What Does A Health Coach Do?
Health coaching is a profession based on supporting clients in a holistic and integrated manner. A health coach promotes proactive health which is about creating life-long, lifestyle habits that support optimum health and wellness. This means supporting clients to be consistent with striving for health rather than working towards avoiding symptoms and illness. Health coaching considers a variety of lifestyle factors which are unique to each individual. With health coaching, it is not one size fits all approach.
A health coach is a whole health professional specialising in behaviour change. A health coach enters a partnership with their client to assist them to achieve their goals around their health. While an expert in health and wellness, the coach realises that each client is an expert on their own life. A coach maintains a non-judgemental approach to support their clients. Through educating their clients and encouraging realistic and practical goals, the coach motivates clients to create sustainable positive changes. Read more information on What a Health Coach Does.
Can Health Coaches Give Nutritional Advice?
Educating clients on the importance of nutrition is an integral part of the relationship between coach and client. A health coach completes a full dietary analysis with their client, identifying any shortfalls. The coach will then suggest dietary ideas and use these to co-create an action plan with their client.
However, as well as this, the coach will also assess the client’s eating behaviours. A coach realises that not only what we eat, but also how we eat is equally important.
Where Do Health Coaches Work?
Many of our students are already personal trainers, integrated practitioners (such as massage therapists, reflexologists, acupuncturists) or yoga instructors, to name a few! They realise the importance of health and nutrition coaching in order to enhance the success of achieving results with their clients.
Many students also join with no background experience in health and wellness, other than a genuine interest and passion to learn more!
Either way, our graduates find a unique path on how to put their skills to best practice. Many health coaches set up their own business or work with specialist companies or clinics (some of our recent graduates are working with the NHS). They coach clients on a one to one level or group level – by doing local talks with sports clubs or organisations, or group programs in person or online. Oftentimes, those already in the corporate world, will design corporate wellness programmes.
Community work is also available through local city councils. Some of our graduates work on the ground level. They design programmes and demonstrations to support low income families on how to eat well on a budget.
Many of our graduates are successful online bloggers and influencers, and some have gone on to publish books!
Why not read about some of our Nutrition & Health Coaching graduates careers after graduation or read some testimonials of our graduates’ experiences studying with IINH?
Are Health Coaches in Demand?
A simple answer is – ABSOLUTELY! We can see how chronic illnesses, such as Type 2 diabetes, are far more prevalent. We can also see the impact this prevalence is having on our national health services.
In many cases, these illnesses are preventable, and to some extent reversible, with diet and lifestyle changes. A health coach has the tools to support and educate their clients to not only avoid illness but to support optimum health.
The demand is obvious for personalised support, rather than ‘one size fits all’ diets. Each and every client has unique needs and preferences. A health coach is equipped to provide bespoke support, meeting clients where they are at and accompanying them on their health and wellness journey.
How to Become a Health Coach?
Our programme, at IIINH, BTEC Diploma in Professional Nutrition and Health Coaching, allows you to become a Nutrition and Health Coach within 9 months.
When choosing a course, it is important to identify the qualifications of the training provider. Not all health coaching certifications are created equally, and not all health coaching courses are accredited. See our blog post on what to consider when choosing a nutrition course.
At IINH, our courses have been rigorously inspected, audited and/or approved by reputable bodies. Our Advanced Diploma in Nutrition & Health Coaching provides the BTEC qualification which is a vocational award. This means you are ready to begin coaching as soon as you graduate. The BTEC qualification is an internationally recognised health coaching accreditation.
The Advanced Diploma in Nutrition & Health Coaching is also approved by the UKIHCA, the global professional body for Health Coaches.
Due to our course being fully online, you can study from the comfort of your own home. As a result we have students studying in 45+ countries all over the world, including Switzerland, France, Poland, UK, France, Germany, Australia, United Arab Emirates, USA.. and so on!
If you think you would like to become a nutrition & health coach, learn more about our BTEC Diploma in Nutrition & Health Coaching, or schedule a call with our admissions team, with no obligation.
