Do you often find yourself attempting to decipher all the contradicting information about food and nutrition available everywhere you look? One moment, you’re reading something that says a specific diet or way of eating will help you to lose weight, have more energy, sleep better, run faster, lift heavier, or [insert your goal here]. The next, you’re reading something else that says that the same way of eating will do the opposite. You’re likely feeling confused and wondering what, how, and how much you should actually be eating to start seeing results finally.
That’s where the expertise of a nutrition coach can make all the difference.
What is a nutrition coach?
A nutrition coach is a professional who specializes in guiding and supporting individuals in achieving their nutrition and fitness goals. Someone can take various avenues to become a nutrition coach, but Stronger U Coaches are credentialed experts: Registered Dietitians and Nationally Certified Nutrition Coaches. Our coaches help cut through the noise of misinformation by providing personalized advice, education, and accountability to help members make positive changes to their eating habits and optimize their nutrition to reach their unique goals.
5 Benefits of Working with a Nutrition Coach
Tailored Nutrition Guidance with a Holistic Approach
A few of the reasons many “diets” don’t work is because they’re often restrictive, omit certain food groups, and require adhering to rules that don’t align with your desired lifestyle. Generalized diets often fail to consider the whole person, making it challenging to maintain results. While food is a big part of the picture, it’s not the entire picture. Stronger U Coaches dig deep to get to know members personally and use a holistic approach that takes into account things such as activity level, hydration, sleep, stress, and other essential lifestyle components. They then prioritize the most impactful areas that affect your progress. There’s a lot more to you than what you’re eating, and Stronger U Coaches work 1:1 to offer guidance that encompasses your entire well-being, so you can reach short-term goals and have long-term results.
Goal-Oriented Macronutrient Plan
Tracking macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) has been a proven way to lose weight, change body composition and, in many cases, improve health. Many free macro calculators can give you a general number of macros you should be consuming daily. These calculations, however, don’t consider all your lifestyle factors and the many intricacies that make up who you are. They also don’t consider your goals, genetics, health, and life phase. A coach looks at all this and more, which will undoubtedly impact your energy needs and macronutrient plan. For example, your plan may need to be adjusted significantly if you’re nursing or training for a specific athletic event, regardless of whether you are the same weight as before. Regularly communicating with your coach about what’s going on in your life can create a flexible environment that calls for change as your goals, needs, or season of life change.
Common goals a nutrition coach can help you achieve:
Weight loss
Weight gain
Weight maintenance
Muscle building
Improved performance
Special training events (ex. powerlifting, triathlons, races, competitions etc.)
More energy
Better sleep
Stress management
More daily movement
Overall wellbeing
Support Overcoming Challenges and Plateaus
Hard days happen, and unexpected situations arise. Imagine having a confidant to rely on who can provide support and an unbiased opinion. Stronger U members get unlimited messaging with their coach from the Stronger U App. That means that as a member, you can reach out from anywhere at anytime and share your struggles, wins, or questions. Stronger U Coaches can work with you to troubleshoot the challenge, find solutions, adjust your plan, and provide strategies to overcome obstacles, ensuring you continue progressing toward your goals. Stronger U Coaches are trained in behavior change methodologies and are skilled at recognizing when you’ve hit a plateau in your progress. They can analyze your habits and help identify factors hindering your progress, such as emotional regulation, energy intake, food quality, activity level, sleep, and stress.
Education and Resources
Knowledge is power, but only if you know what to do with it. The hours you spend researching nutrition and considering what approach is right for you could be better spent focusing on building habits and applying knowledge that will actually impact results. The Stronger U program kicks off with a robust onboarding series filled with evidence-based education and practical tips specifically curated to help you in various areas of your life, not just nutrition. From the beginning, safety, efficiency, and individualization are cornerstones of our educational approach. Additionally, Stronger U Coaches are continuously staying abreast the latest research so they can provide applicable advice that is specific to you and your situation (and so you don’t have to spend your free time scouring the internet through misinformation!)
Some applied ways nutrition coaches can provide support include:
Personalized energy needs and macronutrient plan
Habit building
Goal setting strategies
Grocery tips
Meal planning and prepping process
Dining out tips
Supplement education
Mindset
Behavior change
Accountability for Lasting Results
Research has highlighted that individuals who engage with accountability coaches experience heightened levels of motivation, commitment, and goal attainment. It is why even coaches have coaches. A study done in 2010 by the American Society of Training and Development found that the chances of achieving a goal increase to 95% when you have a specific accountability appointment with a person you’ve committed to. The coach-member relationship provides a structured framework that encourages regular progress tracking, goal setting, and action planning. This structured approach bolsters your sense of responsibility and enhances your self-discipline and time management skills. Stronger U Coaches also provide constructive feedback and encouragement to fuel positive behavior change, leading to sustained results.
As summer closes and routines restabilize with less travel and kids back to school, it’s a good time to reprioritize your fitness goals and well-being and start (or restart) habits. Regardless of the season, life will inevitably be full of competing priorities, such as busy schedules, social events, and activities that can make it challenging to begin or adhere to a program. With the proper support and resources, you can overcome these challenges and achieve anything you set your mind to. A Stronger U Coach can save you time, energy, and frustration by helping you execute properly and stay on track. They’ll also celebrate your wins and reflect on your accomplishments.
Learn more about how the Stronger U program works and what it’s like having the support of a Stronger U Coach by scheduling a free consultation with a Coach Concierge.
