As a trainer, there’s a limit to what you can instruct your clients in with regards to their food choices. Although you may not be a registered dietitian, you can still guide your clients to make healthy food choices and further the progress toward their goals.

1. Help your clients with a food make-over. If time permits, you might offer to go to your client’s house and do a refrigerator and pantry make-over.

2. Fill the freezer. Instruct your clients to fill their freezer with whole grain waffles and whole wheat English muffins, frozen fruits and vegetables (made without added sugar or fats), lean meats (such as flank steak or sirloin) and fish (like salmon).

3. Re-stock pantry shelves. Keep your pantry shelves well-stocked with low-sodium or no-sodium canned foods, including broth- or vegetable-based soups, beans, tomatoes and tomato sauces, canned fish like salmon and tuna, nuts, seeds and nut butters, beans, whole-grain pasta, cereal and rice. If your client simply likes the action of chewing, suggest healthy, portion-controlled snacks.

4. Water, water, water. If your client is not used to drinking much water, suggest they add some lemon or a non-caloric drink flavoring to their water. Stress how beneficial water is to their overall health and to the success of their goals. It not only flushes out toxins, it enhances fat loss, combats ailments, and reduces hunger. Instruct them to set water “goals” until they reach the required amount.

5. Celebrate successes. Some clients will need more motivation and inspiration than others. As each one reaches important milestones (eg: inches or pounds lost, lean muscle mass increase, difficult set mastered, etc.), help celebrate with verbal affirmation or a small gift certificate to a health food or supplement store.

These five tips will lift your clients to greater success and make you the hero. If you deliver the tips in an encouraging tone and not that of a drill sergeant, your clients will more readily accept the suggestions and implement them into their lifestyle.




 

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