For the most part, basic nutrition is pretty straightforward, but the fact that your clients are constantly bombarded with different diet theories and varying research results quickly and constantly clouds what they think they know and often makes clients second guess their choices.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, these are some of the most common eating, nutrition and diet questions you will be asked by your clients.
What’s the best diet to follow?
All dietary protocols have their pros and cons. Your job is to help each client find the approach that works best for them, whether it be Paleo or vegan, high carb or low carb, tight budget or unlimited funds. The human body is amazingly adaptable to a vast array of diets. And the best diet is the one that both matches the client’s unique physiology and is something they enjoy enough to follow consistently.
Do I need to count calories?
Weight management is a pretty simple equation. Eat more calories than you burn, and you gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you burn, and you lose weight. Counting calories is an external system (outside of your body). You’re outsourcing hunger and appetite awareness to the calorie counting gods. Which trains you to ignore your own internal signals. Long-term success relies on you developing and using your inborn signaling systems. Which is why calorie counting, while it sometimes produces results in the short-run, can often backfire in the long-run.
Should I avoid carbs?
Carbs are not inherently fattening, especially whole food sources. And getting adequate carbs can help most clients exercise harder and recover better, optimizing progress. Most clients would do best eating a moderate amount of quality carbs—whole grains, fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, and legumes, etc.
How important is ‘when’ I eat?
What’s most important is that clients make high-quality nutrition choices, consistently, whenever it works for them. For your average client, as long as they eat good foods in reasonable amounts, timing doesn’t really matter. Meal timing can be helpful for a very small subset of the population. For everyone else, it can add unnecessary complexity.
How can I improve my sleep and stress management?
Sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to improving your health, performance, and body composition. Simple changes like creating a sleep routine or schedule, limiting alcohol and caffeine intake during the day (but especially in the evening!), and choosing a destressing activity before bed can help your clients sleep better.
With stress, it’s all about finding balance. Too much or the wrong kind of stress can harm our health. But, positive stress can keep us focused, alert, and at the top of our game. It is very important to coach your clients on strategies and skills to view and handle their stress load appropriately.
What’s Next?
If you want to help clients with food, diet, weight management and improving the results of their fitness routines, the Fitness Nutrition Coach course is for you. You will learn about optimal nutrition, including proven techniques for increasing energy, optimal health and decreased dependence on medications. Instantly increase your job and career opportunities with this popular professional credential.
Become a Lifestyle Weight Management Specialist. Help your clients achieve their weight loss or weight management goals using the latest proven strategies.
You can become a Certified Personal Fitness Chef and expand your current personal chef business, or add a new profit center for your fitness or wellness business. Many personal chefs cook and coach people in groups to help more people and earn more money per hour. Some chefs provide weekly meal prep service for health-minded customers and athletes.
Check out what it takes to start a career in personal fitness training. This is your most affordable and fastest way to become a highly qualified personal trainer.
NESTA coaching programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn and help others. There are no prerequisites.
That’s it for now.
Take action!
PS: Click here to see many helpful business/career resources
