Charlene “Char” Dash is a coach, motivator, and founder of Live Wholehearted. She learned the long, honest way that grace — not guilt or willpower — produces change that lasts. Her journey became the foundation for a coaching approach that helps Christian women care for their bodies as an act of worship.
The Moment That Changed Everything
Char had been active most of her life, so when she tried wakeboarding one summer it felt like something she should be able to do without thinking. Instead, the moment exposed how far her body had slipped beneath the surface of a busy life. Her brain knew the movement; her body did not respond the way it used to. She tried to stand, stumbled, and was pulled along in the water longer than she expected. Friends helped her back to the boat, but the experience left her shaken and embarrassed, realizing it wasn't just an isolated incident.
The wakeboarding day was the sign she needed. Within weeks, a doctor flagged several preventable health concerns. Char joined an online nutrition coaching program, made small habit changes, and started viewing her struggles through a gospel perspective. The phrase that stopped her in her tracks was simple: wipe the slate clean. She realized she had been treating her body by a different rule than her soul; the gospel she trusted for her heart hadn’t been invited into the everyday work of food, movement, and setbacks. Inviting it in changed everything.
The Timeline (The Short Version)
- Total weight lost: 75 pounds.
- Pace: gradual, sustainable change across roughly 12 years — often 10–20 pounds in a season, then steadiness, then the next step.
- Why slow? Life seasons, limited margin, and a desire for habits that survive real life. Household support (including her husband joining the work) helped sustain progress.
What Char Learned — and Teaches
Char’s approach is practical, gospel‑based, and intentionally slow:
- Start with one tiny habit at a time (mini‑habits, two‑week rhythms or longer as needed).
- Treat setbacks as data, not identity — wipe the slate clean and begin again in gospel freedom.
- Build supportive environments (kitchen cleanouts, honest conversations with household members).
- Prioritize nutrient‑dense, simple practices: lean protein at meals, vegetables, hydration, eating more slowly, and habit experiments to test what works.
- Cultivate curiosity and a growth mindset: experiment, observe, adjust — without shame.
Credentials and Formation
- Precision Nutrition — Level 2 Certified Nutrition Coach
- Revelation Wellness — Certified Group Fitness Instructor
Her training provided method and tools; her long personal journey supplied credibility and empathy. Live Wholehearted grew from that combination.
How Char Coaches
- Confidence rule: habits are chosen so the client is at least 90% confident she can do them each day.
- Emphasis on community: accountability and encouragement are central because women don’t thrive in isolation.
- Gospel integration: Scripture and gospel truths reframe identity, shame, and purpose around health.
How Live Wholehearted Began
Char’s slow progress, the habit framework she learned, and repeated coaching successes led naturally to a group model. Group coaching lets her scale the work without losing its relational heart: small cohorts, a weekly rhythm, simple lessons, a habit tracker, and an always‑on community space.
A Word From Char
~Char
The Women Char Loves to Coach
Christian women who love Jesus, are tired of crash diets, want their care for the body to flow from the gospel, and are willing to try small, honest steps in community.
How to Connect
- Learn about cohorts and join the interest list: Join the cohort →
- Get the Grace Pace Starter Guide (free): Send me the guide →
- Contact Char →