Are you interested in a rewarding (and lucrative) career in healthcare? Or perhaps you are already working in healthcare as a Registered Dietician, a massage therapist, a nurse, or a personal trainer, and you are looking for ways to expand your practice, attract more clients, and help more people. Wherever you find yourself, you may want to look closely at becoming a holistic nutrition coach. 

We have compiled five essential steps to becoming a holistic nutrition coach, including an overview of how holistic nutrition certification works. First, let’s take a look at some of the big picture questions you may have.

What is a Holistic Nutrition Coach?

If you are just starting to explore holistic nutrition certification, it may be helpful to see an overview of the field itself. In an article in Well and Good, Emily Laurence explains it this way:

You know how there are trainers who help keep your fitness on point? Health coaches are trainers for other areas of your life, primarily diet and eating habits. And holistic health coaches look at the whole picture (meaning besides food) to help clients with other issues, such as time management, anxiety, and stress.

While most holistic health coaching programs spend time training students to coach on nutrition, holistic nutrition certification puts that training at the forefront.

What Can a Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach Do?

Certified nutrition coaches have many options for lucrative careers. Some work in hospitals, others in yoga studios, gyms, and wellness centers. Other holistic nutrition coaches rock the digital space as nutrition experts and influencers, some provide individual and group coaching (in person and/or online), some offer online classes, or write cookbooks. Others use the knowledge they gained in their holistic nutrition certification to write blogs and books. You’ll often find holistic nutrition coaches working closely with athletes or patients who are suffering from chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity). 

In other words, a holistic nutrition certification can open the door to a wide range of career options and ways to make a difference!

How Much Does a Holistic Nutrition Coach Make a Year?

As with most jobs, the salary range for a holistic nutrition coach varies widely and depends on many factors—including the specifics of their certification. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the average salary for health educators (and holistic nutrition coaches are certainly that) at nearly $50,000 per year.  A board-certified holistic nutritionist may make significantly more than that, and there are certainly coaches who make less. 

5 Steps to Holistic Nutrition Coach Certification

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s take a look at the five essential steps you can take to become a holistic nutrition coach.

Step 1: Evaluate your interests

The first step is to take a small step back from yourself and evaluate your interests. Obviously, if you aren’t interested in this type of work, then there’s no need to take further steps. If everything we said above is appealing to you, then there are lots of ways to get started right away!

Step 2: Do Your Research

There are a number of holistic nutrition certification options available to you, so you will want to do some thorough research on those programs. Ask questions about:

  • The duration of the program (make sure you can commit to the time they take)
  • The credentials of the instruction staff (make sure they are qualified to teach)
  • The accreditation of the program—a certificate is only as valuable as its recognition by your clients and peers, so make sure that the program has been accredited by an external organization!
  • The costs of the program
  • Where and how the program is offered. The Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Canada, for example, offers an in-person program, while Health Coach Institute will allow you to complete your holistic nutrition certification online.

Step 3: Get Certified

Once you have determined the best program for you, then it’s time to get certified! Every holistic nutrition certification program is a little bit different in terms of the length and coursework, but the best programs will combine nutrition coaching training with business management training to enable you to hit the ground running when you are done!

Step 4: Start Your Practice

Once you have completed your program, you will start putting your training to use. Whether you are adding holistic nutrition coaching to your existing coaching practice, or starting a whole new career, you should have the tools and network to take those next steps.

Step 5: Change Lives

Finally, you should be on your way to changing lives. You will find new clients, new approaches, and new ways to impact those around you. After all, isn’t that what drew you here in the first place?

If you are ready to take your next step—Health Coach Institute would love to help! 

Click here to learn more about our holistic nutrition coaching programs.

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Health Coach Institute provides aspiring Health and Life Coaches with the tools, training, and support to make a great living transforming lives.