Become a Health Coach

Passionate about health, wellness, and helping others?

You are in the right place!

Just Imagine…

You are a supportive mentor and wellness authority who works with clients to help them feel their best through food and lifestyle changes. Instead of prescribing one diet or way of exercising, you tailor your advice and individualized wellness programs to meet your clients’ needs.

What is a Health Coach?

A health coach is a healthcare professional that educates, motivates, and supports clients to achieve their health goals through diet, lifestyle, and behavior adjustments. Beyond education and guidance, a Health Coach keeps their client accountable each week.

Using their nutrition and coaching education, Health Coaches help their clients discover which foods and lifestyle choices makes them feel best. Most importantly, Health Coaches take a holistic approach to health, not just focusing on food, but also all the other areas of life that can support and nourish your overall health, such as career, spirituality, relationships, and environment.

Health Coaches can work with clients one-on-one or in group settings, sell online programs and meal plans, host retreats or workshops, speak, write a book or cookbook, host corporate wellness programs, start a food product line, open a wellness center, and so much more. More and more spas, wellness centers, and food companies are hiring health coaches, too.

In addition, health coaches can work alongside other healthcare professionals such as medical doctors, chiropractors, therapists, and nurses. Health Coaches typically work in tandem with a client’s doctor to achieve a specific health outcome. In fact, more and more doctor’s offices are starting to keep health coaches on staff, and The American Medical Association encourages doctor’s offices to do so.

Health Coaches play a pivotal role in the greater healthcare team, filling the void that is often left by doctors who don’t necessarily have time to provide nutrition and coaching guidance.

To put it simply, Health Coaches are changing the world and reversing the global healthcare crisis. Health Coaching is one of the quickest growing careers and Health Coaches are seriously in demand.

Questions to Ask Before Becoming a Health Coach

Are you passionate about nutrition, health, and wellness?

It’s not enough to like it. You have to love it. Maybe be borderline obsessed with it. You must have a passion and curiosity about these three things in order to be a successful Health Coach.

Are you willing to do the work?

Most Health Coaches become entrepreneurs, opening their own practices, hosting corporate wellness seminars, launching their own healthy food companies or estaurants, running retreats or writing books and cookbooks. Becoming an entrepreneur is no easy feat, and no matter what direction you take it, you’re going to have to put in a little blood, sweat, and tears to launch and run a successful business. (Which is why you MUST have passion).

If you answered YES! to both of the above, then I hope the steps below on how to become a Health Coach help you along the way.

What are the Steps to Become a Health Coach?

STEP 1: CHOOSE A CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH TRAINING PROGRAM

When I became a Health Coach, there was really only one place to get certified: The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the original Health Coach Training Certification program and has been around for 25 years. Now, there are dozens and dozens of Health Coach training programs, all with varying degrees of merit. Some are as little as two weeks or a few months, which in my opinion, are not sufficient.

Look for a program that is at least one year in length, that has teachers you respect and admire, and that will also teach you the business aspect of health coaching. While you can find companies that hire health coaches, and that is a good first step, you will ultimately earn more if you go the entrepreneurial route. I highly recommend the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, because it meets all those criteria.

STEP 2: SIGN UP PRACTICE CLIENTS

During the health coach training program you will have to practice health histories with friends and family. Do as many as you possibly can. The more you do, the more confident you will feel and the better you will get at health coaching. Sign up 3-5 people as practice health coaching clients for 3 month programs, so you can start getting testimonials and experience.

STEP 3: SET UP A WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA

You can be the best health coach in the world, but if nobody knows about you, it doesn’t matter! Marketing yourself and your business is a crucial step to any successful business, Health Coaching included. Set up a professional looking website and social media account, so that client’s can find you and learn more about what you offer. I think it’s important to have a blog with high quality content, an instagram (or whatever social media channel your target market is on), and a weekly email newsletter.

STEP 4 : WORK WITH OR PARTNER WITH COMPLEMENTARY WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS

Consider teaming up with a doctor, chiropractor, personal trainer, or other wellness professional who can refer clients to you (and vice versa). If you have a local functional medicine doctor or medical center that hires health coaches on staff, consider working with them to gain even more experience and a steady stream of clients.

STEP 5: SEEK OUT A MENTOR

Mentors help you shorten the learning curve and give you guidance and direction you need when becoming a health coach. When starting something new, you’ll inevitably have questions – wouldn’t it be nice to ask someone who was exactly in your shoes a few years earlier? They can save you time and money by sharing their insights and experience on what does, and doesn’t work, and strategies for becoming a successful Health Coach. Seek out a more experienced Health Coach who you can assist or who will be willing to answer your questions. I offer FREE mentoring to any health coaches who list me as their ambassador referral when they enroll at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

What is the Best Health Coach Training Program?

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is the original Health Coach Training Certification program and has been around for over 25 years. While there are numerous Health Coach Certification programs out there now, personally, I believe it’s the best health coach training program.

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Training Program is a six month or year-long online course specially designed for people who are passionate about health and wellness.

Whether you’re interested in learning about nutrition for your own personal health or launching a meaningful new career, the Integrative Nutrition health coach program will empower you to transform your life and achieve your personal and professional goals.

The curriculum focuses on 3 key areas: nutrition, coaching, and business, what I think is the perfect trifecta for launching and growing a health coaching practice.

IIN’s unique nutrition philosophy takes a holistic approach to wellness and encourages students to consider relationships, work, exercise, and spirituality as essential to building good health.

You are taught bio-individuality, which is the idea that their is no one perfect diet that works for everyone. One man’s food is another’s poison, and IIN doesn’t promote any dietary dogma, like you must be vegan or paleo or whatever in order to be healthy. They bring in experts who can discuss the pros and cons of everything, so that you realize that there is no one size fits all prescription for a healthy diet.

With Integrative Nutrition’s innovative learning model, you’ll be empowered to build a thriving health coaching practice, transform your own health & happiness, and change the world.

What Sets IIN Apart from Other Health Coaching Schools?

Integrative Nutrition is the longest running institution that offers training in health coaching. Founded in 1992, what started as a small macrobiotic cooking class in NYC has evolved into a global school that has trained 100,000 students and graduates in over 155 countries. These incredible students and graduates are fulfilling the IIN’s mission of spreading the ripple effect of health and happiness, impacting millions of people around the world.

IIN’s role in creating the profession of health coaching comes with a deep sense of responsibility to protect the integrity of what a Health Coach certificate actually is, and what it stands for. For this reason, below outlines the critical elements that IIN feels set them apart from other health coaching schools:

IIN created the field of health coaching: They’ve been around the longest, and take pride in igniting the movement that has created other health coaching schools, as it demonstrates the need for, and the power of, Health Coaches and their incredible work.
IIN is licensed by the New York State Department of Education: This means that our curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure that our content is both up to date and accurate. Being held to these high standards is important, and helps ensure that IIN can provide a world-class education that you can apply wherever you’re learning in the world.
IIN is partnered with a variety of U.S. and international academic institutions to allow you to advance your education – and your career – with your IIN certificate: IIN’s Health Coach Training Program is worth up to 40 credits towards a bachelor’s, master’s, or even a doctorate degree, at participating institutions. IIN’s training is also worth up to 43 CEUs so that you can apply your IIN education towards propelling your existing career forward.
You’ll learn from over 85 experts in their dynamic, innovative curriculum: IIN’s instructors are experts in their fields such as integrative health, nutrition, functional medicine, spirituality, alternative healing modalities, business and coaching.
You can learn anywhere in the world, on any device: IIN’s program is hosted on our online Learning Center, which gives you the flexibility to learn on your schedule in our 1-year or 6-month accelerated program options. You can even download program materials for offline use on our app.
IIN’s advocacy efforts empower you to effect real, sustainable change in the lives of millions: IIN advocates on behalf of the Health Coach industry by working with leaders and policy makers in government. This advocacy aims to promote the work and value of Health Coaches, which not only impacts the health coaching industry in the U.S., but also around the globe, as more countries catch on to the value that health coaching has on health outcomes. Most recently, the passing of CPT codes by the American Medical Association underscore this value, paving the way for health coaching services to potentially be covered by insurance!

Experts

CHOOSE INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION AND STUDY WITH THE WORLD’S TOP NUTRITION

IIN students are inspired by experts who are at the forefront of wellness. These distinguished speakers are the leading medical doctors, PhDs, researchers and authorities in nutrition today. You will learn from the best of the best, and the nutrition theories they teach will give you a broad palette of information to draw from when you start working with your own clients as an Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Paired with IIN’s online course, you will receive exclusive lectures and training from these experts and friends of Integrative Nutrition.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE TEACHERS INCLUDE:

DEEPAK CHOPRA, a holistic healer and author of more than 50 books translated into over 35 languages. After attending the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, he eventually ended up in Boston where he began his career as a doctor. After becoming disenchanted with Western medicine, however, Chopra turned to alternative medicine. In 1995 Chopra, already a prolific book author, founded the Chopra Center for Well Being in Carlsbad, California.

LESLIE SALMON JONES, co-founder of Afro Flow Yoga, Professional Dancer, Choreographer, Yoga Instructor, Certified Holistic Trainer & Coach, Community Activist. Leslie has been a faculty member at The Omega Institute for Holistic Studies for the past 5 years. She is a co-creator & co-faculty of the Omega Women & Leadership Intensives in collaboration with their Women’s Leadership Center in Rhinebeck NY.

MICHELLE MALDONADO, Mindful-Leadership and Human-Potential Expert, Conscious-Business Adviser, Certified Teacher for Google-inspired Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute and Founder of Lucenscia. Lucenscia is a human potential and business strategy firm dedicated to developing leaders and organizations with positive impact on the world.

GENEEN ROTH, is a writer and a teacher who has gained international prominence through her work in the field of eating disorders. She is the founder of the Breaking Free workshops, which she has conducted nationwide since 1979. She has worked with thousands of people in her groundbreaking workshops and retreats and has appeared on numerous national shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20, the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The View.

DR. ANDREW WEIL , founder, professor, and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, is a Harvard trained MD, best-selling author, and founder of healthy restaurant chain, True Food Kitchen. A frequent lecturer and guest on talk shows, Dr. Weil is an internationally recognized expert on medicinal plants, alternative medicine, and the reform of medical education.

DR. WALTER WILLETT is professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Willett graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School before obtaining a doctorate in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Walter has focused much of his work over the last 35 years on the development of method to study the effects of diet on the occurrence of major diseases.

The School and the Program

The Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Training Program teaches you how to work with clients one-on-one, and run group programs and workshops in settings such as corporations, spas, health clubs, doctors’ offices, schools and more. Integrative Nutrition covers cutting-edge and holistic nutrition concepts along with modern health issues that you won’t always find in a traditional nutrition program. Here are just a few of the topics you will study:

Integrative Nutrition graduates are highly respected by clients and healthcare providers. They receive referrals and are eagerly invited to work in medical offices, chiropractic clinics and other professional settings.

Nutrition Concepts

+Bio-individuality
+Dietary Theories
+Primary Food
+Deconstructing Cravings
+Crowding Out
+Energetics of Food
+Food/Mood Connection
+Superfoods

Nutrition Science

+Autoimmune Disorders
+Blood Sugar and Glucose
+Digestive System
+Toxins
+Thyroid Health
+Genetic Influence on Diet
+Metabolism

Modern Health Issues

+American Health Crisis
+Government Policies
+Hypoglycemia
+Organic vs. Non-Organic Foods vs. Local Foods
+Emotional Eating

What is the Format of the Health Coaching Program?

The program consists of 40 modules that are released on a weekly basis in our 1-year program, or 2 modules per week in the 6-month accelerated program. Although modules open at a regular cadence, you will be able to go through the content on your own schedule – you don’t need to be online at certain times to be able to complete your program. As long as you complete the program within the allotted time – 6 months or 1 year – and satisfy your graduation requirements, you can take the program at any pace that works for you.

All learning content is hosted in IIN’s online Learning Center, where you’ll access video lectures, PDF materials, quizzes, assignments, and tests. You’ll have a private Facebook group that you will be able to join upon enrollment where you can interact with classmates and IIN staff about the curriculum and program updates. Throughout the program, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with a small group of classmates and an experienced IIN Health Coach in coaching sessions that will help facilitate your education to become a practicing Health Coach.

Health Coach Mentorship + Tuition Savings

I believe so strongly in the need for health coaches, that I’ve teamed up with my alma matter, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, to offer you savings on tuition plus FREE mentorship with me.

When you call to enroll or if you enroll online, make sure you indicate me “Jamie Nicole Martin” tell your admissions counselor you’d like to “Add Jamie Nicole Martin” as my Ambassador referral”.

The World Needs More Health Coaches

Do your research before finding a program that feels right for you. Talk to graduates of the health coach program. Read through their materials, research their teachers. I know it’s a big decision, so if you have questions about IIN or health coaching in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to me, using the contact form below, with any questions on IIN or how to become a health coach.

In the meantime be sure to take a free sample class and check out their curriculum guide.

Are You Ready to Take the Next Steps to Become a Health Coach?

I hope you are as excited as I was when I first decided to become a health coach. You may still have questions before you decide to take the next step on your journey. If you have a couple of quick general health coaching questions, use this form to send them to me and I will respond within 48 business hours.

If you are ready to take the next step with IIN and mentorship with me, use the link below to schedule a call. I look forward to supporting you in this next transition in your life.