If you have been considering a career in the health and fitness industry there is no better time than the present! At AFPA, we are becoming more conscious than ever about what we eat and where it comes from, especially with increasing trends towards organic, sustainable or locally grown food.
As health trends continue to rise, our culture is becoming more aware of the correlation between what we eat and how we feel; which is increasing the popularity of holistic medicines throughout the United States. What does this mean for our industry? There is now an increasing number of job opportunities within the nutrition field, including nutritional consultants. Nutrition consultants are needed in schools, sports centers, spas and health facilities. In addition to these well-established facilities, starting your own independent business is becoming increasingly popular among nutrition consultants and allows for more flexibility within your career.
What Can You Expect to Learn for Nutrition Counseling?
The coursework for this certification focuses on the basic foundations of nutrition, such as nutrition analysis and understanding macronutrients vs. micronutrients, and therapeutic nutrition, like blood sugar regulations, liver detoxification and sports nutrition. This certification will give you the education needed to assist clients with weight loss, fitness goals, or diet planning. Your clients can range from individuals with pre-existing health problems to athletes looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Nutritional counseling can be used in lots of different ways, so jobs in this field can vary. This certification is one that individuals already working in the health field might consider earning in order to expand their knowledge and career options. Registered dietitians, physicians, nurses, chiropractors or pharmacists, for example, might consider a certification in order to provide nutritional advice to their clients to promote health and control diseases within their fields of expertise.
Available Programs and Certificates
Many personal training programs offer online certificates in nutritional counseling. These programs allow you to work from home and involve the completion of a pass-fail exam in order to obtain the certification. The AFPA Nutrition and Wellness Consultant Certification provides you with all the needed coursework materials, technical support and job search assistance. A 240-question exam can be completed online or by mail and a score of 85% is needed to pass.
Check with the state you are working in to ensure you have the correct licenses and certifications needed to be considered a nutrition counselor. Once you have selected a certification program you would like to pursue, review what is expected of you in order to get certified.
As a nutritional counselor you can help your clients develop better eating habits, achieve weight loss or fitness goals, create food plans and ultimately help maintain healthy lifestyles. If you’re interested in learning more about the health and fitness industry, subscribe to our blog today!
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