The health coaching industry is said to be worth $6 billion. The truth? Americans need help.

Consider this: recent studies predict that by 2030, at least 51% of the U.S. population will be obese. This alarming statistic can be credited to two specific issues: lack of education and poor nutrition habits.

The good news is that many problems like these can be prevented. The healthcare industry is making a conscious effort to shift beyond treating illnesses to overall prevention. This change creates a strong demand for skilled health coaches to step in and help support other licensed professionals. As a health coach, it is your job to safely implement habits of new behavior in order to help people lead healthier lives. And the best way to establish yourself as a reputable health coach is by getting certified by an accredited training program.

In the world of creditable health coaching certifications, there are dozens to choose from. In this guide, we’ll discuss three respected programs that sit at the top of their class.

The three best health coach certification programs in 2019 are:

1. National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
2. American Council on Exercise (ACE)
3. American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA)

In this article, we’ll discuss each of these programs in detail. We will cover a) curriculum and areas of focus, b) pricing and bundle options, c) program details, and d) study materials and exam criteria.

Let’s get started!

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

By most accounts, the most trusted fitness certification on the market is the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Under the nutrition tier of its many divisions, NASM initially only offered the Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS) program. This certification was considered a course that complemented their CPT credentials. Certified trainers could prove that they had enough foundational education in nutrition science to give their clients basic information about dieting as it related to their unique training routines.

NASM now has an official health coach certification: the Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC).

The CNC is a comprehensive program that teaches students how to work with clients in ways that help them lead better lives through changing their perspective on health and wellness. Both the FNS and CNC teach the biology and chemistry of nutrition. The CNC further addresses behavioral change as it relates to the psychology of practicing good nutrition habits.

Let’s take a look inside the CNC certification.

Curriculum and Areas of Focus

There are three main sections of content that NASM covers in their program:

Section I: Nutritional science is the study of nutritional elements that make up the parts of the fundamental human diet. Students will learn about the basic building blocks of good nutrition, including: micronutrients, macronutrients, fats, protein, carbs, and supplements.

Section II: The behavior change strategies section addresses the psychology behind things like motivational interviewing, weight control and goal-setting.

Section III: The last section, nutrition coaching, addresses dietary assessment, body composition testing and managing weight loss as it relates to the real world around us.

Pricing and Bundle Options

NASM offers many unique bundle options to accompany their wide variety of program specializations.

The CNC course by itself costs $899.

If you’re interested in specializing in more than one area, it can be bundled with just about any of their existing programs. Because the FNS course is now discontinued, the most popular combination is the Certified Personal Trainer course coupled with the CNC. Those who are looking to build diverse careers in the fitness industry can opt for more advanced specializations while gaining knowledge in more than one area.

NASM provides a helpful chat support team that assists with helping students find the right deal for them. They are often able to customize bundle options specific to the goals students may want to achieve.

Installment Plans

NASM offers interest free payment plans that can be divided into 12 increments. The company will draft up what is called a RIC (Retail Installment Contract) document. This contract will express their terms for repayment of the loan installment to ensure that you adhere to fulfilling the payment agreement. You must contact the company by phone to set this up.

Now, let’s take a look inside the program itself.

Program Details

NASM’s program is offered exclusively online. They provide plenty of resources to help guide the direction of your study. It is estimated that it takes about 6-12 weeks to complete the course.

Some of the online study materials include:

• Interactive eBook with 24 chapters. This guide includes videos, downloadable templates, infographics, knowledge checks, and chapter quizzes
• A 100-question practice exam with unlimited attempts
• A 100-question final exam

For the final exam, students must make a 70% passing grade or higher. You will get 3 attempts to take the exam. The test must be completed within one year of the registration date. While you must be 18 years or older and possess a high school diploma (or GED equivalent) in order to register for the program, there are no previous fitness qualifications required.

Recertification

Like with most health certifications, your CNC must be renewed every two years. You must purchase and pass a NASM-CNC renewal exam. There are a few steps to follow when fulfilling this requirement:

• 1. Contact the NASM member services department at 1-800-460-6276.
• 2. Purchase the renewal exam through a representative for $49.
• 3. Access the exam through the member portal at www.nasm.org. You will have 3 attempts to pass the exam, over a period of one year.

You may purchase three additional attempts if you are not successful on the first three.

After passing with a 70% grade or higher, you’ll receive a hard copy of your diploma via mail. You’ll also have online digital access through the online portal.

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

Founded in 1985, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a non-profit organization that continues to hold its reign as the only institution whose health coach certification is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Curriculum and Areas of Focus

The overarching goal of the ACE Health Coach Certification program is to integrate educative health strategies into the lives of their clients.

The ACE health coach program is broken up into five unique sections:

Section I: Building a foundation for health and wellness coaching. This section introduces the basics of what it takes to properly lead as a health coach. Behavior change models and theories are discussed as well as some of the core roles and components of health coaching.

Section II: The coaching experience. Here you’ll dive a little deeper beneath the surface and learn about some of the skills and methods for supporting lifestyle changes. In one particular chapter titled “The Art of Coaching,” you’ll look at some of the psychology behind effective coaching as as it relates to directly influencing others.

Section III: Lifestyle medicine. This section discusses external factors that may directly influence or affect clients: stress management, physical activity, and substance abuse.

Section IV: Chronic diseases and conditions. This section focuses on how to handle clients who may have preexisting conditions or diseases.

Section V: Professional conduct and establishing your coaching practice. Lastly, some guided knowledge on how to start implementing some of the learned information into programs as you begin building your business as a health coach.

Something interesting to note is that ACE has an option to download a course preview so candidates can see if the program is a good fit before they commit to buying. Find out more about their course preview option here.

Program Options and Pricing:

ACE offers two different program options for their health coach certification. Each plan includes access to their new all-inclusive online learning center called ACE University (ACE U). ACE U is an interactive online study experience that features special tools and resources that help prepare students for the exam. Some of the study materials provided include:

• Video lectures
• Video coaching sessions
• Audio coaching sessions
• Knowledge checks
• Quizzes
• Practice tests
• Audiobooks

They also advertise a brand new comprehensive textbook: The Professional’s Guide to Health and Wellness Coaching. This is offered in both print and eBook format.

Let’s compare the two program options:

ACE Plus:

Their plus program is suited for individuals who have very little prior knowledge or experience in the health coaching industry. This option provides a very robust and detailed study experience in order to fully prepare the student for work in this field. The cost of this program is $749. If you opt for their interest-free payment plan, this would equal four installments of $187.25.

Some of what is included in the ACE Plus plan:

• ACE University (ACE U) Learning Center
• Hard copy and eBook of The Professional’s Guide to Health and Wellness Coaching. Complementary study companion included
• The Professional’s Guide to Health and Wellness Coaching audiobook
• 11 videos, 8 audio simulated coaching sessions
• Two practice tests
• Exam voucher, valid for 6 months after date of purchase
• Access to ACE Answers, the self-serve resource center
• Free shipping for hard copy materials

ACE Basic:

The ACE basic program is designed for candidates who already have deep knowledge of health coaching principles or extensive experience in related fields. This one is ideal for anyone seeking continued education or extra credentials for the healthcare provider positions they already hold. The cost of this program is $599.

Some of the materials included with the ACE Basic plan include:

• ACE University (ACE U) Learning Center
• The Professional’s Guide to Health and Wellness Coaching eBook
• Complementary study companion included
• 11 videos, 3 audio simulated coaching sessions
• One practice test
• Exam voucher, valid for 6 months after date of purchase
• Access to ACE Answers, the self-serve resource center

Both of the programs are estimated to take about 90 days to complete. Whichever program is purchased, you receive one exam voucher, and choose what location you would like to take the exam based upon where you live.

Online Support

ACE provides an online support portal called ACE Answers. It is a self-serve resource center that features videos, FAQs, and study tips from expert ACE study coaches. They also offer separate hands-on workshops that students can sign up for at their own convenience.

Eligibility

While NASM’s health coach certification doesn’t require many prerequisites, there are a few mandatory things that you must have before you can register for the ACE health coach program. For one, you must be at least 18 years old. Secondly, you must hold a current CPR/AED certification.

You must also submit proof of one of the following:

• A current NCAA-accredited certification in fitness, nutrition, healthcare, wellness or a related field
• An associate degree or higher from a college or university in fitness, exercise science, nutrition or a related field
• A completed health coach training and education program approved by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaches, or
• A minimum of two years of documented work experience in coaching, leading, designing, implementing, or facilitating one or more of the following: behavior or lifestyle change, exercise, wellness, nutrition, or physical activity

American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA)

Over the past 25 years, American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA) has been known for their 20+ different certification programs in a wide variety of areas. They’ve certified over 110,000 professionals in more than 124 countries. Like ACE, AFPA is also a nationally accredited institution.

There are two programs offered with AFPA. They both offer something a little different, so pricing and bundle options will vary. Let’s break down some facts about what is offered for each.

Health and Wellness Coach Program

The Health and Wellness Coach Program is designed to show students how to evaluate, assist, work with and guide clients on new behavioral and lifestyle changes as it relates to their general health.

The health and wellness coach certification is divided into 2 modules:

Module 1: An approach to optimizing health. A few of the topics you’ll explore in this module include: achieving personal health, managing stress and mental health, understanding and preventing disease, and overcoming obstacles.

Module 2: Becoming an effective lifestyle coach. You’ll be introduced to evidence-based coaching and systematic processes to guide and support clients in ways that help them achieve long-term healthy lifestyles. This section includes lessons on: different modes of coaching, direct communication, goal setting, and creating paths of change.

Some of the course resources provided for this certification include:

• Digital eBooks
• Chapter outlines and study guides
• Interactive learning assets (e.g. glossaries, flashcards)
• Online learning activities
• Practice quizzes and self-assessments
• Multimedia learning formats (e.g. PDF slide presentations)
• Counseling and lifestyle management forms for starting your business
• Forms, worksheets, checklists, and client questionnaires

Now that we’ve covered one of their basic programs, let’s look at one of their more all-inclusive courses.

Holistic Health Coach Program

With the holistic health coach certification, AFPA has created a comprehensive curriculum that combines the knowledge gained from some of their other health courses. With this program you will gain a deeper understanding of not only the fundamentals of coaching, but the many essentials of nutrition as it relates to the science of food, types of vitamins and minerals, different diets, and effective meal-planning.

So, what is a holistic health coach? Holistic health coaches takes an integrative approach to implementing diet and lifestyle changes. They move beyond the basic fundamentals of health coaching by recognizing that there is more to good health than just diet and exercise. Additionally, they consider their clients’ physical, social, psychological, and spiritual well-being when designing unique plans that will bring about lasting change.

The holistic health coach program at AFPA is divided into 5 learning modules:

Module 1: Understanding health and wellness.

Module 2: Discovering health and lifestyle coaching skills.

Module 3: The science behind holistic nutrition.

Module 4: Developing skills as a nutritional consultant.

Module 5: Exploring leading research on holistic health presentations.

For this course, you have access to the same course materials provided for the health and wellness coach certification.

Now let’s look at some of the pricing and financing options for each.

Pricing Options

AFPA offers monthly installment plans for both programs that are subject to a credit check and approval. The cost for the health and wellness coach program is $799, with financing starting at $61 per month. The cost for the holistic program is $1,699, with financing starting at $149 per month.

Eligibility and Exam Requirements

In order to register for the exam you must be 18 years or older and have a solid understanding of the English language. You will need a minimum final exam grade of 85% in order to pass. Should you need to retest, a $75 retest fee is required.

Conclusion

NASM, ACE, and AFPA all offer their own unique resources for building a successful career in the health coaching industry. If you are someone who is looking for a general mix of useful information about the fundamentals of what it takes to succeed as a health coach, NASM’s curriculum may be best suited for you. However, if you are interested in gaining more comprehensive knowledge from an in-depth industry perspective in regards to your current level of experience, ACE may provide a few more options.

Regardless of which certification you choose, earning your certification from an accredited health coach training program is the best start to your career helping others reach their optimal health.