A wellness/nutrition coach cannot diagnose conditions; counsel or treat diseases, clinical disorders and symptoms; or prescribe specific diet plans. In order to clear up any confusion about what you can expect from working with a wellness/nutrition coach, I wanted to provide a short & sweet post about what is within a wellness/nutrition coach’s scope of practice. Let’s get on the same page and level set expectations of what a wellness/nutrition coach can do and when you should see a registered dietitian or other qualified healthcare professional.
When to Not Work with a Wellness/Nutrition Coach
If you’re looking for a specifically prescribed meal plan/diet/supplement/medication, you should work with a registered dietitian or other medically licensed professional.
If you’re looking to be guided through an extreme protocol such as drastic calorie restriction, you should work with a registered dietitian or other properly licensed medical professional.
If you’re looking for a diagnosis, counseling, or prescription for any symptoms, conditions, diseases, or disorders, you should see a licensed healthcare professional.
If you’re looking for clinical nutrition advice aimed at treating disease or clinical disorders and their symptoms, you should see a properly licensed professional.
If you're looking for clinical nutrition advice such as understanding how your body reacts to certain foods and your blood levels, you should see a properly licensed professional.
If you have or had a clinical condition, have/had a disease or disorder that affects dietary choices (or vice versa), or suffer from disordered eating, you should consult your registered dietitian or other qualified medical/healthcare professional.
What a Wellness/Nutrition Coach Can Do
A wellness/nutrition coach’s role is primarily to educate, demonstrate, & guide discussion.
A wellness/nutrition coach can:
★ Teach health benefits of food groups
★ Encourage healthy dietary patterns & provide general guidance regarding dietary habits
★ Teach healthy portion sizes
★ Teach how to read food labels
★ Debunk nutrition myths
★ Educate about how to shop for healthy groceries & how to maintain healthy dietary habits when you’re eating out, at a party, or somewhere where you don’t have control over the food
★ Demonstrate meal prepping & cooking skills
★ Discuss pros/cons & educate about the scientific backing of various diets & strategies
★ Calculate caloric & macronutrient amounts
Unless the coach is otherwise licensed, a wellness/nutrition coach cannot:
★ Prescribe a diet or meal plan
★ Diagnose or treat a condition, including eating disorders
★ Provide clinical nutrition advice aimed to treat a disease or its symptoms
★ Suggest or advise against medications that are clinically prescribed
★ Contradict recommendations of a client’s physician or other qualified healthcare professional
What to Expect When Working with a Wellness/Nutrition Coach around Nutrition
Typically, working with a wellness/coach may look like:
★ The coach will ask you what your goals are
★ The coach will ask you if you have any medical history they should know about
★ The coach will ask you if your qualified healthcare professional would be interested in working together as part of your wellness team, if necessary
★ The coach will let you know what is within their scope to help you with & refer you when necessary
Scenarios Where You Can Work with a Wellness/Nutrition Coach
★ You want to learn nutrition basics & benefits
★ You’re curious or want to understand your current nutrition & dietary habits as well as where you may be able to generally improve or optimize
★ If you’re looking to learn about healthy dietary habits & how to implement them into your life
★ You’re confused about nutrition, myths & misinformation
★ You want encouragement and coaching to set goals, overcome obstacles, & adhere to your nutrition plan. Often doctors may prescribe you something and it’s up to you to follow through. That’s where a coach can come in, to help you follow through!
Still Not Sure? Just Ask!
Feel free to ask about your situation. Most wellness/nutrition coaches will be happy to help you as best they can! A good wellness/nutrition coach will know when to refer you and how to work as part of your wellness team.
Lastly, if you are considering working on improving nutrition and how you nourish yourself, major kudos to you! Being intentional, educated, and strategic with your nutrition is admirable and an important part of being healthy & well!