The Secrets Of The World’s Best Nutrition Coaches

Nutrition coaching is more about guiding than directing

I’ve been a consummate dieter for the better part of the last two decades and learned practically everything you can about nutrition through a slog of ups and downs.

I’ve lost and subsequently gained more pounds than most people can fathom, which is why I emphasize being a “guide by your side” when helping others. The best way to learn is through experience, and directing someone’s diet outcomes robs them of that opportunity. Nutrition coaches excel in creating effective, personalized diet plans not through hidden secrets but through a deep understanding of nutrition, human behavior, and psychology. My approach is less about strict rules and more about guiding individuals to make better food choices. Avoidance of macronutrients (like carbs) and other restrictive measures may work for a short time, but they never work long-term.

A coach's main goal is to produce sustainable outcomes for their clients and ultimately work themselves out of a job.

By understanding and applying these strategies, anyone can improve their approach to diet planning.

Holistic Assessment

Nutrition coaches start with a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s lifestyle, eating habits, health history, and preferences. This holistic view is crucial for creating a diet plan that’s not only effective but also sustainable. As a coach and not a clinician, I don’t make this process too complex. I ask a set of pretty simple, straightforward questions to start:

• Are you currently eating a certain way?
• How much protein are you getting?
• How much water do you drink?
• What have you tried in the past?

Then, I provide some context and ask them for their preferences within that frame.

Usually, the conversation is about eating more protein and behavioral strategies to ensure adequate and proper intake. That’s it.

Goal Setting

Setting clear, achievable goals is a fundamental step. Coaches help clients define realistic goals that motivate and guide their dietary choices, ensuring these goals are specific and realistic. Clients usually want to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time. That’s not unusual because they are most likely unhappy and want to get results. However, it is important to reframe the conversation around a few critical facts:

• If it took you 10 years to gain a certain amount of weight, it will subsequently take some time to lose it. I like to ask the question, “What do you want to look like a year from now?”
• A proven and sustainable amount of weight to lose every week is 2 lbs. At first, more will come off but don’t plan for and expect more than that.
• Daily process goals are more important than weight loss. Focus on the process, and the outcome will take care of itself.

Like the great head coach of the San Francisco 49ers once said, “I directed our focus less to the prize of victory than to the process of improving ─ obsessing, perhaps, about the quality of our execution and the content of our thinking; that is, our actions and attitude.” — Bill Walsh, The Score Takes Care Of Itself

Behavioral Change Techniques

Nutrition coaches use techniques like motivational interviewing and habit formation strategies to encourage behavioral change. These techniques help clients overcome barriers and establish healthier eating habits. The ultimate goal is to instill changes that last a lifetime. Coaches focus on developing healthy eating patterns that clients can maintain rather than quick fixes. Diets rarely longer than a few months, so it is about mindset, behaviors, and environment.

Together, they constitute your lifestyle and make a big impact on how you view yourself (identity).

Your identity is arguably the most important factor for success because, at some point, you’ll have to think of yourself as a person who eats healthy as opposed to a person who’s on a diet.

Focus on Whole Foods

Nutrition coaches emphasize the importance of whole, nutrient-dense foods over processed foods. This approach ensures a diet rich in essential nutrients and low in unhealthy additives. Rather than eliminating entire food groups, coaches advocate for a balanced approach that includes a variety of foods, ensuring a comprehensive nutrient intake. Coaches educate clients about the nutritional value of foods and the impact of dietary choices on health.

This knowledge empowers individuals to make informed decisions and understand the reasoning behind their diet plan.

Mindful Eating Practices

Encouraging mindful eating helps clients develop a healthier relationship with food. This includes eating slowly, savoring food, and learning to recognize hunger and fullness cues. As I mentioned in my 28-Day Nutrition Skills Challenge, most people eat for reasons other than hunger. Learning to recognize these habits and then finding ways to overcome them can be a game-changer in controlling overall caloric intake.

In Clayton Christensen’s research for his “Jobs to be done” theory, he observed that most people were buying McDonald’s milkshakes to keep them occupied during a long drive to work. For these commuters, needing something to do while driving would account for 750 calories, 137 grams of carbs, and 16 grams of fat.

That is a lot of calories unrelated to hunger. Being mindful will help you to understand why and how these calories accumulate.

Accountability and Support

Regular check-ins provide accountability, a key factor in maintaining a healthy diet. Good coaches offer support and adjustments to the diet plan as needed based on progress and feedback. I’ll also be your biggest advocate and support you regardless if you succeed or fail. Don’t get me wrong, some of the most effective coaches in the world don’t think this way, but that is not my style.

I’m more of a helper, or a changemaker, than a drill sergeant, and think about the following quote often:

“The world’s best professionals are willing to do everything it takes to understand their clients, which starts with asking great questions and then deeply, actively listening to the answers without any agenda of their own.” — Dr. John Berardi, Change Maker

Customization

One size does not fit all in diet planning. Coaches tailor plans to individual needs, considering factors like metabolic rate, activity level, allergies, and food preferences. This is an essential and widely ignored aspect of nutrition coaching. Many coaches think they have it figured out and provide the “world’s greatest template,” most likely what worked for them, and then wonder why their client resists eating tilapia six times a day. Effective coaching is not easy, and the process of asking questions, active inquiry, and motivational interviewing is what makes it different from personal training.

The ability to connect to your clients is a real skill. Listening without an intention and asking without an answer are real skills.

These are the “hidden” secrets of effective nutrition coaches, where the best professionals ask questions first and foremost.

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