Key Takeaways
- Nutrition coaches work with clients to help them meet their health goals through dietary changes.
- Not all nutrition coaches are created equal. Check your provider’s credentials and education to ensure they’re qualified to give you nutrition advice.
- While searching for a nutrition coach, determine if they take your insurance, can accommodate your desired appointment frequency, and have specialties that align with your health goals.
If you’re interested in changing the way you eat to meet specific health goals, you may be looking into professional support in the form of a nutrition coach.
Research shows that working with nutrition professionals like registered dietitians can improve diet quality and health metrics. However, not all nutrition coaches are qualified to give evidence-based nutrition advice.
Continue reading to learn more about nutrition coaches, their credentials, and when to work with one.
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What is a Nutrition Coach?
A nutrition coach is a nutrition professional who provides outpatient counseling to help you modify your diet to meet your health goals.
These providers utilize techniques like motivational interviewing to support you in making realistic and sustainable changes.
The term “nutrition coach” isn’t a protected title, meaning there aren’t specific certifications or regulations these providers must meet.
For this reason, you may see several types of nutrition professionals refer to their services as nutrition coaching.
These may include:
- Registered dietitian (RD).
- Registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
- Health coach.
- Wellness coach.
- Nutritionist.
Credentials and Education
These providers have varying qualifications and experience, making it essential to check their credentials and education before selecting a nutrition coach to work with.
Registered Dietitians
An RD is the most qualified nutrition professional to provide nutrition coaching services.
They utilize “medical nutrition therapy (MNT),” which is nutrition counseling to address or prevent health conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
“Registered dietitian” and “registered dietitian nutritionist” are the same title and reflect extensive education and training.
To become an RD, providers must complete:
- A graduate degree from an accredited college.
- Minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice.
- Must pass the national RD exam.
- Must complete 75 hours of continuing education every five years.
Health and Wellness Coaches
Health and wellness coaches are trained to help individuals reach their self-determined health goals.
Their scope may include general nutrition advice as well as other positive lifestyle habits like sleep and stress management. These providers are not certified to provide medical nutrition therapy.
Their process involves building self-awareness and recognizing your strengths to make progress toward a healthy lifestyle.
To become a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), providers must complete:
- An approved training program.
- 50 coaching sessions.
- Pass a national exam.
- 36 continuing education units every three years.
Research shows that many people who offer health and wellness coaching services haven’t completed training from an approved program and don’t have the NBC-HWC credential.
Nutritionists
Nutritionists may offer similar services as RDs and health coaches, but their qualifications vary greatly depending on state laws.
In many states, people without any formal education or training can call themselves nutritionists.
On the other hand, some nutritionists have earned a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) title, which requires an advanced degree from an accredited program, supervised practice hours, and a certification exam.
Benefits of Working with a Nutrition Coach
A qualified nutrition coach can evaluate your diet and identify areas to improve in order to meet your health goals.
They will help you break down your long-term nutrition goals into smaller action items and provide accountability over time.
Making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing certain conditions and help you manage any current conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
A systematic review from 2017 found that nutrition counseling performed by registered dietitians in the primary care setting can effectively:
- Improve diet quality.
- Reduce blood sugar and A1c levels in people with diabetes.
- Lower body weight and waist circumference.
- Encourage healthy weight gain during pregnancy.
Additionally, a 2018 systematic review found that people with high cholesterol who received multiple sessions of medical nutrition therapy from a registered dietitian experienced improvements in:
- Cholesterol levels.
- Body mass index.
- Blood sugar management.
- Blood pressure levels.
Who Can Benefit From a Nutrition Coach?
Working with a well-qualified nutrition coach may be helpful if you want to improve your diet to support your overall health and well-being.
If you have specific health conditions, a registered dietitian can counsel you on how dietary changes may help you manage these.
Dietitians can provide medical nutrition therapy for diagnoses such as:
- Diabetes.
- Kidney disease.
- Digestive diseases like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- Cancer.
- Eating disorders.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol.
- Weight management.
Lastly, nutrition coaching may be helpful if you are in a specific life stage, such as pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you’re an athlete.
Finding the Best Nutrition Coach
The most important step in finding a nutrition coach is to verify their credentials and that they’re qualified to provide the type of nutrition advice you seek.
Then, you can narrow your search further by learning about each provider’s nutrition philosophy, specialties, and availability.
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Identifying Your Health Goals
Think about what you’d like to get from your nutrition coaching sessions. Start by writing down a list of your big-picture health goals related to nutrition.
For example, this may look like:
- Have better energy levels.
- Improve my gut health.
- Prevent diabetes.
Not only can this help you find a nutrition coach who can address your specific concerns, you can share your list with them at the consultation to help guide the visit.
Researching Potential Nutrition Coaches
After finding a few qualified nutrition coaches, you can research their specialties to find a provider with experience in the nutrition topics you’re interested in.
While some nutrition coaches counsel on general healthy eating, others specialize in a specific area, like gut health, diabetes, or women’s health.
Additionally, registered dietitians can become board-certified specialists or earn certifications in specific topics, such as:
- Oncology (cancer) nutrition.
- Obesity and weight management.
- Sports dietetics.
- Renal (kidney) nutrition.
- Eating disorders.
Questions to Ask Potential Nutrition Coaches
Some nutrition coaches offer a free discovery phone call where you can ask questions and determine whether or not the provider will be a good fit for you. In some cases, much of this information will be available on their website.
Some examples of questions to consider include:
- What training, education, and certifications do you have?
- Do you have any specialties?
- What is your nutrition philosophy?
- How often would we have a visit?
- Can I contact you between appointments?
- Do you accept my insurance?
Evaluating the Compatibility and Fit
During the discovery call or initial appointment, you can also determine if the nutrition coach fits your personality well.
Finding a nutrition provider you feel comfortable with and who you trust may take a couple of tries.
Every nutrition coach will have a slightly different counseling and goal-setting style, so be sure to communicate with your provider the type of guidance you need to be successful.
Type and Frequency of Visits
When you’ve found a nutrition coach you’d like to move forward with, it’s important to discuss their schedule availability.
First, ask about appointment frequency. Some nutrition coaches offer weekly sessions, while others may do monthly appointments.
Next, ask about the format of the visits. Are they in-person or virtual? You may prefer one over another, and this can impact your decision.
Lastly, inquire about how you can contact your nutrition coach between appointments. Some coaches offer secure messaging through a secure online portal, while others are available via texting.
Red Flags
There are a few red flags to be aware of while searching for a nutrition coach and during your sessions. These include:
- Lack of relevant education, training, and credentials.
- Promising a quick fix or results that sound “too good to be true.”
- Unable to provide research to back their claims.
- Selling an expensive supplement regimen.
- Recommending highly restrictive diets, fad diets, or an “all or nothing approach.”
Cost
It’s important to make sure you understand any out-of-pocket costs that will be associated with your nutrition coaching appointments. A consultation with a nutrition coach averages between $100-200 without insurance.
This cost may be higher or lower depending on the location and the credentials of the provider.
Insurance
Many private insurance plans cover outpatient nutrition counseling services. However, there may be limitations depending on your specific plan.
For example, your insurance may only cover visits conducted by registered dietitians, not nutritionists or health and wellness coaches.
Additionally, your coverage may be limited to specific diagnoses. Medicare only covers nutrition counseling for people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Lastly, some nutrition providers don’t accept insurance at all and have a cash-pay business model, where all fees are out-of-pocket.
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Takeaway
Several types of nutrition providers offer nutrition coaching, including registered dietitians and board-certified health and wellness coaches.
You may seek these services if you want to improve your diet to address a health concern or if you want to focus on your overall health and well-being.
Nutrition coaches can have a wide range of experience and education, making it important to research your provider beforehand.
How a Dietitian Can Help
Registered dietitians are the most qualified to provide medical nutrition therapy, which is nutrition counseling to address health concerns like diabetes or high cholesterol.
A dietitian can counsel you on evidence-based changes you can make to improve your health and well-being.
They will also help you set realistic and sustainable goals for meaningful change.
Find a registered dietitian who accepts your insurance to get started on your health journey.
Do you have any of these insurances?
Frequently Asked Questions
When searching for a nutrition coach, first look at the education and credentials of the different providers.
In some states, anyone can call themselves a nutrition coach, so it’s important to choose someone qualified, like a registered dietitian or a board-certified health and wellness coach.
Next, consider why you seek nutrition coaching.
If you want to change your diet to address a health condition, a registered dietitian will be the most qualified to guide you.
Additionally, consider any specialties you’d like your provider to have, such as diabetes or sports nutrition.
A consultation with a nutrition coach will cost between $100-200 out-of-pocket, though this can vary depending on the provider’s specialties and credentials.
The fee may be greater in areas with a high cost of living.
Check with your insurance because many plans cover nutrition services.
However, there may be limitations on the type of provider you can see, the number of appointments, and the reason for the visits.
In many states, the terms “nutritionist” and “nutrition coach” are not protected titles, meaning anyone can call themselves a nutritionist.
When searching for a nutritionist or nutrition coach, check their credentials.
The following providers undergo specialized education and supervised practice hours and must pass a certification exam.
- Registered dietitian (RD).
- Board-certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC).
- Certified nutrition specialist (CNS).
Registered dietitians are most qualified to provide medical nutrition therapy (nutrition counseling for specific health conditions), while other certified nutrition providers may give general healthy eating advice.
