Nutrition coaching is a service provided by trained professionals that aims to help clients make better choices around food. This could be with the aim to achieve a specific health outcome or just to improve general wellbeing.

Improving mental and physical fitness has been a high priority for many in a post-pandemic world but, for many, nutrition can often be the forgotten element in the holistic health equation.

We’ve all heard of the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, but eating healthily in the modern era, can be more complicated than ever, which is why the idea of a nutrition coach can be an appealing one for many.

Why is there a need for nutrition coaches?

Diet and nutrition is a powerful tool when it comes to achieving health outcomes. From reducing stress to improving sleep, losing excess weight to helping attain fitness goals, eating right is proven to help both body and mind.

But while it may seem like a simple enough prospect, eating a balanced diet isn’t as easy as it once was - even for those that want to.

Supermarkets are designed to charm consumers into spending more money but not necessarily to make healthier decisions. 

In the attempt to select healthy food customers can easily be conned into buying heavily-processed and low-nutrition items if they believe the marketing claims on the packet.

From protein bars, enriched with any number of health-promises, to the (largely unregulated) supplement market that seemingly has an answer for every ailment under the sun, it’s no wonder people are confused when it comes to what to eat.

A nutrition coach is someone that can help clients cut through the jargon and make healthier choices for themselves and their families - without needing a dietician degree just to decipher a label on a packet.

Who benefits from seeing a nutrition coach?

A nutrition coach will help clients in very different life stages support their bodies with a balanced diet. 

This can include: 

• Pre and post-natal women
• The elderly and aging
• Athletes with specific performance goals
• Those who wish to boost their immunity or gut health
• Clients who wish to lose weight
• Clients wishing to switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet
• Clients wishing to eat a more sustainable diet
• Those with particular health issues such as intolerances to dairy or gluten

By addressing the changing needs of clients at their particular stage a nutrition coach can help them start to feel better overall and even reduce anxiety levels, according to Harvard.  

How does a nutrition coach help clients?

A nutrition coach will assess the regular diet of the client and address any nutritional gaps, tailoring a program specifically to the individual and their needs.

This can help clients: 

• Reduce processed sugar in their overall diet
• Reduce dependence on heavily processed foods with minimal nutritional value
• Educate them around healthy fats
• Help them to optimise the body’s uptake of essential vitamins and minerals

Health outcomes that nutrition coaching can assist with include:

• Weight loss
• Reduced likelihood of serious disease
• Lower anxiety levels
• Better sleep

3 reasons to have a nutrition coach at your gym

There are a few main benefits a trained nutrition coach can bring to your gym:

1. Increase membership value for the client

The best way to maintain and grow a regular client base is to ensure you're providing value at every opportunity.

Regardless of the cost, a regular membership fee will seem expensive if the client doesn't see value in what your business is providing.

Nutrition coaching can help clients get more out of their membership, even if it's supplied at additional cost, because you've made it easy for them to access and participate.

2. Standing out from the crowd

Providing a service that no one else does is a fantastic way to stand out from other businesses in the area. 

Clients will appreciate the holistic approach to health and fitness and know that they can rely on you to help them achieve their goals.

3. Increasing leads

One of the best things about eating is its social nature.

So encourage clients to share their experiences with their loved-ones as this will help spread the word about your business.

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