MBG Food & Health Associate Editor
MBG Food & Health Associate Editor
Merrell Readman is associate editor for food and health at mindbodygreen. Readman graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in film and television. She has covered beauty, health and wellness topics throughout her publishing career.
image by Ivan General / stocky
June 4, 2022
The health and wellness industry has exploded in recent years, making the demand for qualified health coaches much more apparent. At this time, people need certified experts to help and offer advice to overcome diseases and illnesses, and one way to receive their credentials is through the best online health coaching programs.
If you are considering joining the field and become a health coach, read on to discover the courses that offer the most comprehensive range of information and training. Whether you’re working on a budget or already have a knowledge base, here’s everything you need to know to choose the right health coaching program.
What is a health coach?
A health coach is a trained expert in the field of nutrition and general wellness, offering clients comprehensive guidance to improve their health.
Instead of just looking at the basics of your life to provide generalized diagnoses and advice, health coaches they are trained to analyze your sleep, diet, lifestyle habits and more to get to the root cause of issues you may be struggling with, whether chronic or not. In fact, holistic nutritionist and celebrity health coach Kelly LeVeque once told mbg that health coaches can “support the resolution of [a client’s] symptoms, and potentially resolution of [their] disease state.”
Specializing in subject areas such as diet and nutrition, fitness, and stress, a good health coach should be able to take a 360 approach to wellnessto provide the highest quality of service to its customers.
How to become a health coach.
To become a certified health coach, you must complete a training course to prepare for your role. There is a wide range of options to choose from, admittedly an overwhelming number, but it is a good rule of thumb to look for courses that have been accredited by the National Board of Health and Wellness Training (NBHWC).
These courses vary in time, monetary investment, and outcome, so setting realistic goals before entering the program will ensure you get the most out of it. Some require a college degree to start, and others are more suited to starting your own personal health coaching service. Knowing what you want from a course before you make your decision will ensure that you don’t waste time.
You must also be prepared to take a lengthy exam at the end of your course, which will determine your readiness to enter the field.
How we choose:
We choose programs at a variety of price points to meet incoming health coaches where they are, while also making the process accessible.
It’s important that a good health coaching program is accredited by a trusted source, and each certification we select is recognized by the NBHWC or NCCA.
Health coaching is an investment of time, and some have more time to give than others. We select a variety of programs with different time requirements to accommodate different schedules.
You want a health coaching program that covers a variety of information across the health landscape, and each of our selections offers the necessary breadth of knowledge to make you the best coach possible.
MBG’s picks for the best health coaching programs 2022:
advantage
- Comprehensive wellness approach
- Efficient 20 week course
- NBHWC Approved
- Ideal for people changing careers and for those already in the health field.
Cons
- The 20-week program may not fit all schedules
If you’re looking for a complete health coaching course that sets you up for success in just 20 weeks, mbg’s HCC is perfect for you. An NBHWC-approved training program, this course covers a solid view of health to prepare graduates through a combination of instruction, office hours, and feedback sessions. Although virtual previous reviewers called the courses are supportive and interactive, proving that you don’t have to know IRL to get an enriching environment. It is also well paired with mbg Functional Nutrition Training to further expand your knowledge in the field.
advantage
- Brand building skills
- scalable
- NBHWC Approved
Health Coach Institute prepares you with the knowledge to enhance your brand and share your skills, making it one of the best options for anyone who wants to create their own health coaching service after completing the training. Approved by the NBHWC, this program offers a simple Health Coach option as well as a Coach Mastery course to take your learning to the next level. The latter puts you in touch with people who have previously completed the course for additional support from the community.
advantage
- Ideal for people changing career paths.
- No prerequisites
- Offers specialized learning
- NBHWC Approved
Cons
- Less generalized view of health, can be limiting
Many health training programs require prerequisites before you begin, whether it’s a bachelor’s degree or certification in CPR, but Dr. Sears Wellness Institute welcomes all levels. This program is great if you are looking to focus on a more specialized area of health, offering certifications in pregnancy, families, and adults/seniors. Online courses take between 6 and 36 weeks to complete, depending on how rigorous you want it to be. Not to mention, it’s also recognized by the NBHWC.
advantage
- Affordable
- Ideal for specialized training.
- NCCA Approved
Cons
- Not NBHWC Approved
- Requires CPR/AED certification
We recognize that health coaching is no small investment, especially if you are just starting your business. Even when you want to spend less, it’s important to find a program that sets you up for success. ACE’s health coaching program starts at just $650 and takes three to four months to get certified. The program offers three different tiers at different prices, making it even more accessible for different income levels. The program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
advantage
- No prerequisites
- own rhythm
- scalable
Cons
- You will be served in order of arrival
- Exclusive focus on nutrition instead of holistic health
- unaccredited
- Limited instructional support
If your focus within health coaching is more on nutrition, Precision Nutrition’s Level 1 course will provide you with a comprehensive foundation of information. Requiring no prerequisites, the virtual course is self-paced and offers valuable information on nutritional counseling for those seeking a more specialized practice. While the program is not accredited, it has been recognized and approved for continuing education units by various organizations, including ACE, NASM, and more.
Created by a pioneer in the health and wellness space, IIN was the first health coaching program available. This gives the IIN an edge over the competition: it offers a wide alumni network, which can come in handy after you graduate from the program. They also offer 6 or 12 month options. However, the course is expensive and requires extensive weekly coursework to ensure you finish the 6-month program on time. It is also worth noting that they were Acquired by a Minnesota-based private equity firm in 2018.
Food to go
Selecting a health coaching program that’s right for you is essential to optimizing your experience and spending the time and resources you have on a certification that prepares you to better serve your clients. Whether you opt for mbg’s HCC or another program, the health space needs qualified experts to make wellness enhancement more accessible.
