by Dave Boehler
Beacon Sports Editor
KERRI ROBERTSON of Sheboygan records a podcast twice a week. – Submitted photo
If your New Year’s resolution has already been shot, perhaps Kerri Robertson can help.
The 1999 Sheboygan North graduate bills herself as the Anti-Kale Health Coach. Because when people hear Robertson is a health coach, they think she is going to tell them to eat kale and do burpees.
“And that’s the last thing that I’m interested in,” she said. “I want to find out why people aren’t eating vegetables and exercising, because when we’re not doing those things, there’s a reason.”
As a result, Robertson works with clients (mostly women) to find out if they do not have enough support at home or they don’t know how to find ways to make time for themselves because they have some unhealthy habits they are having a tough time letting of.
“So it’s kind cheeky in that I don’t like kale and don’t particularly care for formal exercise,” Robertson said. “But I’m here because I’m interested in your story and I want to know how we can find your confidence and build that, so that you do start taking care of yourself.”
Robertson admits she was not taking care of herself and was obese, smoked, did drugs and was a big drinker for a long time.
She eventually started to change her life and shared her stories.
“I saw other women kind of like latching onto that and saying, ‘oh really? Me too,’” she said. “That helps me connect with my clients.”
Robertson was a health and wellness director at the senior activities center in Sheboygan for almost five years before she created Live More Health Coaching. She started a Facebook page to announce the news and eventually got certified.
However, things did not get off to a great start, according to Robertson.
“As it turns out, nobody really wants to hear what they actually have to do,” she said. “And so I was like, ‘I listen to podcasts all the time, what if I just started one to tell my stories?’”
Her podcast launched Sept. 1 and each one lasts from 30 minutes to an hour every Tuesday and Thursday. It can be found on her website (livemorewithkerri.com) or places such as Apple and Spotify.
Robertson also meets with clients to figure out what their goals are, why and how she can get them to achieve them, and shies away from prescribing diet or exercise because most are not ready for that yet.
“It doesn’t have to be just structured formal exercises at a gym, and that’s the whole point of it,” Robertson said. “I think we all have that idea in our head that it has to be this picture-perfect thing, and it really doesn’t. I’d say 99% of my clients have this picture in their head of what they’re supposed to be doing or what they should be doing, and we just squash that right away.”
And the response she hears?
“A sigh of relief,” Robertson said.
Those interested in working with Robertson can visit her website or contact her on Facebook.
Even those that knew her back in the day.
“I would’ve never picked this as my career when I was younger,” Robertson said. “In fact, I just went to my 20th-year high school reunion and I think I surprised a few people telling them what I do.”
