If you love food, and you love helping people make better food choices, becoming a Nutritionist might be a good fit for you. Before you decide to jump right in to the journey, consider these important things about the nutritionist career.
Who Makes a Good Nutritionist?
Nutritionists help people learn how to eat more healthy in their day to day lives. They act as food “coaches” and food educators to people who have a desire to change their life one meal at a time. Though there is no special education requirement to utilize the word “nutritionist” in your title, you will want to take courses in healthy eating and nutrition and have a thorough understanding of the science behind good food choices in order to best help your clients.
Having a friendly personality and enjoying spending your time around a variety of types of people is a plus when in the nutritionist career field. Because you will spend the majority of your working day with people, if you prefer keeping to yourself this job may not be for you.
Where Do Nutritionists Work?
Some nutritionists own their own businesses helping people learn to eat better and live more healthy lives. Other, specially educated and trained nutritionists called Registered Dietitians, work in hospitals and other professional medical environments. Some nutritionists choose to work for non profit organizations, health food companies, or in the corporate world. It’s important to have a good idea of where you would like to work so that you can gear your training and education in the direction of that chosen setting.
Typical Working Hours
The nutritionist has a variety of working hours, depending on their career setting. They may work:
- The hours that they choose when they open their own business.
- Normal business hours if they choose to work for non profits
- Hospital shifts (usually 12 hours shifts, three days a week) if they choose to work in the hospital
Types of People Who Nutritionists Help
People seek out the help of nutritionists for a variety of reasons. They may have:
- Made a conscious decision to change their lifestyle in order to live more healthy
- Had a major medical event which requires them to follow a specific eating routine
- Had a friend or family member who needs to change their eating habits and has decided to make the change as well to support them
Working as a nutritionist can be a rewarding career for people who are outgoing and love food and healthy living. Making any career change or decisions to pursue a specific education can be intimidating. Knowing what to expect will help you decide if being a nutritionist is the right career path for you.
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