Has the term “nutrition coach” piqued your curiosity?

The field of holistic nutrition, or nutrition coaching, is a specific niche within the larger health and wellness industry. This practice is often misunderstood as a health care modality and many people are curious about the work we do and the kind of care we can provide for our clients.

The Role of a Nutrition Coach:

A Holistic Nutritionist (or Nutrition Coach, as we prefer to be called) is essentially an educator, mentor, and guide to healthy living, and especially healthy eating! We’re there to teach you how to create a healthy lifestyle that supports your optimal wellness – mind, body, and spirit – and sets you up for long-term success.

While our focus is on nutrition and healthy eating habits (obviously), many clients come to us with wellness goals that extend beyond simple meal plans. As Nutrition Coaches we’re here to support you in several key areas of your wellness, including nutrition, stress management, sleep habits, and movement.

Some of the ways we can help our clients include:

• Personalized wellness plans (including diet and lifestyle recommendations)
• Learning to manage food allergies (we specialize in gluten disorders and sensitivities)
• Weight loss coaching and support
• Making healthier food choices
• Understanding basic nutrition
• Rebuilding a positive relationship with food
• Managing food cravings
• Healthy recipes
• Reading food labels
• Custom meal plans
• Improving sleep habits
• Stress management tools and strategies
• Mindfulness practices
• Establishing healthy habits and routines
• Accountability check-ins

Essentially, the role of a Nutrition Coach is to support you in changing your habits so that you can change your life. It’s your coach’s job to understand your unique wellness goals and challenges, identify any potential areas of weakness in your body systems, and provide important education to help you create diet and lifestyle habits that better serve you and support your long-term success.

What To Look for In a Nutrition Coach:

Unlike Dieticians, Holistic Nutritionists are not regulated by any government body. To be a Holistic Nutritionist, a practitioner must obtain quality education and training in the fundamentals of nutrition, but anyone can call themselves a nutritionist or health coach without any type of formal training. For this reason, it can be tough to find a practitioner you trust. It’s important to do your research and protect yourself from potentially bad outcomes with the wrong person.

One of the best things you can do before working with a Nutrition Coach is ask questions. Find out if they offer a free call or trial and take advantage of that opportunity to get to know them better.

Most importantly, find out about their approach to health and fitness. Ideally, you’re looking for someone who will listen to you and provide an individualized plan that suits your needs and goals, not someone who will just put you on some cookie-cutter diet or supplement product. Make sure they can provide a clear plan that details how they can help you navigate your unique circumstances.

At Practical Wellness we don’t do quick fixes or one-size-fits-all diets. We provide custom meal plans and individualized wellness protocols based on your past health history, your current symptomatology profile, and your unique wellness goals. Best of all, we offer a complementary coaching call to help prospective clients get to know us better, choose the best program for their unique needs, and ensure that we’re a good fit.

The Benefits of Working with a Nutrition Coach:

Working with a Nutrition Coach can be a vital step toward improving your life and taking control of your health. By making this choice, you are actively deciding to change your life for the better and making a commitment to yourself. This is huge!

We feel that there are (at least) five major benefits of working with a Nutrition Coach, including:

1. Quality nutrition education

• Most people don’t understand what really goes into the foods they eat, and we don’t blame them one bit! Making sense of the constant barrage of health information and debate surrounding fats, cholesterol, carbs, proteins, and sugar is enough to make anyone feel frustrated and overwhelmed. Working with a Nutrition Coach takes the guess work out of healthy eating and provides you with the right guidance and information, without the noise.

2. A custom plan that works for your goals and lifestyle

• Stop trying to reach your goals with outdated systems and plans that just don’t jive with your life. A Nutrition Coach will work with you to build a custom nutrition and lifestyle plan that works for you, no matter where you are right now.

3. Effective stress management tools

• Stress is an inevitable factor of life, but too many of us don’t know how to manage it. Instead, we get bogged down in a never-ending cycle of overwhelm that creates bad habits and poor health. Your Nutrition Coach is there to help you find ways to bust the stress, feel your best, and get back to the things you love. This can include breathing exercises, daily movement, mindfulness habits, and more – your coach will help you find what works for you.

4. Flexible coaching options

• Whether you feel more comfortable working with a coach 1-1 in a private setting, you prefer a more hands-off approach, or you’re the social type who benefits from group interaction, there’s a nutrition coaching program to suit your needs and set you up for success. Talk to your practitioner about their program delivery options to make sure you choose a program that fits your goals and personality.

5. Encouragement and accountability

• Changing your habits isn’t easy, especially when you feel like you’re on your own with no support. With a Nutrition Coach, you have access to a built-in cheerleader and accountability buddy to help you stay on track and focused on reaching your goals.

For more information, visit www.practicalwellnessteam.com/blog