Scope for a Personal Trainer/Coach: How much Nutritional Advice can you give?

[CEDeoudes59]

This is sort of subjective I suppose, a big gray area.

Gym and PT Certs. give a basic blueprint of nutrition, but nothing like the content found on this board and others.

For the trainers, how do you go about giving nutrition advice (if you aren't actually a REGISTERED dietitian)? Do you just get insurance and waivers to cover you?

(scenario: client switches to hi-protein diet, gets allergic reaction to the whey protein you suggested since it was made in a factory that makes peanuts, sues you for 29 billion dollars). Something along those lines.

I'd rather not outsource any of the work, especially not nutrition, which is more critical to results than the actual training.

 

[UKStrength]

You're insurance should cover you against public liability (mine is up to £10,000,000).

If you're not fully competent in an area (e.g. nutrition) then get a nutrition qualification and refer the client if they have any allergies or specific medical conditions that you cannot treat within your skills.

 

[Rodja]

I always give a disclaimer when I give diet/supplement advice to clients. I think it's one of those things where you can give advice, but not counseling.

 

[UKStrength]

I always give a disclaimer when I give diet/supplement advice to clients. I think it's one of those things where you can give advice, but not counseling.

I always worry about disclaimers, apparently they're not worth the paper they're written on in a court.

I checked with my solicitor and my insurance provider to make sure I was fully covered to give advice before I started practicing in sports nutrition.