How To Become A Nutritionist

Although it is well known that diet has a significant influence on our health, many people do not know how to make healthy food choices. If you’ve always wanted to help individuals improve their well-being, consider becoming a nutritionist. By helping people understand good eating practices and introducing healthier food alternatives into diets, you could play a crucial part in helping people lead a longer, healthier life.

In this post, we’ll go over everything it takes to become a nutritionist, from education to day-to-day tasks. We’ll also examine prospective career paths and wages. Continue reading if you want more details on what it takes to be a nutritionist or if you’re seeking suggestions on how to get started in the field.

What Do Nutritionists Do?

As the country strives to tackle the increasing number of obese people, the need for nutritionists continues to grow. Nutritionists provide a wide variety of knowledge and skills to inspire and motivate people to adopt healthy eating choices. Often, they have received training in nutritional science and how it affects human health. They are therefore able to assess, identify, and treat nutrition-related problems, as well as provide meal plans that are customized to each person’s peculiar needs. These meal plans can include recipes and other useful information, such as guidance on safe food handling and preparation.

In addition to assisting people to manage problems caused by food, nutritionists can also address unhealthy eating habits, like overeating or undereating. Athletes and anyone with unique nutritional requirements, such as vegetarians or vegans, may also benefit from their services.

It should be noted that nutritionists are not dieticians. Dieticians are individuals who have completed training on various disease processes and are certified to help people control them via diet. For example, people who have lost part of their stomach after a surgery or an accident need to be treated by a dietician to ensure they know how to follow a specific diet that their body can digest. As such, dieticians are an essential part of the healthcare system while nutritionists work with individuals who are seeking to live a healthier life.

Traits that might make you suited for the job

While you know that nutritionists play an unquestionably important role in society, how do you know whether this is the perfect career for you? To flourish in this industry, you must be comfortable engaging with people on a regular basis, as this is an essential element of the work. In addition, other essential traits and abilities that might make you thrive as a nutritionist include the following:

1. Top-Notch Research Skills – Nutritionists need to be able to look up and understand scientific data on food and its nutritious components. 

2. Excellent Communication – It’s critical to be able to explain nutrition concepts and dietary recommendations to clients in a way that is clear and beneficial. Otherwise, how will your clients know what to do?

3. Problem-Solving Ability – Nutritionists need to be able to examine a person’s diet, identify possible concerns, and develop appropriate dietary plans. This can involve a lot of problem solving, as the diet needs to fit the patient, or they won’t follow it.

4. Empathy – It’s necessary to be kind and sympathetic to those who might be struggling with their nutrition or general health. Nutritionists must be able to identify the unique needs of each of their clients and adjust their recommendations accordingly.

5. Accuracy – It is vital to gather data and use it to make significant conclusions about a person’s diet and behaviors. Often, patients will omit part of their diet when describing it, so it’s important to ask specific questions to get accurate information.

6. Diligence – Staying on top of new scientific findings and nutrition trends requires diligence, as it isn’t always entertaining to read the latest studies!

7. Organizational Skills – It is necessary to effectively manage customer information, appointments, and progress, as well as create and maintain realistic meal plans.

A Typical Day as a Nutritionist

A nutritionist’s normal day is generally varied but is always full of learning opportunities. It usually starts with responding to emails, voicemails, or other client requests. When meeting with clients, they will usually do one-on-one consultations to look at the client’s dietary requirements, fitness goals, and dietary preferences. This will enable them to create unique diet plans. Throughout the course of the meeting, the nutritionist will also advise the client on nutrition and address any questions they may have. 

In the afternoon, the nutritionist could engage in a range of activities. Some nutritionists deliver workshops, provide online nutrition training, or take part in promotional events for food companies. They could also spend time researching, publishing blog posts, or creating nutrition-based handouts. At the conclusion of the day, they may invoice clients or plan for the next day.

Certifications

While becoming a dietician requires a bachelor’s degree, this is not required to become a nutritionist. Typically, most employers are looking for a specific certification or years of experience. However, since these criteria differ, it’s crucial to examine the widely accepted standards set for nutritionists in your area. To make the best decision for you, it’s critical to thoroughly review the prerequisites and costs.

For example, if it is standard in your area for nutritionists to be certified, you could consider an online certification. Precision Nutrition offers a comprehensive course that is designed to teach people both about nutrition and how to encourage others to change their behaviors. They also provide instruction on sleep and stress management. Currently, the certification course costs just under $1500.

There are also certifications that specialize in particular types of diets, such as plant-based diets. The goal of these courses is to teach you how to be healthy while still eliminating certain elements of a standard diet. This course, offered by the University of Guelph, also teaches about the historical evolution of plant-based diets and about different recipes that might fill in nutritional gaps. 

While none of these certifications are required for you to call yourself a nutritionist, they can definitely help you land your first job. It can also be used in advertising if you decide that you’d like to be an independent nutritional consultant.

How Long Will It Take

The length of time it takes to get a certification really depends on which one you choose. Both of the courses listed above are asynchronous, meaning you can learn at your own pace. The Precision Nutrition course estimates that it will take about five months to complete, while the plant-based certification offered by the University of Guelph estimates that it will take about seven months to complete. Of course, if you’re motivated, you can do either one faster. 

Higher Education

If you decide that you’d like to get a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, you definitely can. It typically takes four years, just like other bachelor’s degrees. Some of the colleges that offer bachelor’s degrees in nutrition are;

1. Case Western Reserve University, OH. Tuition:  $62,234
2. The University of Illinois, IL  Tuition: $35,110 (out-of-state), $17,138 (in-state)
3. University of Texas, TX. Tuition:  $40,996 (out-of-state), $11,752 (in-state)
4. The University of California, CA. Tuition: $44,494 (out-of-state), $14,740 (in-state)
5. University of North Carolina, NC. Tuition: $37,558 (out-of-state), $8,998 (in-state)
6. New York University, NY. Tuition: $58,168
7. The Ohio State University, OH. Tuition: $35,019 (out-of-state), $11,936 (in-state)
8. The University of Minnesota, MN. Tuition: $35,099 (out-of-state), $15,859 (in-state)
9. University of Delaware, DE. Tuition: $37,930 (out-of-state), $15,410 (in-state)
10. University of Arizona, AZ. Tuition: $35,153 (out-of-state), $12,404 (in-state)
11. Samford University, AL. Tuition: $36,725
12. University of Kentucky, KY. Tuition: $32,276 (out-of-state), $12,859 (in-state)
13. The University of Idaho, ID. Tuition: $27,632 (out-of-state), $8,396 (in-state)

If you decide to get a bachelor’s degree, this can help you in the future if you decide to become a dietician.

Internships

In the US, internships are not usually necessary for nutritionists. However, some organizations look for professional expertise, particularly gyms and other places specializing in fitness. Even if it isn’t required, recruiters might favor applicants with prior experience. As such, an internship is not necessary, but it may be quite beneficial for building professional networks and gaining practical experience. 

Career Outlook

The findings of the Bureau of Labor Statistics project that from 2021 to 2031, the employment of nutritionists will increase by 7%: slightly higher than the average for other occupations. The demand for nutritionists to work with the elderly in settings like nursing homes has grown, as has public awareness of diseases like diabetes and heart disease that are linked to poor eating habits. These two factors combined have led to an increase in the demand for nutritionists.

Also, because of the growing interest in various new diets, nutritionists who concentrate on them have more job options than ever before. So, if you’re interested in becoming a nutritionist, consider specializing in keto or another popular diet. Over the next 10 years, there should be an annual vacancy of 5,600 new employment opportunities for nutritionists.

Salary

Nutritionists make an average of $49,948 annually or $24.01 every hour. However, considering that nutritionists have several career paths available, the average salary may vary depending on what you do. On the high end, nutritionists can earn over $70,000 on average. Surprisingly, some of the states with the highest average salary for nutritionists are Minnesota and Iowa. On the flip side, both Virginia and South Carolina have some of the lowest average salaries for nutritionists at around $39,000 per year.

Who hires nutritionists? Or do you need to own your own business?

A career as a nutritionist offers endless opportunities. A nutritionist can open their own practice or search for employment in a number of settings, including clinics, gyms, and assisted living facilities. Similarly, nutritionists with the necessary credentials may find themselves in high demand in the food industry.

An example is sports nutritionists who can work anywhere from a little school to a big sports club. They may opt for a standard 9 to 5 job in an office or run a personal business. Either way, they could see customers at home, at a neutral location, or even remotely. 

Overall job overview: Pros and cons

Being a nutritionist, just like any other job, you’ll encounter stress and pressure because you want to succeed. But it is an enjoyable job that offers a high degree of satisfaction. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conducted a survey and discovered that 94% of nutritionists were either satisfied or very satisfied with their position. Furthermore, 97% of people practicing as nutritionists found their job meaningful and felt they had a positive effect on people’s lives. Additionally, 86% believed they had the necessary resources to complete their job with excellence. We can conclude that nutritionists tend to have a high level of job satisfaction.

Without a doubt, being a nutritionist is a gratifying job, but it is not without its challenges. Here are some pros and cons of having a career as a nutritionist:

Pros: 

1. Making a meaningful impact on people by guiding them to healthier lifestyles. 
2. Working in a variety of places. 
3. Assisting individuals in accomplishing their wellness and fitness objectives. 
4. Working with a variety of different clients, from athletes to the elderly. 
5. Job stability and a good salary in a thriving industry. 

Cons: 

1. Encountering difficult and unpleasant clients. 
2. Working hours may vary based on your employment. 

If you’re someone who cares a lot about the health and well-being of others, you might want to consider a degree as a nutritionist, particularly if you also love to cook. If you think a career as a nutritionist is perfect for you, you should start by researching what nutritionists do in your area. And if you’re unsure, you can ask a nutritionist for permission to shadow them, or you can check out one of our articles on other careers.