ChatGPT- Do We Really Need Human Coaching in the Health and Fitness Space? A look into why human coaching is so important- regardless of what Artificial Intelligence says

Introduction

Why do we need to hire a human when we can just get on ChatGPT, Grock or another Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) generator and get a full meal plan, exercise plan and everything we should need to be successful? After all, it’s free to use, takes less time and requires no human interaction. All you have to do is type in what you want, and seconds later, the generator spits out a program that should give you everything you need to hit your goals.

But, do you know what an A.I. generator does not spit out? Human understanding, empathy and accountability- not to mention it does not have a personality, perspective and has not had human experience. AI will NEVER replace humans, and it is important to understand why, and why YOU need a coach to hit your goals, not another A.I. generator.

Why do you need a coach?

Investing in a coach can be your rocket ship to faster weight loss, accountability and developing long-term, sustainable results that you can maintain for the rest of your life. After all, 80-90% of people that lose a large amount of weight gain it back in the first one to two years (“Weight Loss Maintenance”). 

One of the biggest advantages to hiring a coach is to have accountability and guidance with behavior change. Yes, you may be able to stick with your A.I.-generated workout and nutrition plan for a couple of weeks. But after the first holiday, birthday, busy week or sickness, most people revert back to their old habits. Regular communication with a coach during all of these normal life events is imperative to reaching your goals. In one study done on obese adults, it was found that participants that received 12 weeks of bi-weekly tele-health coaching saw weight loss of 13.2% more than participants that did not receive the tele-health coaching (Suminski).

Regular check-ins with a coach have been found to help clients overcome barriers like low motivation and disruptions (“Coaching and barriers to weight loss: an integrative review”). While a coach can not do the work for you, having one in your corner has been proven vital to weight loss success. Another study that also shows the benefits of health coaching states that, “In 2014, Hammarström et al interviewed overweight and obese women participating in a dietary intervention and found that the primary barriers to adhering to the measures were related to internal struggles, such as challenges encountered in modifying eating habits, low levels of self-control, and insecurity. Additionally, they found that having clear objectives and receiving support from family and project members were facilitators” (“Coaching and barriers to weight loss: an integrative review”). Overcoming internal struggles and adhering to measures set by nutrition and health plans is something that A.I. can’t help, only humans can.

Why can’t A.I. replace humans in the coaching space?

A.I. is not human, plain and simple. And humans have emotions, persepctive, a personality and memories in which A.I. will never have. Having a one on one meeting with a coach that shares their own stories, health and fitness journey, makes you laugh and jokes with you is something that you will never get by typing a prompt into a generator. Having a person you can talk to on the phone, text or video call who shows empathy and understanding to the situations you go through as a fellow human is irreplaceable.

A.I. has not obtained a degree, worked countless hours to obtain a certification or worked with tens of people to gain experience. And while yes, it is knowledgeable and will continue to be more knowledgeable, it will not ever have a human brain.

In a world where the internet and phones are so vital to our existence, it is important that all humans still have human to human interaction, especially in the coaching space. Next time you think about typing a health or fitness related question into your favorite A.I. generator, consider messaging your favorite health and fitness professional instead. More than likely, they will be happy to share their story, struggles and perspective with you! 

Works Cited

“Coaching and barriers to weight loss: an integrative review.” PMC, 2016, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5207339/. Accessed 2 August 2026.

Suminski, Richard. “The Impact of Health Coaching on Weight and Physical Activity in Obese Adults: A Randomized Control Trial.” NIH National Library of Medicine, 2022, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10979733/. Accessed 02 08 2026.

“Weight Loss Maintenance.” Stanford Health Care, https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-living/obesity/weight-loss-maintenance.html. Accessed 2 August 2026.