What is a Health Coach?

Many have asked about the certification process to become a health coach, and what a health coach really does, so I thought I would share a little about the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and how it has helped me reach my career goals and helped shape who I am today.

When I decided I wanted to help athletes and post-sport athletes understand how to fuel their bodies, exercise for both their sport and once they are finished competing, as well as deal with the mental toughness it takes to be an athlete and psychological impact when an athlete “retires,” I searched for a program that went beyond nutrition. I searched for a program that took into account all the other things that nourish us besides food and would teach me how to coach people effectively no matter what the problem was for them.

The reality is that I didn’t have the money or time to go back to school full time to become a Registered Dietitian, or to get my Master’s in Sports Psychology or Counseling. I needed a program that was intensive and extensive enough to be taken seriously (longer than just a few months to actually learn something), but flexible enough so I could still complete a program while working full time. Around the time I was searching, I was talking to various health professionals in my area for some direction. A health coach at a local athletic club explained her work and the online program that got her there, and I was intrigued. Not only did it give her the qualifications to help people with nutrition, but also changed the way she views food and feeds her family.

So what is a health coach?

I love the way graduate Sarah Wilson (author of I Quit Sugar) puts it on her blog: “A health coach is to a nutritionist what a personal trainer is to a physiotherapist. Or, a health coach is to a nutritionist what a life coach is to a psychologist. A health coach steers and motivates clients to fulfill their health outcomes.”

We are not nutritionists. If you come to me, I won’t be giving you an exact meal plan for you to follow to solve all your problems. However, I do have a basic understanding of biochemistry and how foods affect the body to help you figure out how to best fuel yourself for your goals. A health coach’s approach is to review your health history, discuss your goals, and together work on the areas you would like to see improvement.

Every person is different. There is no meal plan that works for everyone.

After each session, you are given a focus for the next week or two, and then we discuss how it went, build upon it, work on something new, etc. It’s about making gradual changes for an improvement in your lifestyle, not giving you a food plan that you will follow for a few weeks or months but won’t be able to maintain. We address not only the food that goes into your mouth, but what’s going on in your life that is making you choose those foods (issues in relationships, career, physical activity, and spirituality – whatever that means for you). The point is to support you in reaching your goals and train you to heal yourself in the future.

IIN brings in experts from more than 100 different dietary theories – from raw foods to paleo diets, high carb, low carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan… you name it. Understanding these theories help us to narrow down what works best for each person. The class has also opened my eyes about what’s going on in our food industry today and has made me passionate about finding the best food to put into my body so that I’m able to function the best I can.

The great thing is that graduates are able to apply this knowledge to what they already know. I use this information, my 15 years in competitive sports (including at the college level), and knowledge of the body through my personal training certification to help athletes understand how to fuel and support their bodies and minds in and out of their sport. Other graduates focus on their expertise, like coaching moms to cook healthier for their families, or working with corporations to create a healthier environment for their workers.

Interested in learning more about the course?

IIN is the world’s largest nutrition school. It offers a regular 12-months and accelerated 6-months online program from which you graduate as a Certified Holistic Health Coach. The course is designed for anyone who is passionate about health and wellness, whether it is for career reasons or personal reasons. You could be interested in learning more about nutrition for your own personal benefits, launching a new and exciting career or adding to your existing degrees in health and fitness! Either way, IIN will empower you to transform your life and put you on the path to achieving your personal health and wellness goals as well as your professional goals in the health and wellness space. It is a respected market leader in the industry with over 28 years of experience, and in the last 10 years has gone completely online.

Over the years, IIN has evolved into the world’s largest integrative wellness education platform in a landmark partnership with Chopra Global (Chopra).  In 2023, Dr. Deepak Chopra was named Chief Wellness Officer and will be supporting IIN directly in furthering their shared mission to heal the world. In this role, Dr. Chopra will advise on course content creation and strategy. Working together to expand and elevate all courses, products, and services, IIN will provide even more opportunities for communities to thrive in their life, health, and career. This is such an exciting time to look into studying at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition!

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is recognized by the New York State Department of Education. It is the ONLY health coaching program out there that has this level of accreditation and that enables you to be accredited globally. You can even transfer the certificate towards up to 40 collage credits for a bachelor or master’s to over 1500 school in the US and also some overseas universities, if you choose to go down that path. After you’ve graduated, you can also get an international health coach certification to further your standing in the international community.

As an ambassador of the course, I’m proud to be able to offer you 20% off IIN’s ‘The Health Coach Training Program ™’ course. To get this incredible discount, simply head to the IIN website using this link and the tuition savings offer will be automatically applied at checkout. You can also use KATIEHARGRAVE20 at checkout to receive 20% off.

The great news? This offer applies to all of IIN’s courses*, not just the the Health Coach Training Program ™. Since I studied at IIN, they have expanded their offering to include a wonderful array of shorter, more specialized courses that you can add on to the Core Programs or enroll in as a stand-alone course. Here’s the full list:

Health Coaching Certificates

• Core Programs
  • The Health Coach Training Program ™
  • Chopra Coaching Certification

All Health & Wellness Courses

• Chopra Meditation Certification
• Chopra Health Certification
• Chopra Yoga 200-Hour Certification
• IIN Hormone Health Course
• IIN Gut Health Course
• Ayurveda for Balance: Chopra Health Enrichment
• Deepening Your Practice: Chopra Meditation Enrichment
• IIN Emotional Eating Course
• IIN Nutrition for Life
• IIN Whole Person Health Course
• IIN Detox Your Life
• Chopra Yoga Foundations
• Chopra Meditation Foundations
• Chopra Health Foundations
• IIN Launch Your Dream Book

*All courses except Coaching Intensive Practicum (CIP); it is excluded from any promotions. 

Because I am an ambassador of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition program, I am paid a commission when someone enrolls in the course having learned about it through me, and I am also able to offer discounts. If you are interested in learning more about the program, email me at katie@athletessoul.org.