Know Your Pros

Personal Trainers aren't one-stop shopping for all your health & fitness needs, and a lot of people online aren't qualified at all. Keep reading to learn more about which pro is right for you.

PERSONAL TRAINERS

"I just need to you to tell me what to eat."
"Can you just give me a meal plan?"

NO.

I hear this all the time as a personal trainer, and it's a hard no. Here's why:

Legally, as a personal trainer I cannot give you a meal plan.
In most states, registered dietitians are the ONLY practitioners who can devise and prescribe a specific meal plan, and anyone else doing so is most likely operating out of their legal scope of practice.

Personal trainers receive only basic nutrition education as part of their certification. (Same goes for medical doctors, too!)

The only diets I am allowed to suggest, according to my personal training certification, are the USDA MyPlate, the DASH diet promoted by the American Heart Association and the Mediterranean diet. Spoiler alert: those aren't the ones most people want to know about.

There is a misconception that if you want to get in shape or lose weight, you just need to hire a personal trainer and then you'll be set. And that's where so many people fail.

Personal trainers are not trained or educated specifically for weight loss. We are educated in exercise science, including movement patterns, what movements work what body parts, how to modify or progress exercises, and how to program for different physical goals.

If you need guidance on what to do in the gym and how to do it safely and effectively, hire a trainer!

NUTRITION COACHES

If you're one of those people who shares memes that say "I don't need a trainer; I just need someone to follow me around and smack food out of my hand," you probably actually need a nutrition coach.

A nutrition coach is a certified professional who is not necessarily a registered dietitian but who has completed additional nutrition-specific education (like me!) Like personal trainers, we still can't legally create custom meal plans, but we can provide more thorough guidance and education on what healthy eating is, how to evaluate different ways of eating, and how to make the best choices to support each person's goals.

There are some people who are both dietitians and nutrition coaches, and many who are one or the other. Nutrition coaches can work with their clients to implement and stick to a custom meal plan that the client's dietitian provided.

It's not the same as following you around and smacking stuff out of your hand, but it helps you develop the skills so you no longer need someone to do that.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

If you really want that meal plan, a registered dietitian (RD or RDN) is the pro you need.

Registered dietitians and registered dietitian nutritionists are experts in food and nutrition who have earned a bachelor's degree in a related field, completed a supervised clinical program, and passed a national board certification exam.

They have extensive education and experience and are qualified to provide medical nutrition therapy, which means they are trained to use nutrition to help their clients treat or manage specific health conditions. (NOTE: If someone is trying to give you a plan for managing a health issue and they are not an RD, RUN!)

Dietitians may have different specializations as well, including working with patients with: diabetes, high blood pressure, cancers, digestive issues, bariatric surgery, infertility, eating disorders, and more. They can help you dial in on the specific nutrients you need based on your health concerns and goals.

**It's important to note that all registered dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians! It can be a little confusing, but "nutritionist" doesn't have any specific standards in the United States. While a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist has to meet strict requirements, the term "nutritionist" doesn't carry the same weight, so make sure you ask questions about certifications and expertise before choosing a practitioner.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

This one can get confusing because the initials are similar to personal trainer!

Physical therapists hold doctorate degrees in physical therapy and have passed national board certifying examinations. They can diagnose and treat people for a range of conditions including injuries and disabilities. They create treatment plans to help patients move better with less pain or prevent future injuries.

Physical therapists often work in conjunction with personal trainers. If someone sustains an injury or has a surgery, for example, a patient might go to physical therapy temporarily and then "graduate" to working with a personal trainer once they've reduced pain or regained range of motion.

CELEBRITIES / INFLUENCERS / "FITSPO"

Some of the people you might see on social media promoting workouts, nutrition plans, diet programs, and supplements might have legitimate credentials. Many of them do not.

Having a lot of followers does not equate to having a lot of experience.

Being famous or having a body that fits the social idea does not equate to having any knowledge of health and fitness.

Losing a lot of weight and posting impressive before and after pictures, or sharing videos of intense workouts does not mean someone has the education to teach other people how to do those things.

People who use their name recognition and social status to sell supplements or promote unproven health claims are predatory and dangerous.

Before following someone online and especially before purchasing a product or program, be sure to check their credentials. Most of us who have certifications or degrees have spent a lot of time and money on them, and they'll be prominently displayed in our bios or About pages. If that's missing, be very, very cautious. (Mine are always listed at the bottom of my emails!)

THE BOTTOM LINE...

You wouldn't expect your dermatologist to treat your back pain, would you?
Fitness and nutrition professionals have specializations, too. Be sure to check credentials when finding someone to fit your needs.

While many people, including myself, have multiple certifications in different areas, that's not always the case. You might need to work with more than one person to come up with the fitness and nutrition plan that works best for you.