This program may be HSA/FSA-eligible. See "Are there any discounts?" in the FAQ section.
People lose their results after stopping a GLP-1 because they haven't updated their lifestyle and mindset to maintain a smaller body.
➤ Stress patterns that send us to the kitchen at 10 p.m.—still there.
➤ All-or-nothing thinking—still there.
➤ Daily and weekly routines before and after work, and weekends—the same.
➤ The gravitational pull of addictive sweet or salty snacks at the store...
➤ Those moments when food is a source of quick comfort...
➤ Restaurants, birthdays, holidays, vacations, social events....
➤ The break room at work...
All still there—just manageable because of the medication.
Whether you want to stay on medication or taper off, you need a system that makes healthy choices automatic and enjoyable.
That's what this program exists to do.
No generic plans. A tailored system built with you, for your actual life and what you know about your body—that's done with you for as long as you need support.
Your doctor manages your prescription and monitors your health.
We give you the skills, structure, and support to renovate your lifestyle from the inside out.
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You feel like you're in survival mode most of the time.
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Healthy choices when you're stressed were nearly impossible.
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You often believe you aren't trying hard enough.
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You frequently say yes to everyone but yourself.
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You're stuck in the I have to do this on my own mental trap.
Doing new actions consistently—day in and day out, even on hard days—is what everyone struggles with the most.
With GLP-1 suppressing hunger, one of the biggest challenges is removed. You have a golden opportunity.
➤ A 6-month healthy lifestyle incubator.
➤ Adults currently using a GLP-1 long-term or short-term.
➤ Skills don't come in a bottle.
➤ They can't be patented or replaced by AI.
➤ Nobody can limit how many you can have.
➤ No generic plans—yours is tailored to your likes and dislikes and your schedule.
Founder & Program Director
Hi! I’m Zena. I live in South Jordan, Utah. My passion is holistic health and my credential is Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach (FMCHC).
What I'm Not Supposed to Say
Like me, you know what you 'should' do to take care of your health. But when your body grabs the wheel, you're completely powerless.
I’ve spent decades learning the essentials of how the human body works and practicing lifestyle medicine, and yet in 2024 I wasn't prepared when perimenopause and a depressive episode hit at the same time. My metabolism was slowing and I couldn't stop eating sweets, so of course my body fat increased to the highest point in my life.
My Breaking Point
Being honest here: antidepressants and everything I knew and did weren't moving the needle. After more than two years of trying, I decided to ask my doctor if I could microdose semaglutide as a bridge while I modified my lifestyle (again) for this new stage of life. I was grateful for her support and truly amazed at how much it helped.
What I Realized
Medication doesn't mean we're weak or undisciplined. It means we can ask for help. Also that we're willing to try new solutions, and we're missing specific knowledge or skills—neural pathways—to bridge the gap between what we want and what we do day to day.
Read about my professional approach and background ➜
My Approach
To me, 'holistic health' means the whole picture—not just what you eat, but also your sleep, movement, relationships, internal sources of stress, mindset and more—anything that impacts your quality of life.
'Functional medicine' means resolving root causes of chronic illnesses by adding or increasing what supports your health and decreasing or removing what hurts it.
And lastly, my domain as a certified health coach is behavior change. I do not treat illnesses or give psychiatric or medical advice; many of my students bring their licensed provider's advice to coaching sessions.
Who I Work Best With
Like me, you likely have years of talk therapy, online research, doctor visits and medication under your belt. You know in general how to take care of your body—that food, hydration, exercise, sleep, stress and relationships are all fundamental factors.
You probably understand your childhood trauma. You lean into evidence and scientific research and you accept that (a) science can't explain the full human experience and (b) a rich spiritual life that includes service and human connection are pillars of health.
What I Provide
Personalized support to figure out the specific when, where, how and why that turn good intentions into actions.
I use a blend of evidence-based coaching techniques including:
Cognitive-Behavioral Coaching (CBC)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
VIA Character Strengths, Maslow’s Hierarchy, Tiny Habits®, and other proven frameworks for human flourishing.
My Professional Background
Before founding Holistic Wellness School, my background in university leadership, small-business operations, and early childhood education equipped me with a unique set of skills I now use to support you, such as:
Distilling complex info into simple, actionable steps.
Managing long-term goals without losing the details.
Listening deeply to find clarity in emotionally charged situations.
Modeling essential Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) skills like regulating stress, practicing empathy, collaborating in teams, resolving conflicts, and identifying emotions.
My lifelong drive to understand relationships and communication led me to graduate summa cum laude from Montana State University–Bozeman with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in psychology. I earned my FMCHC credential in 2023.
I’d be honored to help you renovate the foundation for your 'inner home'—your body, mind and spirit—one day at a time.
Practicing holistic wellness
"Zena is knowledgeable and a great listener. She was able to help me with a plan that works for me. No unrealistic expectations, just positive coaching all the way."
"With Zena's coaching, I've been able to improve my life by adopting new tiny habits that have added up to big successes in the areas of nutrition, physical fitness, and stress reduction."
"I found Zena to be a great health coach. She's collaborative, conscientious, detail-oriented, thorough, focused, and upbeat, with excellent follow-through."
01 • The Groundwork
Orientation
Five-week "Slow Start"
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Onboard (1.5 hrs)
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Prepare (½ to 1 hr/wk)
02 • The Foundation
Education
First 12 weeks
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Learn (1¼ to 1½ hr/wk)
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Connect (~1 hr/2 wks)
03 • The Core
Daily Routine
Practice just three core habits in Weeks 1 to 12
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Morning Map Check (5 min)
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Daytime Accountability (up to you)
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Nightly Wins & Recap (5 min)
04 • The Integration
Momentum
Seamless ongoing support in Weeks 13 to 24
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Execute (up to you)
Weeks 13 to 24 are when you start experimenting with the Tiny Habits® in your Living Wellness Plan.
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Continuing Daily Accountability (up to you)
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Office Hours Every Other Week (1 hr)
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Quarterly 1:1 Check-In (1 hr)
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Graduation & Group Kickoffs (1 hr)
Stay on medication or taper off when—and if—your doctor and you decide you're ready and willing.
In the meantime, our 12-week online course teaches you how to:
➤ Design sleep and food boundaries you can maintain long-term.
➤ Edit your food environment to support your new body size.
➤ Stop food noise from returning with meal-design guidelines and proper hydration.
➤ Replace stress eating with nervous-system calming techniques.
➤ Create a custom relapse protocol so that slips don't become falls.
➤ Update all-or-nothing diet thinking with a flexible, health-forward mindset.
➤ Understand how and why excess body fat and diabetes happen, and what to do instead.
➤ Slowly increase your metabolism to boost muscle tone and stabilize blood sugar.
➤ Identify and prioritize three sources of stress; prepare a plan of action for one.
Please note, enrollment is capped at 8 students per cohort.
Walk away with: A customized Living Wellness Plan and metabolic tools to maintain your new body size long-term—on or off medication.
✓ 1-month onboarding + 6-month program
✓ Small 8-person cohorts
✓ All-day accountability
✓ Personalized Living Wellness Plan
✓ 3 private 1:1 coaching sessions (3 hrs total)
✓ Live workshops every other week
✓ Coach spot support (up to 30 min/month)
✓ Private community
✓ 24/7 custom AI support
Walk away with: A post-program safety net that lasts until you feel like your new habits are fully formed. Or, come back for a tune-up anytime!
✓ 3 months per block (90 days)
✓ Accountability pods (max 4 students each; same-sex)
✓ Group coaching sessions every other week
✓ Coach spot support (limits apply)
✓ Private community
✓ 24/7 custom AI support
Walk away with: Lifelong access to an understanding, supportive community so you never have to navigate lifestyle changes alone. Any student who completes the 6-month program is eligible.
✓ Twice yearly group coaching sessions (up to 1½ hrs)
✓ Accountability pods (max 4 students each; same-sex)
✓ Private community
✓ 24/7 custom AI support
Small changes and measured progress in ~3 hrs/wk
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Your plan is built for your real life—your symptoms, biometrics, and health goals
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Learn and implement research-backed health and relationship skills
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Implementing advice from your doctor, therapist or dietitian is always okay
What is health coaching?
What isn't health coaching?
Coaching is not:
A substitute for medical advice, therapy, or treatment.
A source of diagnoses, prescriptions, advice, or treatment for health conditions.
Able to deliver instant results or 'band-aids' for symptoms.
Coaching focuses on problem-solving and relevant actions—not diagnosis, treatment or advice.
Who would I be coached by?
You’ll have a human coach. Always.
Zena Bardonnay is the founder of Holistic Wellness School and a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach (FMCHC).
She developed The GLP-1 Lifestyle Renovation Program and, as lead coach, she conducts all 1:1 and live group-coaching sessions.
Zena believes that improving how we care for ourselves and how we relate to others are both root causes of physical and emotional health.
You’ll get real coaching, from a real person, who actually cares about your health almost as much as you do.
Do I have to get off GLP-1 medication?
No. This program works alongside your prescriber's plan. You can stay on long-term, be ready to taper off, or be undecided.
What technology do you use?
Holistic Wellness School programs use:
Google Classroom
Google Chat
Both are available as desktop or phone apps.
Google's suite of tools are updated regularly and built to keep sensitive personal health information secure.
When do cohorts start?
To ensure highly personalized attention, we limit our intake to two 8-person cohorts per year.
Spring Cohort:
Open Enrollment: Dec 1 to Dec 31
Slow Start: Jan 1 to Jan 31
Modules drop weekly Feb 1 to Apr 30
Integration period runs May 1 to Jul 31
Fall Cohort:
Open Enrollment: Jul 1 to Jul 31
Slow Start: Aug 1 to Aug 31
Modules drop weekly Sep 1 to Nov 30
Integration period runs Dec 1 to Feb 28
Once your application is approved and tuition is processed, you unlock immediate access to Onboarding—one full month to record your baseline measurements and get comfortable with Google apps and your other program tools before the course officially begins.
How are therapy and coaching different?
In a nutshell, a therapist is highly trained and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and behavioral health conditions.
The right therapist and approach for your diagnosis can be life-changing.
A health coach helps clients achieve general wellness goals and implement guidance from their medical providers through awareness, education, personalized planning, and accountability.
Health coaches often work in tandem with providers to help clients build a solid foundation for holistic health, including enough sleep, movement, nutritious food, stress-reducing tools, and relationship skills.
Functional medicine certified health coaches are trained to support individualized, measurable, realistic lifestyle plans.
Not all health coaches are certified.
How do you support medical providers?
Certified health coaches increase patient follow-through and decrease workloads for licensed care providers and skilled support staff.
Patient follow-through also reduces provider burnout, which is physically and emotionally harmful to some of the most essential, skilled, deeply caring human beings in our society—and their families.
Burnout is a negative modern trend that reduces access to quality care for Americans.
Additionally, like most humans, even highly trained medical professionals sometimes struggle to set aside time for their own health goals due to juggling extensive responsibilities.
Health coaches can support healers in personal and professional capacities.
Can I use my health insurance?
No, but uploading a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) from your doctor to your HSA or FSA administrator may allow you to use funds from either of those accounts, if you have one.
Some HSA/FSA companies provide a form for your provider to fill out, or you can use our Google Docs template.
What is functional medicine?
It’s helpful to see functional medicine as one of two essential halves of a modern healthcare system.
Allopathic (Western) medicine excels at identifying and treating acute issues like infections, broken bones, and life-threatening medical emergencies—i.e., crucial, life-saving care.
Functional medicine excels at identifying and treating the root causes of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and autoimmune disorders.
A licensed functional medicine practitioner looks "upstream" to find out why a disease is happening.
This approach is designed to complement primary (allopathic) medical care and reduce the need for long-term medications that may come with harmful side effects.
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coaches receive additional training in root-cause and lifestyle medicine principles like nutrition and food plans, mind-body medicine, and the psychology of eating, from Institute for Functional Medicine–certified physicians.
Certified health coaches cannot diagnose or treat illnesses nor prescribe or manage medicine, diet plans or supplements.
Will this program help me talk to my doctor?
Yes, on two topics:
If you're experiencing side effects and wondering whether a dose adjustment would help.
If you're feeling ready to start tapering off the medication altogether.
Medical decisions are always between you and your prescriber, and we can help you have those conversations with confidence.
I'd prefer to do this on my own.
We completely encourage self-study!
Our students join our program because they’ve finally realized that knowledge alone isn't enough for transformation.
That’s why our programs offers three things you can't get from research alone:
Accountability with a coach who's invested in your success
A structured process that’s proven to build momentum for change.
A dedicated GLP-1–friendly community cheering each others' progress.
I can just ask an AI for help.
You absolutely can!
We love AI as a tool—in fact, students in our program have access to Rowan and Phineas, our tuned AI coaching, teaching and tracking assistants, if they need help after hours or between sessions.
One other thing to remember is that most AI models only respond to user prompts—they're dependent on you knowing what to ask.
At Holistic Wellness School, you'll learn what to ask so that AI becomes an even more powerful 24/7 tool for you going forward.
Are there any discounts?
For a limited time, we're offering Founder's Cohort pricing:
Program: 50% off (regularly $7,000)
Momentum Group: 25% off (regularly $1,197)
Additionally:
If you're a business owner, you may be able to deduct tuition for employees. Confirm your situation with your tax advisor.
If your HSA/FSA administrator accepts a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) filled out by your doctor, you can use funds from those accounts. Some HSA/FSA companies provide a form for doctors, or you can ask if they'd accept our Google Docs template.
Is this too good to be true?
It's totally natural to have some doubts, especially if you've had a bad experience in the past. Zena has.
Back in 2020 she bought 'coaching' from an uncertified YouTuber. The person changed the terms of service after sign-up, and Zena lost her session credits.
Here are a few things to know about Holistic Wellness School:
We're not in this for repeat business. We want you to be a lifelong success story.
That's why when you complete our program, you'll get lifetime access to our Alumni Maintenance Group for free.
A lot of people and programs promise instant results, but those don't exist. We help you focus on small, sustainable changes that support who you want to be. We personalize 100% of the what, when, why, how, and how much of your plan to you.
We help you address your Big Picture—we teach you research-backed tools and strategies like mindfulness, blood-sugar testing, resting metabolic rate, identifying your values and character strengths, and more.
Willpower and motivation are temporary—they come and go, which is why we focus on changing your mindset from 'failure' to 'experimenting,' getting you clear on your Big Why, and updating your daily routines.
When you take that approach, chipping away at your personal plan gets easier and easier—because that's what happens when you stop relying only on how you feel right now.
Are there other expenses?
Yes. The apps used in this program are free from Google. What's extra:
Smart phone with camera
$0.25 (a quarter, or local equivalent, for photo scaling)
The following tools:
Smart watch/ring/band that tracks sleep and steps
Own, or have access to, a smart scale with handles and BIA (bioelectrical impedance) feature
Soft measuring tape with centimeters
A manual glucose meter or Continuous Glucose Monitor
Kitchen food scale with fluid ounce setting
Calm meditation app (or similar)
At least 1 water bottle or beverage cup
We curated two Amazon shopping lists for men and women, but you can use any device or item you prefer.
You might also choose to invest in optional tools or tests to support your new lifestyle, such as:
160+ blood tests from Function Health for $365 (link includes a referral discount)
Add-on bloodwork or scans
Books or audiobooks
Gym membership or home equipment
Athletic shoes
Pantry restock
High-quality supplements
Health, lifestyle or productivity apps