Should I Become a Nutritionist?

The fields of health and nutrition are blossoming in unique and exciting ways. There’s been a strong shift in our culture around food awareness, even greater than the fat-free diet that swept through the 1980’s. We want to live longer, healthier lives, avoid disease and feel happy with the bodies we’ve been given. And yet, there’s still a mountain of work to be done in educating people about the simplest of nutritional concepts.

There are more dietary theories being promoted through the media, medical journals, and so-called gurus on the Internet, than ever before.  Perhaps this is why you’re even considering becoming a certified nutritionist. Or perhaps it makes you wonder if there’s anything new in Nutrition worth talking about? Because you feel intrinsically that this desire you have to help educate and heal others is not only noble, but also, a popular one. The amount of people seeking work in the Nutrition field has increased nearly 25% in the last three years alone!

How to Become a Nutritionist?

These days, while they may have very similar sounding titles, the nutritionist and the dietitian are actually very separate professions. While the dietitian has some pretty rigorous education requirements to meet before practicing, the nutritionist isn’t held down by the same restricting regulations. Anyone can be a nutritionist.

This doesn’t mean, however, that just anyone should. It really depends on what you feel pulled to do in your life. Here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, we attract students with completely varied backgrounds in the fields of nutrition, fitness, or psychology.

So, there’s a very important question you need to ask yourself: What’s my goal?

Do you desire to understand how food works in the body? To discover how macronutrients break down, or how minerals do their work — do you see yourself doing biochemistry, or studying the physics of nutritional science? Maybe you see clinical research or public policy as your end-goal.

Do you desire to understand how the body works in relationship to food? How mood and stress, toxic nutritional beliefs, weight and body image, disordered eating, digestion, fatigue, and immunity all play a role in personal health? Maybe you see you see yourself working directly with people to guide and support their own discovery of dynamic wellness as your end goal.

The beauty is, there’s no wrong answer. It just depends on which path is truly right for you.

Our training program requires a very different approach than a Bachelor’s degree or supervised internship: it requires a certain mind set, an inner desire, and an innate ability to understand how the brain and body work together. It takes a certain kind of person to be successful in this field, whether they’re adding to their studies in clinical nutrition, their work as a health coach, or even if they’re entirely new to the world of eating psychology. If you’re unsure whether or not you fit the bill, see if you can relate to any of the following criteria:

• You recognize that pain in others can be associated with weight gain, self-image, and a general need for nutritional understanding
• You want to help others in a holistic manner, treating the mind, body, and soul as one
• You can visualize your own success in teaching people the path to emotional and bodily happiness through sustenance
• You are motivated to step outside the box of traditional science and into alternative methods

If you recognize these traits within yourself, then we want to invite you to come to learn with us. At the Institute, you’ll be trained in modalities that can carry you into a future for nutritional healing in new and profound ways. You won’t be restricted to the basic principles of science and diet that so many programs rely on. Instead, your education will expand into the realms of psychology, holistic analysis, and progressive guidance. We believe this field requires a deeper understanding than is usually offered to its professionals. Our programs are available through an Online Distance Learning platform, allowing you to grow as a practitioner from the comfort of your own home.

How Much Do Nutritionists Make?

This is a practical question and needs some consideration. The world of nutrition is a broad one, encompassing a variety of specialties– sports nutrition, pediatric nutrition, holistic nutrition, and more – so the salary range is quite expansive. Depending on where you practice and with whom you work, your salary can vary greatly. Generally speaking, a nutritionist salary averages from $40,000 to $60,000 annually, though it’s capable of being much higher than that. This is why it’s so important to have a cutting-edge educational experience that can set you apart in this growing marketplace.

What is Mind Body Nutrition?

Here at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating, we focus on groundbreaking work in the new and innovative field of Mind Body Nutrition™, allowing our students to more fully understand the person with whom they’re working. Not every licensed nutritionist in the world is concerned with Dynamic Eating Psychology  — some of them believe the science of nutrition alone is enough to advise people on food and the effects it has on their health. This is often the work of Dieticians. But the body is an integrated whole — everything is connected. It’s no longer helpful, in fact, to assume that major systems within us operate independently.

Our nervous systems are not fully autonomous from our respiratory systems, and neither is nutrition completely autonomous from psychology, in the end. The way we think about ourselves — the ways in which we mentally reward or punish ourselves — has a great deal to do with how our body works. Choosing to enter this field requires a healthy amount of education and training in both the science of nutrition and the psychology of eating. Here, at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating, you’ll be given professional instruction on the inviolable relationship between the mind and the body, and the heart of the Eater.

Going Beyond Nutrition

What we’re offering at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating is a program devoted to more than just the science of nutrition. We are a holistic organization that very strongly believes in the interconnectedness of mind and body. When you train with us, you’ll be receiving a completely unique education in the powers of nutritional healing and the effects even your thoughts can have on your body. We’re not your average nutritionist school.

You’ll learn the basics of nutrition, of course, but you should expect to move a step beyond the science into the world of the mind and emotions. With this holistic education and sound proficiencies, you’ll be a force for good in the nutrition community, skillfully helping those who don’t yet understand how to help themselves. With your training, you will also:

• Become more confident in your role
• Supplement your traditional nutrition education
• Expand your practice to include holistic methods
• Become a generally better and more well-rounded nutritionist or dietitian

While you don’t need a college degree to join us here at The Institute, there are still some important requirements. Ask Yourself:

• Am I truly willing?
• Am I fully capable?
• Am I wholly enthusiastic?
• Am I ready?

If this is a field of work that inspires you, or if you’re already in the field and want a more holistic approach to your training and your practice, we invite you to contact The Institute for the Psychology of Eating today. We’re happy to provide more information and answer all your questions!

We can’t wait to hear from you.