AFPA Health and Fitness Blog

Every nutritionist is invested in the health of his or her clients—after all, most choose the profession as a way to make a difference in the lives of others and encourage better lifestyle behaviors.

At a time when half of all Americans—roughly 117 million people—have preventable chronic diseases, there is no denying that nutrition plays a critical role in helping to prevent these illnesses. As a result of this health crisis, more and more people are feeling empowered to embrace a healthier lifestyle every single day.  

If nutrition is your passion, it makes sense that you’d want to turn it into a profession—either as a full-time career or a part-time pursuit. But there isn’t one distinct path to earning the necessary education. Instead, you have several options to consider in terms of education, and what you choose will be based on factors like schedule flexibility, affordability, preferred focus areas, and timeframe.

When it comes to nutrition education, there are a number of programs that can promise enough breadth and depth to launch you into a career as a nutrition professional. But not all programs are equal—some have distinctive attributes that set them apart. Consider these top qualities as you’re comparing programs and deciding which to choose:

When Idaho resident Katie Hug reached 270 pounds, becoming a personal trainer wasn’t on her mind.

She was taking a long list of medications. She felt tired and hungry most of the time. And in between chasing three little kids around, she ate...a lot. It was her way of dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression.

Do you wake up feeling refreshed and energized because you can’t wait to start your work for the day? Are you constantly amazed by how committed, passionate, and motivated you feel, thanks to your career choice? If these feelings seem like they only happen to other people, you might be ready for a career shift.

Numerous bloggers and food writers dispense nutritional advice with ease, and some don't even cite any particular studies or research, they just seem to be coming up with these "insights" on their own. But for those who want to offer nutritional advice on a more professional basis, it's crucial to understand that advice must be delivered in a way that's credible, correct, and legal.

The human body is composed of approximately 60 percent water. In 1921 the recommendation of drinking 8 cups of water per day was based on a researcher who measured his water intake to his urine output as well as the color of his urine.  This became the recommendation for decades and a wise recommendation from grandma as well.

Television is full of commercials of celebrities and retired professional athletes that promote weight loss shakes and weight loss programs to “Crush Your CravingsTM”. The list of ingredients for these products reads like a who’s who of what not to put into your body.  

If your goal is to drop bodyweight it is important to recognize that your actual goal should be weight lost in terms of “fat weight”, not just water weight and lean body mass.  I am all for losing that extra “10 pound dumbbell” someone is carrying around, and for having a smaller waist circumference, as it carries with it many health benefits.