifestyle
Basic macronutrient awareness
Level 3: PERSON (True Individualization)
This is where we get highly specific:
Personalized meal plans based on genetics or preferences
Advanced periodization of nutrition around training
Specialized protocols for specific health conditions
The NEPA Framework: Your Coaching Conversation Blueprint
NEPA provides a consistent structure for coaching any aspect of health:
N - NOTICE: Observe patterns using data, trends, and client feedback
E - EXPLAIN: Help clients understand why this matters and how it connects to their goals
P - PRESCRIBE: Give one or two clear, appropriate actions they can handle
A - ACTION: Implement, monitor, and adapt as needed
This isn't a linear process, it's a continuous cycle that keeps you responsive to your client's evolving needs.
Practical Implementation Strategies
Start Small and Build
Instead of prescribing 100 ounces of water immediately, gradually increase from their current 40 ounces. Progress might look like:
Week 1-2: 50 ounces daily
Week 3-4: 60 ounces daily
Week 5-6: 75 ounces daily
Use Technology Wisely
Modern coaching platforms can automate much of the tracking and check-in process, freeing you to focus on what matters most: the relationship and behavior change support.
Ask Powerful Questions
"How are things going?" (Keep it broad and see where they take the conversation)
"What's one habit that always falls off when life gets busy?"
"Walk me through a typical day from wake-up to bedtime."
Recognize Readiness
Clients are ready for new challenges when they're:
Consistently showing up and engaged
Asking for the next step
Successfully maintaining current habits for 2+ weeks
Common Barriers and Solutions
Time Constraints (Especially Parents)
Schedule workouts like important meetings
Focus on habit stacking with existing routines
Emphasize that consistency beats perfection
Perfectionism and Overwhelm
Emphasize that "good enough" consistently beats perfect occasionally
Celebrate small wins and progress
Normalize that life happens and adjust accordingly
Resistance to "Simple" Solutions
Explain the depth behind simple recommendations
Help them understand why you've arrived at this specific prescription
Connect their current capacity to appropriate challenge level
The Role of Technology in Sustainable Coaching
Modern coaching platforms like CoachRx are built on these principles, offering:
Lifestyle prescription tools that work alongside exercise programming
Automated check-ins that maintain connection without overwhelming your schedule
Progress tracking that shows clients their wins and patterns
Wearable integration that reduces manual tracking burden
Flexible prescription settings that allow for gradual progression
Moving Forward: Making It Sustainable for You
Coaching the whole person doesn't mean working twice as many hours or becoming a life coach. It means:
Using frameworks that guide your decision-making
Leveraging technology to automate what can be automated
Focusing on behavior change fundamentals rather than complex protocols
Building systems that support both you and your clients
Remember: You're not responsible for dragging clients kicking and screaming through fitness. You're a space holder, a mirror, and a guide. Your job is to create the conditions for success and meet them where they are.
The Bottom Line
The 23-hour problem isn't really a problem, it's an opportunity. When you learn to support your clients' entire lives, not just their training, you create:
Better client outcomes and satisfaction
Higher retention rates and lifetime value
More referrals from truly transformed clients
Greater professional fulfillment from seeing complete transformations
A sustainable business model that doesn't depend on constantly finding new clients
Start small. Focus on one lifestyle factor at a time. Use proven frameworks. And remember: the magic happens when movement, nutrition, recovery, stress, and lifestyle all work together in harmony.
Learn more about CoachRx Enhanced Lifestyle Rx.
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Coaching isn’t just about workouts and check-ins. It’s about creating lasting change, and that starts with a map. Define the destination. Clarify the steps. Communicate in a way your clients understand and relate to. You’ll not only grow a business you’re proud of, you’ll help clients create real, sustainable results. Start mapping your client journey today and see what shifts for you.
