This article helps you understand the potential use of the nutrition features in ABC Trainerize.
It's crucial to consult the governing bodies in your region to determine whether nutritional advice or services are regulated. Laws and regulations vary by state, province, city, and country, so gaining a clear understanding of these requirements will help you make informed decisions about the nutrition services that you provide.
ABC Trainerize provides this article as a guide only and assumes no responsibility or liability for the advice and services you provide. Always ensure you secure appropriate insurance coverage to protect your business.
Scope of Practice by Certification
Personal Trainers:
- Typically focus on general health and fitness guidance.
- Provide basic nutrition advice about healthy eating, food preparation, and encouraging balanced diets.
- Not qualified to offer medical or specialized nutrition plans.
Nutritionists:
- Build on the foundations provided by personal trainers by offering more specialized nutrition advice.
- May include topics like sports performance, specific macronutrient goals, and supplementation (within non-prescriptive limits) all within the scope of practice outlined in their professional certification.
- May provide more in-depth nutritional advice, within non-medical, preventative scope.
Dietitians:
- Qualified healthcare professionals are permitted to provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT).
- Can develop prescriptive nutrition plans for clients with medical conditions or complex dietary needs.
- Offer in-depth, evidence-based advice tailored to individual health conditions.
Using Nutrition Features Based on Qualifications
The table below outlines the typical levels of nutrition support provided by personal trainers, nutritionists, and dietitians.
Feature | Personal Trainer | Nutritionist | Dietitian |
Habit Coaching | Most PT certifications include foundational nutrition knowledge. Using this expertise to guide clients in developing sustainable habits that promote healthy practices and lifestyle changes. | Offer more detailed habits, such as guidance on portion sizes and meal timelines, to support on specific nutrition goals. | Can serve as a valuable complement to personalized plans to ensure meaningful lifestyle changes. |
Custom Macro and Caloric Goals | Assign general guidelines, possibly based on government recommendations, and communicate this with clients. Avoid prescribing specific macronutrient splits (e.g., low-carb diets) unless you have additional qualifications to do so. | Use certification knowledge to recommend macronutrient ranges (e.g., lower carb) and provide more detailed guidance on how clients can meet those targets. | Use this tool to create personalized calorie and macronutrient targets, tailored to specific personal and/or medical needs and goals. |
Meal Tracking | Encourage clients to track meals, celebrate consistency and recognize their overall efforts, such as including more whole foods in diet. | Offer feedback on food choices, cooking methods, and ingredient quality. This advice should be presented as suggestions for consideration, rather than requirements. | Deliver specific, tailored feedback on ingredients and nutritional content to meet personal and/or medical needs. |
Meal Plan PDF | Use this section to reinforce general recommendations, such as meal prepping strategies and basic healthy eating principles. | In addition to what PT provide, include example meal plans or full-day eating suggestions to exemplify what healthy eating could look like for the general populations. This helps give clients a practical guide. | Provide clients with PDF content that supports their meal planning, including prescriptive details for meals, meal timing, and supplement recommendations tailored to individual needs. |
Smart Meal Plans (Advanced Nutrition Coaching Add-on) | This tool offers a convenient and professional way for clients to get inspiration on improving nutrition. It provides a sample guide of what health eating could look like based on client goals and preferences. While it allows clients to exclude certain foods (i.e., fish, pork, eggs), it is not a prescriptive meal plan. Clients have the flexibility to swap meals within or outside the provided caloric and macronutrient parameters and regenerate the plan as they'd like. | This tool is not desgined to address specific medical needs or goals. While it can be helpful, clients may require more specific guidance tailored to their unique needs and your coaching methods. |