Perez Health Coaching

(And Why It Has Almost Nothing to Do with Willpower)

You’ve probably heard the standard line: “Just eat less and move more.”
If it were that simple, the CDC wouldn’t report that only ~8% of people with type 2 diabetes ever achieve remission — meaning normal blood sugar without any medications. That leaves 92% who never get there, including most busy, stressed-out parents who already feel guilty enough.

A landmark British study called DiRECT (Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial) finally revealed the real barrier — and it’s not lack of grit.direct trial webpage

What DiRECT Actually Proved

In 2018, researchers took 306 adults with type 2 diabetes (diagnosed less than 6 years earlier) and put half of them on an aggressive, doctor-supervised program. The diet was extreme:

• 800–850 calories per day using nutritionally complete shakes and soups (about 200 calories each, 4 times a day)
• All diabetes and blood-pressure meds stopped on day one
• The food was eaten at home — no hospital stays, no magic injections

The support, however, was the game-changer:

• Every participant got one-on-one sessions with a nurse or dietitian specially trained in Motivational Interviewing — the same evidence-based technique used by the world’s best addiction and health coaches.
• These weren’t lectures. They were deep-listening conversations designed to uncover personal roadblocks and build internal motivation.

Result after one year?
46% were in full remission (normal blood sugar, off all meds).
Those who lost 33 pounds or more hit remission rates as high as 86–94%.

Five years later, the people who still had a coach checking in maintained an average loss of 20+ pounds and 26% remained in remission — still triple the national average.

The Part Nobody Talks About

The diet was brutal on paper.
Yet when it was paired with trained, compassionate, one-on-one coaching, almost half the participants stuck with it long enough to reverse their disease.

That’s why a smaller, fully personalized program — the kind where your coach actually knows your kids’ names, your work schedule, and what foods you secretly hate — almost always beats a big group program or an app.

And here’s the best news: even if you look at the DiRECT diet and think “I could never do that,” a good coach will customize everything so it fits your life, your tastes, and your values — not force you into four shakes a day.

My Own Story (Because Numbers Only Go So Far)

Eleven years ago I was very overweight, stressed out, and headed for Diabetes.
I started with a paleo-style approach because it matched my values (real food, no fake ingredients).
I had an incredible athletic coach who listened more than he talked, plus a group of peers who cheered every pound.
I customized the plan week by week — some weeks stricter, some weeks more flexible.
One year later I had lost exactly 100 pounds.
Today my I am at a new normal, Im happy and ready to help you.

The difference wasn’t super-human willpower.
The difference was being heard and having a guide who refused to let me fail alone.

The First Step Almost Everyone Skips (And Pays For Later)

Research published in Diabetes Care (2022) and JAMA shows that frustration and feeling unheard are the #1 predictors of delaying or abandoning lifestyle change — even when people know exactly what to do. The longer you wait, the more beta-cell function you lose, and the harder remission becomes.

That’s why I offer every new person a completely free, no-strings Listening Session — 30–45 minutes with a professional who does nothing but listen.
You talk about whatever is actually frustrating you — work stress, kids’ schedules, feeling judged, anything.
You don’t have to share a thing you don’t want to. Everything is 100% confidential.
Many people tell me it’s the first time a health professional has ever just let them vent without jumping to “eat more kale.”

At the end, if you want, I’ll explain exactly how health coaching works and what the investment looks like (most plans are $150–$300/month — far less than a single month of diabetes medications and complications).

What the CDC Says You Gain in Remission

• Normal blood sugar without any pills or shots
• Dramatically lower risk of blindness, amputation, dialysis, and heart attack
• More energy to play with your kids or grandkids
• Often lower blood pressure and cholesterol too

For many people, the only reliable path to those outcomes is sustained lifestyle change — and for most of us, sustained change requires a coach in your corner.

How My Clients Actually Succeed

In my practice we never ask you to violate your own values.
We help you digest the best science, then break it into tiny, SMART steps you can actually do.
You get unconditional support from day one — and beautiful progress reports (using validated surveys) that you can hand to your doctor to prove this is working.

I also give away free downloadable “Behavior Maps” — simple one-page guides that walk you through connecting any new habit to your life. You can grab them right now, no email required:
on my wellness tools page

You Made It to the End — I’m Proud of You

Seriously. Most people click away long before this point.
The fact that you’re still here tells me you’re the kind of person who actually finishes what matters.

You probably already knew 90% of the science I shared today.
But sometimes a tired heart just needs a clear reminder that you are not the problem — the lack of real support has been the problem.

If you’re ready to be heard — really heard — for the first time, book a free Listening Session here:
booking page

No sales pitch. No judgment. Just a human on the other end of the line who believes remission is possible for you too.

You’ve got this — and you don’t have to do it alone.