Nutrition Certification

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I currently am attending school for business but would like to be ceritified in either nutrition or personal training. I am 21 and have been training for about 4 years. I always have been into learning more about training and nutrition. I've seached around the forums for some previous threads about certifications in these fields. Leaning towards nutrition, I have found many people choose ISSA and NESTA. Any opinions on either of these certifications?

[Sikk]

most ppl who I've seen get them went w/ ISSA

dont exactly know why, just saying

I probably will as well next summer

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Finally, thanks for the response!


AFTA Sports Nutrition Advisor?

[nickmanzoni]

You need to be a RD. in order to be called a nutritionist. Any certification under that would be not legally able to allow you to give nutritional advice outside the basics.

You couldn't prescribe food/ supplements/ etc.

[Sikk]

registered dieticians are completely worthless

this whole "cant tell someone what to eat" w/o a degree is ridiculous.

[likebeasts]

I think ACE and NASM are the most respected. I perdsonally am going for ISSA, but its not accredited, eventhough it is a very good program. THe accredited rpograms require you to take the test in a testing center, while the ISSa lets you take it online. Anyway, check those two programs out.

[nickmanzoni]

registered dieticians are completely worthless

this whole "cant tell someone what to eat" w/o a degree is ridiculous.

If you tell them to take a certain food with a given allergy, and they DIE.


You're sued.


If you tell a client to try a supplement, even something as simple as flax-seed, and there is a rare 1-100,000,000 occurance where the person got sick.



you're sued.

[Sikk]

and if you have a client perform one legged squats on a balance ball with dumbbells in their arms like most **** tastic trainers do and they get hurt you could be sued.

Yet we'll say we're protected by a waiver, why not the same for food? Supplements I agree shouldn't probably be recommended, but food? you can get a list of what foods their allergic too.

[Sikk]

I think ACE and NASM are the most respected. I perdsonally am going for ISSA, but its not accredited, eventhough it is a very good program. THe accredited rpograms require you to take the test in a testing center, while the ISSa lets you take it online. Anyway, check those two programs out.

ACE and NASM have nutrition programs?

[Thuirwyne]

Every state has rules about certifications etc. and nutrition. In most states you can become a "certified sports nutritionist," and can legally prescribe eating plans and supplements to people who don't have any medical problems. I believe Indiana has some law on the books, but that's about it...

[Thuirwyne]

and if you have a client perform one legged squats on a balance ball with dumbbells in their arms like most **** tastic trainers do and they get hurt you could be sued.

Yet we'll say we're protected by a waiver, why not the same for food? Supplements I agree shouldn't probably be recommended, but food? you can get a list of what foods their allergic too.

OH MY...Circus Training 101.

[HardGainer82]

ACE and NASM have nutrition programs?

I know for a fact that ACE doesn't. You can get a "Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant" cert, but it still doesn't really qualify you to go much beyond general nutritional guidelines.

[LiftH4rd]

Personaly I don't understand... Why some one is a PERSONAL TRAINER, but can not give advice on supps or food. To me it would be a waste of the clients time and money. But thats just my 2 cents about the subject.

[hublife]

You need to be a RD. in order to be called a nutritionist. Any certification under that would be not legally able to allow you to give nutritional advice outside the basics.

You couldn't prescribe food/ supplements/ etc.

This is correct. The term "certified nutritionist" is bull****.

[devildogbr]

Personaly I don't understand... Why some one is a PERSONAL TRAINER, but can not give advice on supps or food. To me it would be a waste of the clients time and money. But thats just my 2 cents about the subject.

its all about being sued ... most trainers still give out a good bit of advise ... just not allowed to write out a plan

[Thuirwyne]

Personaly I don't understand... Why some one is a PERSONAL TRAINER, but can not give advice on supps or food. To me it would be a waste of the clients time and money. But thats just my 2 cents about the subject.

It's to protect the consumer against dummies.

2 trainers I worked with had the same client. 1 trainer was NASM certified, and the other had his BS in Exercise Science. This woman was 50, doing cardio for 60 minutes a day, 5 days a week along with weight training sessions, 5 days a week to lose fat. She was having no real results, and she was frustrated.

I had a chance to talk with her and she said she was following the eating they told her which was under 1000 calories a day, low to no fat, low to no carbs, and protein from food sources only.

When I mentioned this to them, their response was; "We don't know why she's not dropping weight or fat! Do you think she needs to drop more calories?" UGH

[HardGainer82]

Personaly I don't understand... Why some one is a PERSONAL TRAINER, but can not give advice on supps or food. To me it would be a waste of the clients time and money. But thats just my 2 cents about the subject.

You can, but if something goes wrong and they decide that they want to sue you, you don't really have a leg to stand on because you're not "professionally qualified" to be giving that advice.