To Teach Nutrition or To Not Teach Nutrition? That is the Question.
By Dexter Tenison

Recently, there has been a lot of debate about whether a personal trainer should or should not discuss nutrition with their clients. Liability issues in health clubs, lawsuits brought against personal trainers due to them prescribing nutrition and supplements, and heightened attempts of nutritionists and dietitians to protect their profession has caused personal trainers and their certifying agencies to re-evaluate their stand on nutrition.

Luckily, ISSA has been strong and unchanging as far as their stance on nutrition. We, as certified and credible fitness trainers, have a responsibility to teach our clients about nutrition and the way it works symbiotically with resistance training and aerobic training. In a highly competitive market of weight loss alternatives, people believe that they have a choice as to what method of weight loss they can implement. They realize that the best choice for long term and optimal results is through the guidance of a personal trainer. This is because a personal trainer works in all three areas of fat loss: resistance training, cardiovascular training, and nutrition that supports the goals that a person wants to accomplish. It becomes our responsibility to raise consumers’ awareness.

With all of this being said, it becomes our responsibility to raise our own standards and education in areas where we need to improve. Most of us love to show clients ten varia-tions of how to squat, but we must understand that it is only a small portion of what we do. Nutrition ultimately has more importance for a client’s success than the way he or she squats. Therefore, it is our responsibility to discuss nutrition during most sessions when we deal with clients. Also, we should learn our limits about the advice we can and can’t give concerning nutrition. Our ability to communicate effectively with a client when dealing with nutrition is also very important and will be discussed in a later article.

I was able to interview two outstanding and well-recognized nutritionists recently in deal-ing with this topic. Dr. Chris Mohr is a nutritionist located in Louisville, Kentucky, and is the owner of Mohr Results. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Leslie Schilling, MA, RD, CSCS, is a master's level registered and licensed dietitian who specializes in eating disorders and sports nutrition. She is the owner of Schilling Nutrition Therapy in Memphis, Tennessee.

Both Chris and Leslie want to remind trainers that their opinions are based upon the laws of the states where they practice. Some of their information and opinions may or may not apply in all states. Therefore, all trainers should be familiar with their own state’s licensure laws when dealing with nutrition.

Does a trainer have a responsibility to talk about nutrition and encourage better nutritional habits with their clients?

Chris Mohr – I believe trainers should educate themselves and absolutely discuss sim-ple nutrition information with their clients. Clients are able to get nutrition information from gossip magazines, their neighbors, the internet, and everyone else in the world--but when trainers look to discuss this with clients, they feel they are doing something wrong. Now, with that said, there's a big difference between talking about simple nutrition information and providing medical nutrition therapy – that is absolutely outside the scope of a trainer, unless they are also a registered dietitian.

Leslie Schilling – It’s a trainer’s responsibility to let the client know nutrition is part of being healthy and maintaining a normal weight and exercise plan. Basic nutrition information that is non-prescriptive in nature (i.e. lean protein, fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, etc.) is appropriate to encourage.

What are some key points a personal trainer should give to their clients when dealing with nutrition?

C.M. – Talk about the basics: teach someone to read food labels, talk about eating more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains and less refined carbohydrates, leaner protein sources, etc. A good teaching tool would be to provide a simple list of better food choices and why (e.g., eat whole fruit vs. fruit juice – more fiber, nutrients, and will help fill you up more).

L.S. – A trainer could point a client to a reputable website such as www.eatright.org, which is the American Dietetic Association’s Website. A trainer may also give basic information about healthy, nationally recommended intake.

How should a trainer proceed with having their clients make a food log? How should a trainer evaluate it and make recommendations for that client?

C.M. – These can be used to make simple, blanket recommendations. Like I said above, if you review it and see someone isn't eating any fruits or vegetables, discuss ways to incorporate more each day. Are your clients eating breakfast everyday? Are they eating consistently throughout the day? Most clients need very simple, hand holding type nutrition tips – I have worked with folks eating fast food 3 times each day. Looking at a menu from their favorite fast food restaurant and first picking the best options there is a step in the right direction – changes don't happen overnight, so it's important to be realistic with your approach.

L.S. – Although this seems to be a common tool for some trainers, its usage or reason for use could lead to a trainer giving a nutrition prescription to a client. This could lead to recommendations that could be considered medical nutrition therapy (MNT). In many states, this is considered fraudulent if this person is not a licensed/registered dietitian.

If a trainer chooses to give a client a log, again basic nutrition/health recommendations that are public knowledge can be encouraged. One should avoid a legalistic approach of “good” vs. “bad” terminology.

When should a trainer look to other professionals for help when dealing with a client?

C.M. – If their needs are outside their scope of practice – anything that requires medical nutrition therapy is outside their scope. Trainers should not claim to be experts in all arenas, just like dietitians or other health care professionals are not. You will get more respect if you reach out to someone else for assistance instead of trying to be everything to everyone. It is always great to have solid relationships with sports dietitians who understand the intricacies of sports nutrition.

L.S. – If any nutrition related diagnosis or issue is present. As a professional who constantly works with a team of professionals, I do not think any one person should try to provide, or has the expertise, to cover all the needs of one client.

So many trainers think they only have enough time to cover exercise during a session. Where in the session can a trainer implement nutritional advice for the client?

C.M. – It's much more important than training itself. I would personally set some time aside for a simple discussion – again, staying away from making very specific meal planning recommendations, but rather general nutrition tips.

Are nutritional seminars a smart idea for personal trainers to present to po-tential clients? How should they proceed?

C.M. – As long as they keep it within their expertise – this could be a great way to partner with a sports dietitian. The two of you can share your expertise to help the clients the best you can.

L.S. – No, in states where licensure is present a dietitian should be involved. Again, basic nutrition and health recommendations that are public knowledge are open for anyone to discuss (i.e. Weight Watchers, health clubs, etc.)

How about grocery store tours?

C.M. – These are a great tool – it's amazing how many clients don't know how to shop healthfully. And nutrition decisions really do start at the grocery store (well, technically with making the list before you shop). In fact, my company just filmed a "Grocery Shop-ping DVD" that can be a fantastic tool for trainers and other health professionals who are looking to implement these in their practice. Check out www.MohrResults.com for information about this and other products.

L.S. – These are OK if the trainer is sticking to basic nutrition knowledge. It’s important that accurate information is being provided. Check on a national website such as the USDA for label reading tools. Just because one thinks it sounds good or rational doesn’t make it accurate. Again, don’t be afraid to team up with a dietitian.

The way in which personal trainers present advice to their clients concerning nutritional information is key. A personal trainer should never prescribe or tell a client exactly what to eat. A personal trainer can give suggestions about optimal healthy eating habits, and can give generalized examples of foods to eat and optimal combinations. If a trainer uses a food log, they must be careful not to prescribe, but rather suggest ways for the client to improve their eating habits. What I received from these interviews was further encouragement to discuss nutrition with clients, but the realization that as personal trainers we do not specialize in nutrition, and that it’s OK to refer our clients to other professionals if needed.

Dexter Tenison (www.dextertenisonfitness.com) is an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, a master’s candidate for sports fitness and sports studies at The United States Sports Academy, and a mentor of Phil Kaplan’s Be Better Project, an elite group of personal trainers whose goal is to elevate the fitness industry. He is the owner and a trainer at Body Transformations in Memphis, TN. Dexter can be reached at dexter@dextertenisonfitness.com.