The world of health and fitness can be SO overwhelming. I feel like the “diet industry” is really just out to confuse you into spending more and more money on the next big diet or fad. Every couple of years something comes along that promises to be the answer to all your health and fitness problems. And this time of year is the absolute worst. Everyone is pushing their own diets and solutions for you to buy into. They know you are getting ready to get into your resolution mindset so they promise you a solution that will make them rich and leave you more confused. They sell you a band aid for the symptoms instead of helping you get to the root of the problem.
[Tweet “They sell you a band aid for the symptoms instead of helping you get to the root of the problem.”]
For me, the hardest part of this journey has been the nutrition. I’ve talked several times about how confused I was when it came to nutrition. I got bogged down with labels and fads and restriction. I felt so alone trying to figure it out. The moment when things really changed for me was when I hired a nutrition coach. He gave me detailed meal plans, and those plans worked when I worked the plan. I did that for close to a year. I made huge progress when I followed the plans he gave me. I loved the safety of having someone tell me exactly what and when to eat. I thrived on having someone to report to for check ins/measurements. It was just what I needed at the time. But after a year I felt… stuck? I felt like I had to follow that meal plan or I wouldn’t see any progress. When I was following the meal plan strictly I did fine. It was when I had to eat “off plan” I would freeze up in fear. If I wasn’t able to eat my 4 ounces of chicken, 3 ounces of sweet potatoes, and 2 ounces of green beans than I didn’t know what to eat. And all of a sudden that safety I loved about having a nutrition coach started to feel more like restriction. I had relied too much on him and I just didn’t know how to trust myself. Hiring a nutrition coach like I had wasn’t bad, it was what I needed at the time. He did nothing wrong, I hired him to make meal plans for me and that’s what he did. And they worked. But I started wanting a little more freedom, and I wanted to learn more about the how and why behind the meal plan instead of just blindly following it.
I looked into different Nutrition certification programs but I found that many of them required lots of pre-requisites or had a nutrition philosophy I just couldn’t get behind. Then I stumbled upon Precision Nutrition. Their blog articles were all spot on with what I wanted my nutrition philosophy to look like. It was all down to earth, balanced, scientific backed information. They acknowledge the fact that everyone is different when it comes to nutrition plans and that there is no one size fit all program. I felt relieved when I read “If you want to take control of your nutrition and lead a healthy lifestyle, then there is absolutely no “best diet” that you should follow.” They weren’t trying to cram “their way” of eating down my throat. They wanted to help me learn what worked for me. They offered a nutritional progression model that helps you change your habits instead of just telling you what to eat. They also operate on a results based model. The only one way to determine whether your nutrition plan is any good is look at your results.
[Tweet “The only one way to determine whether your nutrition plan is any good is look at your results.”]
I spent hours reading articles on their blog. Then I came across the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification Presale List. I signed up to be on the pre-sale list for the next session of the Certification course. They only offer it twice a year! The next course begins in March 2015. You can sign up for the pre-sale list like I did to be sure to get into the next session and receive a discount. In the meantime you can sign up for this Free Starter Kit for for Fitness Pros to get some tips and tools you can use now.
A few months ago I started the Certification program. It is a go at your own pace study program, which is great for this busy mama/wife/business owner. The Certification program is broken into 2 sections: The Nutritional Science and The Nutritional Practice. I’m taking my time going through the science section. It is all about Food Intake, Absorption, Macronutrients, Micronutrients and all that fun stuff. It’s been awhile since I’ve taken any kind of science so I’m taking my time making sure I understand it all. The second part is going to be about how to help clients learn this information, providing a nutritional plan, setting goals and monitoring behavior. Once I take my test and become Precision Nutrition Level 1 certified I will be able to coach clients into better health habits they can use long term.
If you don’t want to wait a few months for me to be certified and start offering coaching services you can sign up for the Precision Nutrition Coaching Presale List! This isn’t just a “meal planning” program. It is a year long mentoring program. It’s not just about telling you what to eat and what not to eat, but about teaching you about your body. I have known several people who have gone through this program and seen amazing results not just physically, but mentally as well.
They only open 2 sessions of coaching a year and they sell out pretty quick so be sure to sign up for the pre-sale list (plus you get a discount!) If you can’t wait until January to dive in you can get their Free Starter Kit for Women or Free Starter Kit for Men with actionable steps you can start with today.
If you don’t want to commit to a year long coaching program but are interested in learning more you can order the stand alone Precision Nutrition System. This is the self guided version of their coaching program.
Overall, I’ve been extremely satisfied with everything I’ve seen from PN so far. If you are struggling with your nutrition, want to lose fat, gain muscle, or become a certified Nutrition coach… check them out. Do your research, does it line up with what your nutrition philosophy? If nothing else, spend some time on their blog, they have lots of great articles and infographics to get you thinking.
What is your nutrition philosophy? Have you ever done any kind of nutrition coaching? Would you be interested in nutrition coaching?
Disclaimer: No, I’m not getting paid to write this. I’m actually paying out of my own pocket for this certification. I am just really excited about it! Some of these links may be affiliate links meaning if you make a purchase I receive a small commission. However, as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
imperfectly courtney 
That sounds like an amazing program to get involved in!! 🙂 I have been contemplating for some time about going back to school to become a registered dietician, but I look at how much time, money and work it is and I’m not so sure it’s a good fit for me right now. Maybe this would be a good place to start!! Thanks for sharing this!
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Thank you for sharing this!
It’s easy for me to tell people oh, you should try to do this because.. “someone” says so. But to actually have some validation and support behind it would be awesome. I may look into this myself!
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