What does a nutrition coach do?

Nutrition coaching services

Nutrition coaching can help clients stay accountable and discover valuable resources for achieving their nutritional goals. Athletes and others who want to improve their health may benefit from nutrition coaching and customized nutrition planning.

When a nutrition coach takes on a new client, they will typically ask questions about the person’s health and fitness level, diet, eating habits and health goals.

It is important that clients share accurate information about their background to help the nutrition coach develop the right plan and strategies to help. Some nutrition coaches offer services as packages based on a timeline, specific goal or a deliverable like a recipe collection or food plan.

Companies offering nutrition coaching as a service typically have multiple nutrition coaches on staff and match clients to coaches based on their needs and goals.

Choosing a nutrition coach

When choosing a nutrition coach, clients should carefully consider what potential coaches know, offer and promise:

• Nutrition coach training and qualifications: Ask if the coach has formal training in nutrition. Where did they study? Are they certified, and if so, by what organization?

  Ideally, a nutrition coach has graduated from a recognized program such as the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM) Nutrition Coach Certification Program that is recognized by the nutrition coaching industry.

  Although there is no official accrediting body to grant nutrition coaching credentials, there are well-regarded programs, such as the aforementioned one at NASM, that are popular with many industry professionals.

• Coaching style and philosophy: Look at how the coach works with their clients. Do they coach online or in person? Do they check in with clients regularly and share written or online nutrition resources with them? Or do they do something else to support their progress? Have they developed their own nutrition coaching methods?

  Learning about how this coach works can help potential clients find the right coach and program plan that works for them.

• Client testimonials: Reading or watching success stories from past clients provides insight into how coaches work and what results they’re getting for their clients. Does the nutrition coach offer client testimonials? What do their testimonials and results say about their work?
• Coaching offers and promises: Find out if the nutrition coach offers any guarantees or whether they promise specific results. What options are available for changing or canceling plans?
• Online coaching and in-person coaching: Ask about how the coach meets with clients. If the nutrition coach works through an online platform, clients should consider whether this medium is a good fit. Also, ask about how communication is handled outside of sessions.

Tools and techniques in nutrition coaching

Nutrition coaches may show clients how to track their daily and weekly food intake, evaluate and compare nutrition trends over time, and look for ways to incorporate better nutrients. They may teach clients how to set nutritional goals and plan meals and shopping lists around daily nutritional requirements.

Initially, nutrition coaches typically ask new clients questions about what they eat and how they make dietary choices. From there, coaches help clients see the benefits of careful meal planning and mindful eating. Coaches hold their clients accountable for making changes and meeting goals through ongoing check-ins and communication.

Clients have their share of work to do too. To develop healthy eating habits, clients should start analyzing their current eating patterns. Here are a few suggestions:

• Identify behaviors: Examine how you eat. How do you plan your meals? Do you eat when you’re hungry, at certain times or when you experience certain emotions?
• Find unhealthy patterns: Do a little digging and try to discover what you want to change about your eating habits. Try and unearth specific unhealthy behaviors you want to change.
• Look for triggers: Ask yourself whether specific events or activities trigger unhealthy eating patterns or behaviors.
• Replace habits: What healthy habits can replace or substitute for unhealthy behaviors?

Best tools for nutrition assessment

The following tools may also be useful to clients along their nutrition journey:

• Nutrition coaching clients can use the free Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) online to help them think about what they eat and show their coach what their typical diet looks like. This tool is from the National Cancer Institute.
• The daily food checklist from the National Cancer Institute is another resource people can use to track what they eat, allowing users to check off foods from a list instead of using a traditional food diary. Doing so could simplify the process.

The impact of nutrition coaching on health

Coaching has proven benefits for health, and the popularity of nutrition coaching services is growing. Many coaches help people adopt healthier habits by using motivational interviewing — which helps people conquer their ambivalence —  to empower their clients to uncover important motivations and beliefs about nutrition.

In the process, using the support of their coach, many patients see measurable improvements in health outcomes.

Nutrition coaching uses positive psychology and doesn’t criticize or belittle patients. Instead of leaving clients to feel bad about themselves and their nutritional challenges, coaches strive to help clients identify strengths they can use to successfully transform their lifestyle habits.

Nutrition coaching and meal plans

Nutrition coaches can personalize their nutrition advice and behavioral change tips to the individual client, but they typically can’t provide prescribed meal plans for clients if they are not registered dietitians.

For example, a nutrition coach may tell a client what the official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines for Americans are, share recipes, talk about the research regarding specific diets — such as low-carbohydrate or calorie restriction diets — or show clients strategies for timing meals to match their lifestyle and scheduling considerations.

A nutrition coach may not, however, develop a meal plan for managing a chronic condition or diagnose an eating disorder — these are examples of what a clinician would do, and that typically requires a registered dietitian credential.

What is the difference between a nutrition coach, a nutritionist and a dietitian?

Nutrition coaches, nutritionists and dietitians all advise clients on nutrition and may all use the job title ‘nutritionist,’ but there are distinct differences between nutrition coaches and dietitians in terms of training, certification and what they can do for patients. It’s important to know the differences and similarities:

• Nutrition coach: A professional who shares general nutrition information and guides, supports and holds clients accountable as they pursue their nutrition goals. Nutrition coaches can’t prescribe medication or diet plans, give therapy or diagnose nutrition-related conditions. Nutrition coaches are not legally required to have formal training or certification, unlike dietitians.

  The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) is an accrediting organization that trains and provides nutrition coaching credentials, but you do not have to receive accreditation from NASM to become a nutrition coach.

  Many nutrition-focused programs and courses are available through colleges and universities, private online programs and other resources.

• Dietitian: A dietitian is certified as a Registered Dietitian (RD) and is a medical professional. There are specific laws and standards governing who can call themselves an RD.

  To certify, RDs must earn a minimum of a graduate degree or complete a qualifying graduate-level program recognized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), pass a national exam and meet state-specific requirements.

• Nutritionist: Because there often aren’t specific regulations on using the nutritionist job title, no formal training or certification is required in many states. Nutrition coaches, dietitians and others may all call themselves nutritionists, depending on where they practice. All dieticians are nutritionists but not all nutritionists are RDs.

Since requirements vary from location to location, it’s worthwhile for aspiring nutrition coaches to investigate their state’s licensing and practice requirements to make sure they’re able to practice legally with the credentials and training they have or plan to earn.

Unfortunately, these standards aren’t very uniform in the U.S. For nutrition coaches planning to work online with clients, this also may mean restricting practice to specific states.

Whether clients looking for nutrition advice should work with a nutrition coach, RD or nutritionist depends on their goals or the level of expertise they need. Nutrition coaches often support people in changing their diets and can share recipes and resources with their clients.

Dietitians can prescribe diets and provide clinical nutrition care for specialized health conditions, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, customizing nutritional goals and food plans.

People with complex nutrition questions or needs should usually connect with RDs first. Many nutrition clients could see either a dietitian or a nutrition coach since there is some overlap in training between the two.

Clients looking for basic nutrition advice may choose whatever nutrition services their health insurance covers. Some insurers don’t cover nutrition coaching services, so patients should check with their insurer first. Nutrition coaches may refer clients requiring counseling, treatment for an eating disorder, food plan customization or specialist nutrition support to a clinician such as an RD, psychologist or physician.

How to become a nutrition coach

To become a nutrition coach, you can enroll in a training program to learn about nutrition and how to work with coaching clients. Although there aren’t specific requirements for becoming a nutrition coach, you’ll typically need a solid nutrition education and know how to work well with people.

Knowing about the latest research on managing stress, sleeping well, exercising and building good eating habits is helpful as you guide your clients toward their goals. A good nutrition coach encourages clients to think carefully about their relationship with food and healthy habits such as portion control, minimizing the consumption of ultra-processed foods, reducing sugar intake and eating enough fiber and protein.

Training programs can lead to a certification in nutrition coaching, an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or graduate degree such as a Master’s or doctoral degree. Some programs offer job placement assistance or provide an alumni network to help graduates find jobs. Programs generally take between one month to several years to complete, depending on whether you enroll in a certification or degree program.

Once you complete your education, nutrition coaches can find work in gyms and fitness clubs, schools, workplaces and community organizations as well as in private practice and remote positions.

With telehealth increasingly popular and accessible, many people now seek out online telehealth nutrition coaching such as provided by Noom so coaches may find employment at companies like this as well.

Bottom line

Nutrition coaches empower their clients to make more effective nutritional choices and focus on behavioral strategies. The key benefits of nutrition coaching for clients are accountability, professional insight into nutrition goal setting and guidance on behavioral modifications.

With the range of food challenges people experience today, having a knowledgeable coach can help you transform your relationship with food and achieve your wellness goals by targeting root causes with meaningful interventions.