As the government directs more and more people, many with long term health concerns, to fitness facilities as part of its ‘prevention rather than cure’ health care strategy, there is increasing pressure on fitness professionals to provide advice not just on exercise but also on nutrition.

To help fitness professionals deliver effective nutrition advice and individualised coaching plans, Premier Global NASM has developed a new course entitled: NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC).

“Adding the ability to offer sound nutritional guidance to clients is hugely valuable for any fitness professional,” says Brad Tucker, managing director of Premier Global NASM. “With obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer all on the rise, the need to adequately equip our workforce with scientifically based knowledge to support individuals in the pursuit of healthier, lifesaving behaviours has never been greater.”

The course addresses the recognition that consumers and fitness professionals face a confusing and often contradictory minefield of information when it comes to nutrition. Trying to navigate a successful course through it is almost impossible.

“A plethora of fad diets, lose-weight-quick plans and crazy food combinations that promise all kinds of health and aesthetic benefits are muddying today's culture with fallacies and untruths,” explains Ian Montel, product manager at NASM. “As obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer continue to engulf the western world there is a growing demand for support and information that is based on solid, scientific findings. Our new certification has been developed in response to this.”

What makes the NASM-CNC course unique?
Montel continues: “The NASM-CNC has been developed over several years, employing more than 20 experts in nutrition, metabolism, physiology, psychology and behaviour change. The programme marries the very latest in scientific findings with real life implementation techniques and is divided into three sections: Nutritional Science, Behaviour Change Strategies and Nutrition Coaching.”

Nutrition science teaches students how to separate the truth from the myth, exploring facts relating to proteins, fats, carbohydrates, macronutrients, micronutrients, metabolism and other food controversies; as well as the latest cutting-edge science in all things related to health, wellness and nutrition.

Behaviour Change Strategies give students insight into the psychology behind why individuals get trapped in dietary patterns, providing advice on how to break them. This section also looks at the power and effectiveness of goal-setting, and turning negative lifelong habits into positive long term habits.

Finally, Nutrition Coaching teaches how to apply the scientific principles learnt in the first two sections to everyday life, from shopping for groceries and interpreting food labels to understanding ingredients lists and calculating portion sizes.

Nutritional requirements are highly variable, meaning every person has unique dietary needs and goals. The NASM-CNC teaches students how to apply individualised nutrition coaching for any client. This recognises and accommodates a vast array of dietary requirements and living environments, taking into account allergies, religion and ethnic food preferences – ensuring no two coaching plans are the same.

Teaching methods
The entire programme is geared towards student success. Content is delivered via Premier Global NASM’s interactive distance training platform, which provides the student with the flexibility to fit learning around other work and family commitments. Working with cutting-edge interactive and multimedia designers, Premier Global NASM has created an instructional experience that is fun, engaging, and immersive – making it unlike any other course in the market today.

The course consists of 24 chapters with 45 lecture videos, quizzes, practice exams and a final exam in a fully digital platform. Students will need to pass an exam every two years in order to maintain certification.

Who has the NASM-CNC been designed for?
The certification has been designed to extend the knowledge and resource of L2- and L3-accredited fitness professionals and will enable the ability to combine activity prescription and sound nutritional science to affect long term positive behavioural change.

NASM Certified Nutrition Coach will be available for booking from late October 2019. For more information visit www.premierglobal.co.uk