Preventative health is a much smarter approach to being healthy as opposed to having a curative approach. It’s much more difficult and expensive to restore health than it is to maintain. Health coaching is becoming a growing career field which has been enjoying a lot of acclaim in recent media stories. Paul Zane Pilzer is a New York Times selling author who once predicted that health and wellness would soon be a trillion dollar industry. His prediction seems to be accurate.
Successful health and wellness coaches should be naturally health conscious. Having a commitment to eating healthy, living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a degree of fitness should be a priority. Clients naturally want to hire health and wellness coaches who walk their walk and talk their talk.
To evaluate whether becoming a health coach would be a good career, do some research in regards to salary, hours, and opportunities which are currently offered to health coaches. Interview local health and wellness coaches to determine the climate in your area for that field. Evaluate the demographics and economy of the area to determine if a health and wellness related business might have a good chance of being successful. Consider whether residents of your area are health conscious and have disposable income.
Most health and wellness coaches work for themselves in the form of a private practice. This requires having solid business skills and experience. Organizational habits, marketing strategies and determination would also be helpful.
There are many schools which offer certification for health and wellness coaches. Some schools offer distance learning, while others offer online classes or weekend attendance. Look closely at several schools and compare their qualifications, tuition, and the success of their graduates.
Contact local colleges to evaluate their programs as well. Options would include getting a degree in dietetics, public health, and other fields such as counseling, psychology or sociology.
The most important strategy when evaluating a school is to search for graduates from the health coach school you are considering to get opinions on current students and graduates experience and get recommendations they might have.
Ask about their experience they may have already have with their health coaching career and find out what type of career options they have discovered. You can also inquire politely about their income they’ve received as a health coach. Some health and wellness coaching schools offer discounts to friends and family of alumni, which could be an added benefit to contacting a recent grad of a nutrition school you are considering.
Cheryl Heppard is a business marketing strategist for entrepreneurs, coaches, and service based companies. She helps clients attract more clients, increase revenues, and leverage their marketing efforts. Cheryl specializes in website and email marketing campaigns. Visit her website for more information. wellness coach