Nutritionist vs Nutrition Coach vs Health Coach vs Registered Dietician - What’s the difference? Which is better?
Apr 17, 2023There are so many different health practitioners out there these days, from nutritionists to dieticians, and the booming coaching industry has added another layer with certified health coaches, nutrition coaches, and even holistic health coaches. It may also seem like they’re all saying different things about their qualifications, and everyone has an opinion on who’s “right”.
With the abundance of information out there all coming from different types of people, it can be hard to decide who to listen to, and who to hire if you’re looking for more guidance. So let’s go through them together.
What’s the difference between a nutritionist, a nutrition coach, a health coach, and a registered dietician?
In my opinion, we’re all trying to help people feel better at the end of the day. However, there are a few key differences in what all of these titles represent. Some things to consider are:
- Qualifications: Registered dieticians probably have the most intense schooling and certification process out of the bunch. They are nutrition experts who have met certain criteria in order to obtain professional credentials. Nutritionists would be next up as a person who completes a degree in nutrition, however this can vary state by state. Coaches are those that have gone through some kind of coaching certification program usually outside of the traditional classroom in a university setting.
- Regulations: Each state has different regulations for professionals that want to call themselves dieticians or nutritionists. This is especially true for nutritionists, so make sure to look into where the professional you’re eyeing is practicing and what the state regulations are. Coaches can be certified through certain private credentialing bodies and don’t require a state license to practice.
- Approach & Style: Due to the nature of the licensure process, each practitioner will take a different approach in their practice. Dieticians and nutritionists may use a more clinical approach whereas coaches may take more of an open and client-led approach. This also varies person to person and depends on the background of the practitioner. So personality, personal history, and additional qualifications will play a role.
Which is better & how to pick the right person for you?
This is such a valid question! My answer is that it depends on you. Questions I’d ask are what are you looking for help with? What is your personal health history? What are your goals? What are you currently doing for yourself? What are your biggest struggles?
Personally, I combine all of my experiences in functional nutrition, personal training, behavior change & life coaching, inner child healing, and EFT, along with my qualifications in trauma-informed coaching and codependency awareness for a holistic mind-body-soul approach to reaching your goals. A lot of the work I do is emotionally deeper than most nutrition coaches and registered dieticians. My personality is to dig deep - I never did well socializing in large groups because I don’t enjoy surface level conversations. I want to know everything about a person and their life story. My belief is that everything is connected and it all matters.
This approach isn’t for everyone, though! My clients all have a willingness to be vulnerable and go there. They also share the belief that everything is connected and it all matters. This is what makes us work well together.
I have some friends that focus only on food and behavior change coaching in their practice. Some others know a lot more about exercise physiology and building confidence in the gym. And a few others that enjoy helping people specifically with chronic illness navigate their nutrition and exercise programs.
When deciding who you want to work with, make sure you feel a connection to them, whether that’s their personal story, personality, qualifications, or the way in which they practice. You will always do better with someone that you connect with. Take the time to get to know them a bit before diving in. They will appreciate this too - I know I do! I have a connection call with clients before we work together because I want to know if they are a good fit for me, too. Think of it like a little interview process before taking on the job!
Of course, I can’t wrap this up without giving you a link to schedule a connection call with me. If my qualifications and style speak to you, I invite you to interview me for the job! I take my 1:1 work very seriously and really enjoy this initial connection piece - it’s exciting to see where a new potential client is starting and hear what their hopes are for themselves! I believe if you can dream it, you can have it - and I want to help you get there. And if we aren’t a good fit, I can probably recommend someone that would be able to help you better than I can.
No matter who you end up working with, I’m always rooting for you!