Benefits of being an RD as a strength coach/personal trainer? - JP Fitness Forums

AceDeuce · 01-17-2008, 09:32 PM

What do you feel are the benefits of being a Registered Dietitian (RD) as a strength coach or personal trainer? I ask because I am at a crossroad; I know that my passion lies in strength training and conditioning, but I just spent the past 4.5 years as a Dietetics major before I realized this. I am at the point where I need to either:

A.)Apply for a Dietetic Internship and complete the RD exam THEN go to grad school for kinesiology/ExSci
B.)Apply for graduate school (for Kinesiology or Exercise Science) and begin a career as a strength coach or personal trainer.

If I go the route of the Dietetic Internship, I will be in a hospital setting counseling patients regarding nutrition. This does not appeal very much to me at all. The only reason I would do this is if becoming an RD would benefit me as a personal trainer/strength coach down the road. AKA would I be more credible?

Basically, I’m asking your opinion whether postponing my passion (strength training/athletics) for about 1 year would be worth it in the long run to get the RD credentials. I’m torn because I don’t want the past 4.5 years to be worth nothing and I want to be as marketable as a trainer/coach as possible, but at the same time I don’t know if having the “RD” after my name will make a big difference either way. I

Jean-Paul · 01-18-2008, 10:53 PM

You've spent a lot of time in school, but being an RD is not very rewarding for all the time and money you have to spend doing it. I don't know a dietician in town who's doing as well as I am, and I'm a college drop-out.

If you do what you LOVE, you'll be happier, and you'll likely make more money. As Joseph Campbell said, "follow your bliss!"

Then again, maybe those credentials will make your nutritional advice more easy to digest (hee hee! I crack myself up!). Seriously though, if you love what you're doing, and you think it will add something valuable to your ultimate goal, stick with it. It's just a HYOOOGE sacrifice, and unless you plan to work in a hospital planning nutrition for stroke victims and heart patients, I would think that you already know more than 99% of the trainers out there with your base degree to set yourself apart.

Just my $.02.

LisaS · 01-18-2008, 10:57 PM

I think you need to look at the laws in the state(s) in which you intend to practice - if you are considering at all including any sort of nutritional advice in your training programs (even given a diet sheet of suggestions) you might need an RD to be compliant. This seems to be an area where there is great variation from state to state.

AceDeuce · 01-29-2008, 09:17 AM

Problem is I have no idea where I intend to practice. I still have to go to grad school for kinesiology or ExSci. After that I could end up anywhere...

How common is it for trainers to not be legally allowed to give nutrition advice?

DontTreadOnMe · 03-16-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaS

I think you need to look at the laws in the state(s) in which you intend to practice - if you are considering at all including any sort of nutritional advice in your training programs (even given a diet sheet of suggestions) you might need an RD to be compliant. This seems to be an area where there is great variation from state to state.

do you know where we can check the laws?

to the OP, being an RD in my opinion would be a huge benefit for you. you alone would be able to give your clients the total package. strength and conditioning + nutrition

i'd go for it for sure if i was you

Jean-Paul · 03-16-2008, 07:25 PM

Anyone can give advice... You have to have the RD to PRESCRIBE. For general fitness purposes, I can't see where you would need it, even legally. I take my clients out to the grocery store and teach them my eating methods. I even speak locally on TV or at Lunch-n-learns for businesses specifically about nutrition, and I have no certification on the subject. ANYONE can give advice. If you sound credible and you are proposing crazy shit, you won't ever put yourself in legal jeapordy by teaching the basic tenats of healthy eating.

DontTreadOnMe · 03-16-2008, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

Anyone can give advice... You have to have the RD to PRESCRIBE. For general fitness purposes, I can't see where you would need it, even legally. I take my clients out to the grocery store and teach them my eating methods. I even speak locally on TV or at Lunch-n-learns for businesses specifically about nutrition, and I have no certification on the subject. ANYONE can give advice. If you sound credible and you are proposing crazy shit, you won't ever put yourself in legal jeapordy by teaching the basic tenats of healthy eating.

I thought offering nutrition advice/plans to clients was a big no no

wrong?

Jean-Paul · 03-16-2008, 09:23 PM

Right... Big old wrong-o! You can't tell the doc what the patient needs after a paranucleal transfusion [made that up], but it doesn't take rocket science to tell people what they need to hear to start getting in better shape. Yeah, if you get a diabetic, refer them on. But anyone else, follow your guidelines.

Honestly, those RDs learn a lot from books that is valuable, and miss some of the easy points that are the most important thing when it comes to helping clients succeed. As a result, even some of those have been coming to me for professional advice for breaking into this field.

If you trust your knowledge and you can argue it effectively even with a doctor or nutritionist, then you will have all of those people signing up with you, and referring their friends.

DontTreadOnMe · 03-16-2008, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

Right... Big old wrong-o! You can't tell the doc what the patient needs after a paranucleal transfusion [made that up], but it doesn't take rocket science to tell people what they need to hear to start getting in better shape. Yeah, if you get a diabedic, refer them on. But anyone else, follow your guidelines.

Honestly, those RDs learn a lot from books that is valuable, and miss some of the easy points that are the most important thing when it comes to helping clients succeed. As a result, even some of those have been coming to me for professional advice for breaking into this field.

If you trust your knowledge and you can argue it effectively even with a doctor or nutritionist, then you will have all of those people signing up with you, and referring their friends.

great advice!

so when do you give advice? during your sessions?

Forza Trainer · 04-03-2008, 09:47 AM

I think the key word for getting becoming an RD is "prescribe", most anyone can give advice or even a general outline of a nutrition program.
The only reason I would think there would be a need to prescribe a nutrition program would be if you wanted to work with special populations like the elderly, children, or people with medical conditions. I've even met RD's that couldn't put a sports nutrition program together because it wasn't something they specialized in.
It's along the same lines as the ACSM Health and Fitness Instructor certification (which I have), theres a bunch of clinical info in there, but not as much practical info as I would of liked. There's not a lot of need for sub-max bicycle fitness testing or BP reading where I work, and from what I can tell is one of the reasons why Jean-Paul isn't a big fan of ACSM.