A new year often motivates people to change. Whether a complete overhaul or smaller, significant adjustments are planned, in every case, the individual is striving to be better.

I'll lose 30 pounds. I'll join a gym and start exercising regularly. I'll eat only healthy food. I'll be sure to take some time to relax and enjoy myself regularly. I'll put my family first these are common promises we make to ourselves at the start of a new year.

It's also fairly common to have abandoned such promises before the first week of February. Why? Many agree that it's because in making the promises you create a situation where you are likely to fail and that failure will cause you to be disappointed. One way to avoid that problem is to engage a professional coach who will guide you in mapping a method to the future you want.

Tina Christopher has a Master's degree in education but has changed course and now offers her services as a lifestyle educator. Committed to having people make real and lasting change in their lives, she sees most of her clients in their own home.

"That's where it all starts, I prefer to see people in their natural setting," she said. Her clients seek her advice on a variety of health issues from weight loss to lowering their prescription dosage of medication. When she first began the service she said most of her clients wanted advice on shedding pounds. "I think it's because I was vegan and people were curious as to how following a vegan diet might help them reach their weight loss goals," she added.

But while she said she could offer advice on a vegan diet, she doesn't suggest or advocate it.

"I work with the individual to help them make more healthy natural choices. That can include eating meat," she said. In the case of a client who wants to lose weight, Ms Christopher said she first discusses their eating habits. "I ask them to tell me what kinds of foods they eat and we discuss the kinds of foods that can be substituted for the ones they may be choosing that are a bit unhealthy."

After the initial discussion, a look in the client's refrigerator is often helpful. "I usually recommend clients go through their fridge and remove the unhealthy items," she said.

Because they may not be clear on what should remain and what should go, Ms Christopher is on hand while her client takes inventory of his or her fridge. She also makes appointments with clients to go grocery shopping.

"We make an appointment to visit a health food store where I show them which foods are best for their individual needs," said Ms Christopher.

"I can also go to the regular supermarkets with them pointing out the organic sections, and making them aware of how to read labels." Also important to Ms Christopher is to work within a person's budget. Not doing so is a recipe for failure to stick with the lifestyle change. "I'm not trying to be expensive for anyone." She added: "Given the economy, I try to work with where people are at the moment and stress the more good you put in, the more good you'll get out." Ms Christopher encourages clients to use local or organic produce.

"Fresh greens are important and I usually advise 25 percent of the diet be raw foods, like salads, and 75 percent cooked foods. I advise meat to be eaten two to three times a week – not every day," she said.

Ms Christopher also discusses stress and sleep levels with her clients, but not usually on the first visit. "I don't tend to get into the emotional aspects right away because by simply putting things healthy within the body you will feel a change in things outside the body," she said. "You'll feel less tired, have more energy and be able to handle stress better. I have clients focus on feeding themselves things that are good and this will help them develop a healthy emotional state."

She also educates clients on how to have tasty meals despite diet restrictions – those who must have reduced salt diets due to high blood pressure, or low sugar diets because of diabetes, for example. In such cases she may recommend specific herbs or do some hydrotherapy work.

"Of course in these cases I check with the client's doctor first," she said. Consultations with a client's doctor are also important in cases where a reduced dose of medication is sought. According to Ms Christopher, although reducing the dosage isn't always possible, it can sometimes be achieved through the use of a medicinal herb with similar qualities.

"I recently pointed out to a client who was concerned that her young asthmatic daughter was having to increase her dosage of a histamine drug, that histamines naturally occur in some foods," she said.

In December 2007, Ms Christopher was certified as an educator on natural approaches to maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle on completion of studies at Alabama's Uchee Pines Institute. There, she trained in preventative therapies including nutrition, herbology, massage therapy and hydrotherapy. And she plans to offer a series of health talks on the benefits she has encountered in her personal life as a result of lifestyle changes she has made. For more information, telephone Ms Christopher on 732-8883.