Chris Cooper's Blog, page 24

Use an AI-Generated Gift List to Sell Gym Services

Have you sent your clients and contacts your Top 10 fitness gifts of 2024?

If not, it’s time to do so—and fast.

You can even just send five gift ideas.

Whatever number you settle on, the first gift idea should be something from your gym.

Here are some options:

Personal training packages.Monthly memberships.On-ramps.Apparel, supplements or equipment.And so on.

People are always looking for gift ideas at this time of year, so help them solve problems by supplying a list.

Be sure to add a note like this: “Forward this email to someone who might be struggling to buy for you!” This will encourage current members to tell their loved ones that they would be thrilled if they were gifted services from your gym.

I bet you’ve already had someone call and ask, “Do you sell gift certificates?” It happened every year at my gym, and I always scrambled to dig out the laminator and design a certificate. I should have been more prepared and used the holiday season to actively market my services.

Why wait for inquiries? Why not tell people they can purchase training for members, gift services to loved ones, or pick up shirts, skipping ropes and other stocking stuffers?

You can flesh out your list with other ideas:

Dumbbells, kettlebells and other gear.Wearable tech.Headphones and airpods.Trendy performance apparel and shoes.Water bottles.Supplements.Recovery devices.

You don’t have to overthink it. Just list five or 10 things and write a very short blurb about each one: “These socks are the best I’ve ever worn. They’re $20 and anyone on your list would love them. Note: Kids always hate socks but adults appreciate them!”

You’re helping clients and their connections, but you’re also doing a little marketing. If clients forward your email, it’s a clear endorsement of your services and expertise, and it gets your name in front of new people. You might even get a chance to talk to them.

“Sure—I’ll put a gift certificate together. By the way, how’s your fitness these days?”

And if clients buy for others, that’s a massive win for your gym, too: “I bought you an on-ramp at my gym because I want you to experience all the great things I’ve experienced there!”

Move Fast With AI!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking people know they can buy for others or gift members services. Spell it out.

And spell it out today. Do it in 15 minutes or less and hit “send.”

Want a head start? Feed the text below into your favorite AI platform. Put your gym name in place of “Gym X” and be sure your bot selects the correct links—especially the URL that points to your stuff. You can also adjust the first selection to showcase another service if you like.

Here’s your script:

“Please write a 500-word newsletter to a gym’s email list. Topic: Top 5 Holiday Gift Ideas for Fitness People. Please make the first selection 5 personal training sessions from the gym itself, which you can refer to as ‘Gym X.’ For each of the 5 entries, please write a very short blurb about why the item is popular in the fitness world in 2024. Please include a hyperlink to the easiest place to purchase each item.”

To continue my conversation on ChatGPT, click here.

Write a list of gift ideas yourself or have a bot do it—just get it out today!

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Elite Annual Planning: How Top Gym Owners Plan to Thrive in 2025

To watch this episode on YouTube, click here.

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Annual Plan Essential: Bring-a-Friend Events

In the best gyms, every new client represents two or more new members.

That’s because these gyms have detailed plans to eventually help the friends and family of current members with coaching services.

I won’t beat this point to death, but I want it to be clear:

Your current members already know, like and trust you, so the people closest to them are the warmest leads you will ever acquire. These people already know you’re great, and your current members want their connections to benefit from your coaching, too.

In the previous post in this series, I talked about the referral funnel: Two-Brain gyms use Goal Review Sessions to ask happy clients if people in their lives might need help, too. We have a detailed process to ensure gym owners regularly get referrals—remember, referrals don’t just happen.

Another great referral tactic to be used once or twice a year: a bring-a-friend event.

“Ya Gotta Try This!”

Our data shows free trials aren’t a good way to convert leads.

But a bring-a-friend event isn’t a free trial; it’s a carefully planned experience delivered to hot leads who are joining a trusted buddy at the gym—maybe for a workout, but maybe not.

Two-Brain clients have access to a complete step-by-step checklist for running these events—ask your mentor—and I’ll lay out the key elements below to get you started.

Here they are:

1. Members should be invited to bring a friend or family member to join them for a workout, a workout plus a social event, a social event by itself, or a seminar or workshop.

2. Essential step: Collect contact details on arrival and add everyone to your mailing list. Some people will not book free consultations or join right away, so you should stay in contact with them. Plan to send them quick personal messages after the event and add them to your general lead-nurture sequences.

3. If you build your event around a workout, make sure it’s really easy to teach. Pick a workout that will make everyone feel as if they accomplished something at the end. Don’t crush anyone. Put everyone on a podium after they complete the workout. Celebrate wins and take a lot of pictures.

4. Add fun, food or refreshments to give you time to talk to everyone. If you choose to offer a social event, the food and beverages become the focus. If you opt for a seminar, that’s the focus, and refreshments come after. The point: Regardless of the option you select for your event, don’t let people flee immediately. Give them a reason to mill about, chat, ask questions and make connections.  

5. Have a designated sales team member ask people if they have a minute to talk about their fitness goals. Bring those who have time to the consultation area individually and perform a No Sweat Intro. You will close some sales—congrats! Make sure the salesperson follows up personally with people who don’t join.

6. I’ll say it again: Follow up with everyone who attends the event. Do not skip this step and assume people “aren’t interested.” They came to check you out. They might need more help solving a problem or they might need more info. The only way to find out what they need? Keep talking to them.

Got a Plan?

Simple but effective tactics like this will ensure your gym grows all year long.

If you work with a mentor, you’re no doubt crafting your 2025 plan right now.

But if you’re on your own and January is blank on the calendar, I’d like to help you out with my new ebook “The Essential 12-Month Gym-Building Plan for 2025.”

The guide is packed with tried-and-tested gym-growing tactics that will ensure 2025 is a success. To get it, send me a DM on Facebook or head to gymownersunited.com to find out more.

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Annual Planning: Fix Your Marketing Funnels

In our 2025 annual plan, we recommend gym owners audit their marketing funnels.

As a fitness entrepreneur you need a steady flow of leads, and you can generate them by operating up to four marketing funnels at once.

I say “up to” because it’s better to create and operate one A+ funnel than four D- funnels. Once you get one funnel running well, add more—but don’t let any of them break down. That’s where the audit comes in.

Here are the funnels that support a great gym business:

Top gym owners:

Feed the funnels every single day, even if it’s just for 30 minutes.Track how well their funnels are working.Fix leaks, remove clogs and optimize their funnels.

The last part is uncommon. It’s easy to set up a funnel and ignore it. That’s when a broken URL sends all your leads to an error page and your lead flow dries up.

In our “Essential 12-Month Gym-Building Plan for 2025”—get it here—we recommend gym owners audit their marketing funnels in January.

Two-Brain clients have access to a gigantic pile of resources to optimize their funnels, but I’ll give you the high-speed overview here.

Track Your Metrics

First, it’s important to determine where people are dropping out of any funnel. Like this:

Is your funnel producing leads?Are leads booking appointments?Are they showing up for them?Are they buying something?

Now, I’ll give you a quick point of focus for each of the four funnels.

Referrals Funnel

Key Question: Do you know exactly when and how you will ask clients for referrals?

Two-Brain clients use the Prescriptive Model with clients, and happy members are asked for referrals during Goal Review Sessions that occur every 90 days.

If you are waiting for referrals or just randomly—and perhaps awkwardly—asking for them, your referrals funnel is not optimized.

Social Media Funnel

Key Question: Are you telling people what to do next and engaging members of your audience?

Your social-media platforms should not be art projects or “look at me!” thirst traps that boost your ego. If you’re trying to optimize your social-media funnel, you need to tell people who see your posts how to take the next step. Like this: “Want to talk about getting strong in 2025? Send me a DM!”

As with the referrals funnel, you can’t wait here, either. You should be reaching out to the people who like your posts, comment on your content and follow your accounts. Like this: “Thx for following! What are your fitness goals right now?”

If you post and walk, leads won’t flow through your social funnel and into your gym.

Content Funnel

Key Question: Are you publishing content regularly?

Most content funnels are killed by sporadic attention. If you publish three blogs, podcasts or videos one week and then nothing for the rest of the month, you’re starting conversations and then walking away. You need to keep the dialogue going to build trust and establish expertise.

What should you produce? When in doubt, tell stories about your clients.

Remember, quantity is more important than quality. Publish regularly! (Two-Brain clients: Be sure to use the massive pile of done-for-you resources in the Content Vault to make publishing a breeze.)

Paid Ads

Key Question: Are you tracking your metrics?

Paid ads can be complicated. Are you getting leads? Are you spending too much? Are you generating front-end revenue? What about recurring revenue?

If you track your metrics—we have courses and spreadsheets—you’ll always know if your ads are “working.” For example, a gym owner who doesn’t track metrics might turn off ads if it costs $100 to acquire a client. A gym owner who tracks metrics wouldn’t bat an eye at that cost if their lifetime client value is $2,500.

In the ad world, you’re flying blind if you don’t have data.

Got a Plan for 2025?

Auditing your funnels will produce measurable results.

Example: We’ve seen great ad campaigns derailed by broken links. Interested people clicked on an engaging ad in hopes of getting help with their goals but instead got a 404 page. When the link was fixed, leads starting booking appointments and buying memberships.

Funnel audits can produce huge ROI.

This is just one critical task in my new ebook “The Essential 12-Month Gym-Building Plan for 2025.”

If you’re a Two-Brain client, your mentor is already deep into an annual plan for your unique business. But if you don’t work with us yet, I still want to help. Send me a DM on Facebook to request my new guide or head to gymownersunited.com to find out more.

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Want a Thriving Gym in 2025? Here’s the Exact Plan to Follow

To watch this episode on YouTube, click here.

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Taking Home More Than His Gym Used to Gross

A cell-phone camera completely changed Ivan Racic’s business.

Ivan had limited cash reserves to cover the cost of mentorship and wasn’t sure he could afford help from a business expert.

“But we decided to go for it, kind like Hail Mary thing. And it started working really, really quick—which was great, which we needed,” Ivan said.

To improve their business, CrossFit XV in Croatia, Ivan and partner Daria Radman needed a shift in perspective, and the camera literally provided it.

In the gym, Ivan didn’t have a good space for free consultations with prospective members, so his mentor, Per Mattsson, asked him to walk around the place with a camera running.

“There in that corner—that’s a good spot,” Mattsson said.

He recommended a little fence and some plants for privacy, and suddenly Ivan had a spot to solve problems for potential members.

A New Revenue Stream

In that makeshift space, Ivan started selling personal training before entry to group classes. Per helped the entrepreneur hammer out a 90-day journey—first just one PT session before group training, then four sessions, then eight, then 16 high-value sessions.

“It was so scary for us to put that price and be like, ‘Oh my God, nobody’s gonna buy this.’ That was just our way of thinking at the time,” Ivan recalled. “And then when the first person that showed up bought it, we were like, ‘Oh my God. This actually is working. Somebody’s gonna pay for this.’ And it just kind of started to raise our confidence. The more times it happened, it was getting to be normal.”

In that makeshift “office,” Ivan went from selling zero PT sessions to closing on about 160 each month.

Then some of his new clients wanted to continue with PT. Today, Ivan sells about 200 sessions a month on average. The new revenue stream now provides 40 percent of his gross revenue.

As you can imagine, the gym’s finances improved fast with an influx of high-value clients. Here are the exact monthly revenue details:

Before Two-Brain—€6,000 (approx. $6,300 US)First year with mentorship—€9,000 ($9,420)Second year with mentorship—€11,500 ($12,400)Current year—Approaching €14,000 ($14,600)

And Ivan’s net owner benefit is now €6,300—so he’s paying himself more every month than his gym grossed before mentorship.

That rapid progress changed the owners’ lives dramatically.

“When you’re struggling with money, it’s a bad, bad place to be mentally,” Ivan said. “It’s with you every day. You wake up and you’re constantly thinking about money. You’re constantly negative. You are under pressure. And from that state, it’s tough to make good decisions. As soon as you feel just a little bit of relief … life is different. Every day is different. Like, Daria and I are so much more relaxed.”

After having to use personal funds to cover the costs of mentorship in the early days, Ivan is seeing incredible ROI.

“Why would I stop paying for this when it’s obviously making me extra money?” Ivan said. “I switched my mindset. I was like, ‘Hey, this is working. The more I’m with mentor, I see all these little things that I could still improve on.’ And my goal now is not to ever quit mentorship because I always feel like those monthly meetings and that support that you get is super valuable.”

Now, Ivan is planning to open a second location nearby so he can focus on a new revenue stream: kids and teens. In that 3,200-square foot space, Ivan has more layout flexibility.

And he’ll be able to install a proper office for the free consultations that allow him to  continue to solve problems for high-value clients.

CrossFit XV Profile

Brand: CrossFit

Model: Prescriptive Model

Location: Split, Croatia

Space (square feet): 3,200, with another 3,200 to come in a second location

Staff: 2 full-time owners, 1 full-time staff member, 5 part-timers

Client Count: 170

Average revenue per member: $90 USD

Schedule: 5-7 group classes a day

Previous Revenue Breakdown:

100 percent group

Approximate 2024 Revenue Breakdown

60 percent group40 percent personal training (approx. 200 sessions every month)

Future Revenue Streams to Be Added

Kids and teens

Ivan’s Coaching Responsibilities

Before 2024: 30 classes per weekCurrent: 9 classes per week

To hear more about how a mentor can help you generate more revenue fast, book a call here.

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Kicking Ass: Gym-Owning Fighter Posts Huge Average Revenue Per Member

To watch this episode on YouTube, click here.

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How Habits Coaching Helps Clients—and Your Gym

The field of nutrition coaching is a legal nightmare.

Many jurisdictions have restrictions on who can give nutrition advice or create meal plans. In the strictest areas, dietitians and medical professionals are the only ones who can plan meals or provide detailed coaching on diet. Titles such as “nutritionist” and “dietitian” are protected in many areas, too.

I won’t lay out the complicated web of laws because they differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. I will just remind you to research your local laws on nutrition coaching so you don’t break them, and I’ll provide this resource for gym owners in the U.S.: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Licensure Map and Statutes by State (consult a lawyer if needed).

I also won’t dig into protectionism, the obesity epidemic, bureaucracy and politics. The various colleges, lawyers and elected representatives will argue for years. Our clients need help today.

The reality: As fitness experts, we know that nutrition has a dramatic effect on a client’s progress in the gym, and we know that our members will get better results if we can help them make positive choices outside the gym.

Habits coaching is the best way to stay onside of nutrition regulations while helping clients accomplish their goals.

When you help clients develop healthy habits, you aren’t providing meal plans or setting foot into any of the arenas where you’ll end up in a fight about scope of practice. You’re just offering simple but very effective strategies that will help clients who badly need support.

And let’s be honest: Detailed meal plans and complex macro calculations often overwhelm people who don’t even know if peanut butter is considered protein or fat.

Habits coaching focuses on very general advice that allows clients to improve their lives:

You can help clients develop sustainable behaviors, such as batch cooking for the week, passing on the drive-thru, preparing healthy snacks, grocery shopping on a regular schedule and so on.You can help clients understand why they make poor choices and help them select behaviors that will support their goals.You can help clients learn to evaluate information so they can make choices that produce the results they want.You can help clients implement government-established general healthy habits. For example, explain how they can use the USDA “Dine Out/Take Out” recommendations to make better choices at restaurants.You can provide accountability and support to help clients repeat positive behaviors until they are automatic.

This approach keeps you onside of regulations and ensures you are still helping clients.

Maybe you can’t say this in your area: “I want you to mix 1 cup of almond milk with 25 grams of protein powder and a banana, then have that shake for breakfast.”

You can say: “On days when you skip breakfast, you always end up eating high-sugar snacks all morning, then hitting the drive-thru for lunch. Let’s get a weekly grocery trip on the calendar and ensure you have everything you need to start the day right. Then, we’ll focus on getting up at 6 a.m. every day so you have time to make a meal.”

See the difference?

Keep It Simple!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking habits coaching must be complicated. The best approach is keeping it simple and slowly helping clients make positive changes, get results and build momentum.

If you combine a habits challenge with the Prescriptive Model, you’re going to change lives and improve your business. The short summary:

Start your challenge with an intake interview so you can discover clients’ goals.Run a simple challenge to help participants make progress (“On Sunday, batch-cook five healthy dinners you can eat during the week.”)Conduct an exit interview to measure progress, celebrate bright spots and find out about challenges.Solve problems for clients by prescribing ongoing coaching that helps them accomplish their goals.

At one Two-Brain gym, this exact plan generated $3,500 in front-end challenge revenue and $1,800 in ongoing revenue.

If you’re a Two-Brain client, you’ll soon get access to a complete habits-challenge package with everything you need to spin up fast.

If you’re not a client yet, you can use this video to set up a simple challenge for January 2025:

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The Gym Owner’s Guide to Adding Nutrition Coaching: From Certifications to Implementation

Introduction to Nutrition Coaching

Nutrition coaching helps people improve their eating habits and overall health through education, advice and accountability. This type of guidance is not just about providing meal plans but involves helping clients understand the importance of balanced nutrition, making informed choices and creating sustainable habits that lead to long-term health improvements. Coaches often play a crucial role in motivating their clients and keeping them accountable.

The demand for nutrition coaching and other wellness programs has surged in recent years, due to increased awareness of health and fitness. According to Statista, the health and wellness coaching market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.67% in the United States and 9.13% worldwide between 2024 and 2029. More people than ever are interested in leading healthier lives, losing weight and managing chronic conditions through diet. 

Adding nutrition coaching to an existing gym gives gym owners an additional revenue stream that can significantly raise average revenue per member (ARM). A nutrition coach can offer gym members personalized guidance aligned to their health and fitness goals, enabling them to reach those goals faster and more sustainably. This, in turn, increases retention, or length of engagement (LEG), because clients who see results and build habits tend to stick around longer. 

To add a nutrition coaching program, you or a staff member will need to become certified, or you’ll need to hire someone who is already certified. Keep in mind that not all nutrition certifications are created equal. Consider each program’s cost, focus and certifying body, along with other factors like pace and customer feedback. You’ll want to choose a certification that is worth its investment. Now, let’s take at how to become a nutrition coach, step by step.

Steps to Becoming a Nutrition Coach
Obtain Certifications and Training

The first step to becoming a nutrition coach is selecting a certification and learning how to help clients accomplish their goals. You can choose from many respected certifications in the industry, including:

Precision Nutrition Level 1 (PN1) Certification: Focuses on evidence-based nutrition, coaching strategies and practical application.

Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) Coaching Certification: Combines nutrition and behavior change for integration into fitness and gym settings.

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC): Covers the essentials of nutrition science, behavior change and personalized coaching.

International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) Nutritionist Certification: Emphasizes general nutrition principles, supplementation and behavior change strategies.

American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA) Holistic Nutritionist Certification: Focuses on holistic nutrition, integrating traditional and alternative health practices.

Nutritional Coaching Institute (NCI) Certification: Emphasizes behavior change and practical coaching strategies.

Working Against Gravity (WAG) Nutrition Certification: Specializes in macro-based coaching and flexible dieting for body composition.

Depending on the certification, you might have to complete coursework, pass exams and acquire continuing education credits to maintain your credentials.

Develop Essential Skills for Nutrition Coaching

Being a good nutrition coach isn’t just about knowing your macros; it’s about helping people create lasting habits and build a healthier relationship with food. In addition to knowledge of nutritional science, an effective coach should possess a coaching mindset and have soft skills such as communication and empathy. 

Nutrition coaches should be able to listen actively and explain concepts clearly, while being supportive and building trust. They should also be knowledgeable about the psychology of behavior change.

What Can You Do With a Nutrition Certification?

Certified nutrition coaches focus on providing general dietary guidance and promoting healthy eating habits. This often includes:

Educating clients about the basics of nutrition, such as understanding macronutrients, reading food labels and making healthier food choices.

Offering personalized advice on balanced eating patterns, portion control and meal timing to support fitness and wellness goals.

Guiding clients on behavior changes related to eating habits, such as eating mindfully, reducing sugar intake, and batch cooking.

Nutrition coaches do not diagnose medical conditions or prescribe diets for managing diseases. Their role is to support overall wellness and healthy lifestyles, while leaving medical or therapeutic dietary interventions to licensed health-care professionals, such as registered dietitians (RDs) or physicians.

Legal Considerations

Many states have legal restrictions on who can provide specific dietary guidance or create meal plans. Some states require licensure for any kind of nutritional advice, while others allow non-licensed coaches to offer general guidance. 

In stricter states, planning meals and providing detailed nutritional interventions is limited to licensed dietitians or medical professionals. Some states protect titles such as “nutritionist” or “dietitian,” meaning only those who meet specific educational and licensure criteria can legally use them. 

Learn more about these legalities in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Licensure Map and Statutes by State.

Many nutrition coaches navigate regulatory restrictions by focusing on coaching habits rather than providing detailed meal plans. Habits coaching involves:

Helping clients develop sustainable behaviors, such as preparing meals at home, eating more vegetables or planning healthy snacks.

Guiding clients to identify triggers for unhealthy eating patterns and offering strategies for making better choices, such as meal prepping or mindful eating.

Emphasizing long-term habit changes over short-term fixes.

This approach keeps you compliant while helping clients take control of their own eating habits, leading to more sustainable outcomes.

Top Nutrition Certifications for Gym Owners
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Program

Consider the scope of the curriculum and the topics covered. Some programs emphasize evidence-based nutrition and the science behind diet, while others focus more on behavior change, coaching psychology or holistic approaches. Choose a program that aligns with your philosophy and the type of coaching you want to provide—whether you’re focused on fitness nutrition, holistic health or general wellness.

Another important factor is the credibility and reputation of the certifying organization. Look for programs that are well recognized in the industry, with strong reviews and testimonials from past students. 

Consider the flexibility and format of the course. Many certifications are self-paced, allowing you to study on your own schedule, while others may have live sessions or structured timelines. Consider your learning style and how much time you can dedicate to studying. 

Evaluate the cost and potential return on investment. While some programs have a higher upfront price, they might offer more comprehensive resources or ongoing support. Choose a program that provides the best value based on your budget and goals.

You should always ask these questions when considering a credential: “Will it help me get great results for my clients?” and “Will I get a significant return on my investment?”

Overview of Popular Certifications
Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification 

Overview

Precision Nutrition Level 1 (PN1) is a comprehensive certification known for its evidence-based approach to nutrition. It provides coaches with a solid foundation in nutrition science, behavior change and coaching strategies. PN also offers nutrition coaching itself; while this hands-on experience helps inform their curriculum, it also makes them a direct competitor for your nutrition offerings.

Time to Completion

The self-paced program takes about three to six months. An expert-guided session runs twice per year and runs for 20 weeks.

Price

The self-paced program is priced at $99 USD per month for 12 months, with promotional pricing frequently available.

Reviews and Feedback

Precision Nutrition is widely regarded as one of the best certifications for its in-depth content, practical application and strong focus on client communication skills. Reviews often highlight the quality of the resources, including the textbook and coaching tools, as well as the emphasis on long-term habit change. Some users complain that many of the coaching insights offered in the Level 1 program are available on PN’s website for free. 

Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) Coaching Certification

Overview

HSN’s program focuses on building a nutrition program in an existing gym and is common among CrossFit affiliates (though CrossFit recently released its own nutrition certification). HSN offers a habits-based program that covers nutritional science and the relationship between nutrition and chronic disease. It emphasizes practical application and includes six weeks of nutrition coaching from an HSN HQ Coach to allow users to experience the program from a client’s perspective. Optionally, users can take the course alongside HSN mentoring, which provides six one-on-one mentoring calls and other additional support.

Time to Completion

About six weeks, according to HSN .

Price

$1,399 for the standalone course (one mentoring session included).

Reviews and Feedback

Users note that HSN’s program provides a strong foundation on nutrition coaching, as well as ample support for implementing a program in an existing gym. Other users point out that HSN requires the gym owner to go through the program, along with anyone who will coach the program, which increases the overall cost of the training. Gym owners appreciate the ongoing learning opportunities and resources HSN offers.

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC)

Overview

Focused on practical coaching skills, the NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) program covers essential nutrition concepts while emphasizing sustainable behavior change. It’s designed to help coaches provide practical, evidence-based guidance to help clients improve their diet and lifestyle.

Time to Completion

Four to 12 weeks (self-paced).

Price

$79 per month for 11 months, with promotional pricing frequently available.

Reviews and Feedback

NASM’s program is praised for its user-friendly platform, clear organization and focus on practical skills. Many find it a great entry point for those new to nutrition coaching. However, some users feel the content is not as in-depth as other certifications and state they do not recommend it if you’ve already completed another certification.

International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) Nutritionist Certification

Overview

Regarded as flexible and comprehensive, the ISSA Nutritionist certification provides a broad overview of general nutrition principles, weight management, supplementation and behavior change. It covers trending diets and myths, as well as how to create personalized nutrition programs.

Time to Completion

Two to eight months (self-paced).

Price

$66.48 per month for 12 months, with promotional pricing frequently available.

Reviews and Feedback

Many coaches appreciate the ISSA Nutritionist Certification for its flexible format and straightforward content. It’s often seen as a good choice for those seeking a broad overview without deep specialization. The certification is praised for its straightforward content and approachable style, although some users note it lacks resources for helping clients make behavioral changes around food and nutrition.

American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA) Holistic Nutritionist Certification

Overview

The AFPA Nutrition and Wellness Consultant certification focuses on holistic nutrition, emphasizing a well-rounded approach to wellness that includes the physical, mental and emotional aspects of health. It covers a variety of topics, from nutrition fundamentals to weight management, sports nutrition and plant-based diets.

Time to Completion

Six months or less (fee charged for six-month extension).

Price

$1,099.

Reviews and Feedback

This certification is valued for its holistic focus and in-depth content. Users state it is a good fit for those interested in integrating holistic health with traditional nutrition coaching. Some users note that the course lacks some of the more advanced scientific details found in other programs and point out that it focuses heavily on a plant-based diet.

Nutritional Coaching Institute (NCI) Level 1 Certification

Overview

NCI places a strong emphasis on behavior change, coaching psychology and the practical aspects of working with clients. It’s designed to equip coaches with strategies to understand and navigate client behavior for more effective coaching outcomes.

Time to Completion

Approximately 90 days (self-paced).

Price

NCI notes $1,297 as the “recommended retail price” for its Level 1 certification with $648.50 listed as its current price.

Reviews and Feedback

NCI’s certification is popular among those who want to specialize in habits-based coaching. Users highlight the program’s interactive components and real-world applicability. However, some find it less comprehensive than other programs in terms of advanced nutritional science.

Working Against Gravity (WAG) Nutrition Certification

Overview

WAG’s certification focuses on flexible dieting, macro-based coaching and behavior-change strategies. It emphasizes practical coaching skills, such as assessing client progress, using motivational interviewing and building relationships with clients. It also addresses topics such as the ketogenic diet and pregnancy nutrition.

Time to Completion

One to six months (self-paced).

Price

$1,000, with frequent half-off promotional pricing.

Reviews and Feedback

Users say the program prepares coaches well for coaching behaviors and creating real change. Some users note that the curriculum is rooted in strong science but focuses heavily on macros, which isn’t sustainable for a lot of clients.

Implementing Nutrition Coaching in Your Gym

One way to begin integrating nutrition coaching into your gym is by running a challenge where participants are given a 30-day or six-week goal. This goal could be anything from “eat more vegetables” to “cut out refined sugar.” These challenges give you the opportunity to market your new services while giving prospects and existing clients a low-cost, low-commitment option for getting started. Come up with a way to track participants’ success during the challenge. When it’s over, announce a winner—maybe even offer a prize. 

Challenges are a great way to introduce clients to regular nutrition coaching. By showing them quick wins, you can help them see the value of ongoing support. Throughout the nutrition challenge, talk about the option of ongoing coaching. Then, at the end of the challenge, meet with participants to go over their progress and ask them to sign up for nutrition coaching. You can run short-term challenges throughout the year to continue to bring in new nutrition clients. 

You’ll also need to determine who will run your nutrition program. Will this be you, one of your existing coaches or a new hire? Make sure all of your staff are trained on the program, even if they aren’t the ones running it. Every staff member should be knowledgeable enough to answer basic questions about your nutrition offerings and get clients signed up. Most importantly, coaches should know to only promote your gym’s nutrition program to clients.

Pricing Your Nutrition Coaching Services

Our 2023 “State of the Industry” report showed that the average monthly price for nutrition services is $151. The report also showed an 8% annual increase in price, based on four years of data. This suggests the projected average cost of nutrition coaching in 2024 is $163, with an increase to $176 in 2025.

Keep in mind that these stats were reported by gym owners—and many gym owners underprice their services. It is a mistake to copy “what everyone else is doing,” either locally or online. Pricing plans should always be based on clear business metrics: profit margin, fixed costs, staff costs, marketing costs, value and so on.

When pricing your nutrition offerings, consider what each package will include. How many weekly check-ins will there be in each tier? How long will goal review sessions be, and how often will they occur? What is the length of commitment? Will you offer any extra resources, such as access to a private Facebook group?

For example, you might price month-to-month nutrition coaching with three weekly electronic check-ins, a monthly 30-minute goal review session and access to an exclusive coaching Facebook group at $150 per month. Meanwhile, you might offer a lower-tier, three-month commitment service with only one weekly check-in, a monthly 15-minute goal review session, and no Facebook group for $75 per month.

Consider setting prices for nutrition as a standalone service and as part of a bundle with other fitness services, such as group or personal training. For instance, you might take $25 off the price of nutrition coaching when bundling it with a personal-training package to create a “hybrid package.” 

Also keep in mind the short-term challenges we discussed in the last section, which can be used as a low-cost entry point for new nutrition clients. You will need a plan to acquire more clients, so you must consider marketing costs when pricing services.

A Two-Brain mentor can help you run your numbers, build and price a high-value service package with plug-and-play resources, develop a staffing plan, optimize delivery, and maximize profit in your new revenue stream.

Benefits of Nutrition Coaching for Gym Members

Personalized nutrition coaching helps gym members reach their goals faster, and tangible results boost retention.

Two-Brain client Ric Thompson, owner of CrossFit PTC, says, “Our best clients are the ones that see results, and they see results when they’re working on both nutrition and movement as well as sleep and recovery—all those other pieces to it.”

Another Two-Brain client, Ashley Nard, shared the benefits of habits-based coaching, saying, “I don’t have many clients that do both (nutrition and fitness), but absolutely the ones who focus on both see better results. The biggest trick is focusing on habits versus strictly nutrition. Life has ebbs and flows, and the most successful clients have tools to help them navigate effectively.”

“We’ve noticed that our gym members who have added in nutrition, it’s increased their length of engagement,” says Clark Hibbs, owner of Yellow Rose Fitness. “Because all of a sudden when they lose 10, 12, 15, 20 pounds—‘Oh wow, I feel better in the gym. I enjoy working out more, I’m recovering better, I’m sleeping better, I’m happier.’”

Financial Impact of Nutrition Coaching

According to our 2023 data, gyms that offer nutrition coaching generate an average of 4.3% of their annual revenue from it. This may not seem like a substantial number, but our 2024 “State of the Industry” report shows that gyms are averaging about $24,000 in gross revenue per month, or $288,000 per year. That means the average nutrition program brings in around $12,000 annually. 

And 4.3% is just the average. Some gym owners, such as Two-Brain client Clark Hibbs, are bringing in as much as 20% of their total revenue from nutrition coaching. Chad Pinther, owner of Colfax Strong Strength and Conditioning, says his wife has generated an extra $2,000 in income per month since implementing an in-house nutrition program. 

Another Two-Brain client, Mike Monaco, partially attributes his $420-plus ARM to his gym’s holistic offerings of fitness, nutrition and recovery. These options allow him to prescribe custom plans for getting members to their goals.

The revenue boost from these programs has even enabled gym owners, such as Two-Brain mentor and chiropractor Brian Strump, to provide full-time careers for nutrition coaches—in fact, Brian employs two. 

One benefit on nutrition coaching that cannot be overlooked: It scales much faster than fitness coaching and does not require a lot of space and equipment. Some gym owners run programs from very small offices or even spare bedrooms in homes, and an efficient, focused coach can deliver top-notch service to many nutrition clients in a relatively short amount of time.

Ultimately, the financial impact of adding a nutrition program to your gym depends on factors such as pricing, cost of delivery, engagement and retention. If the program is priced too low, you may not see a return on your investment. If enrollment is low or clients quit after a short period of time, your profitability may be eroded by the need for constant marketing. On the other hand, a competitively priced nutrition program that produces swift, consistent results for clients can generate significant revenue.

Resources for Nutrition Coaches
Tools and Software

Tools such as MyFitnessPal and Trainerize can help nutrition coaches manage meal planning and tracking. Some nutrition certification providers offer turn-key nutrition programs for gym owners; HSN has its own app for communicating with clients and tracking their habits and progress.

Scheduling platforms such as Calendly, Acuity Scheduling and Zoom Scheduler give coaches simple options for setting virtual coaching sessions and goal reviews with clients, while apps such as Slack and WhatsApp can support regular communication. 

Gym owners should also consider the features available through their existing gym management software, if applicable. Many software providers have built-in scheduling and communication features that can extend to nutrition coaching. Some also offer integrations to nutrition coaching software.

Continuing Education and Professional Development

After completing an initial certification, nutritional coaches can continue their education with more advanced programs, such as Precision Nutrition’s Level 2 Master Health Coaching certification or the National Academy of Sports Medicine’s (NASM) Master Trainer credential. 

Some certifications must be renewed every couple of years and require coaches to obtain a certain number of continuing education units (CEUs) to do so. Many coaches opt to continue their learning by completing additional certification programs from different providers. Some providers, like ISSA, even provide bundles intended for professional development. 

Professional development is important, but it’s a mistake to acquire more credentials just to “look more qualified.” Keep learning and growing as a coach, and maintain your credentials, but carefully evaluate additional credentialing expenses. Will another certification help you serve clients better and add value to your coaching? Or does another credential just add a few more letters on your business card?

Remember this: If you are a qualified nutrition coach, clients don’t care about how many credentials you have. They care about results: “Did I lose 10 pounds?”

Conclusion

As the demand for wellness programs continues to grow, now is the perfect time to position yourself as a leader in the field. Adding nutrition coaching to your gym is more than just a revenue boost; it’s a way to get your members to their goals and ensure they stick around long enough for you to truly change their lives. Take action today to expand your services and make a greater impact on your community. 

For more support with starting a nutrition program in your gym, click here to book a free call with Two-Brain Business to talk about mentorship. All Two-Brain clients have access to specialty mentorship calls with experts in nutrition coaching, private training, marketing, sales and more.

Additional ResourcesPodcast: “Revenue Boost: How to Launch a Nutrition Program in 6 Weeks”Podcast: “Your Gym Can Sell More Nutrition Coaching. Here’s How.”Podcast: “How to Generate 20% of Gross Gym Revenue Through Nutrition”Podcast: “Why Aren’t You Generating More Nutrition Revenue at Your Gym?”Podcast: “Nutrition: Defining Success for Clients, Coaches and Businesses”Podcast: “Starting, Scaling and Staffing a Nutrition Business in Your Gym”

Click here to book a call and talk about how a mentor can help you get your nutrition program started.

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January Revenue-Generation Tactic: Healthy Habits Challenge

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