Creating a group nutrition program

Creating a Group Nutrition Program

By Lori Kennedy PTS, RHN

The role of the fitness professional is changing. There is a new reality of doing business within the fitness industry.

www.fitnessprofessionalonline.com



How many new fitness

businesses opened in your area in the last

year?




The trends are indicating that more

fitness professionals are specializing in a

niche market yet broadening their

service offerings for that target market.




How do you evolve your client

programming to keep up with the changing

fitness business?




Why not offer a group nutrition program? Yes, a group nutrition program.

The number one reason your clients come to you is for

weight loss so how are you helping them during the

other 165 hours of their week when they aren’t working out

with you?www.fitnessprofessionalonline.com



Look at the popularity of

bootcamps and group fitness. We already know that

to generate massive profits you need to

leverage your time, energy and resources. www.fitnessprofessionalonline.com




The group model makes sound

business sense. When you run group programs you get to

help a lot more people in a shorter amount of time and

make a lot more money doing it.




So how do you go about creating a group nutrition program if you are not a nutritionist?




Step #1 – Define Program Specifics

Before you start on content creation you need to get the program specifics out of the way. The program specifics include everything from defining the length of the program to client registration and to customer service.




Here are some questions to get you started.

How many weeks will your program be? Will it be offered for 1 hour once per week? What space will you run it in? Who will facilitate it? What is the continuity program? How will you generate referrals from this program? What is the refund policy?




Step #2 – WHO is the program targeting

Your WHO needs to be clearly defined before you start creating content. The content will be based on the type of clients participating in this program, not on what YOU want to focus on.




Survey your members to find out what their BIG problems are. Ask them what they want to learn about.




Understanding your client needs and wants is the most critical element to creating a long lasting profitable program. Your marketing and promotion strategies will become clear and focused once you know who you are marketing to.




Understanding your client needs and wants is the most critical element to creating a long lasting profitable program. Your marketing and promotion strategies will become clear and focused once you know who you are marketing to.




Step #3 – Content CreationThis is the fun part. You will need to create weekly content in the form of handouts or emails for your participants. Each week should ONLY focus on one thing and implement one change.




Please make sure not to overwhelm your clients. Research shows that the average person is so confused about what to eat. Food confusion has become a big problem and it’s your job to provide the solution to that problem.




Make a list of all of the possible topics you can educate on. Pick the simplest ones and put them into a logical weekly order. Create a 1-2 page handout for each topic with a goal for them to achieve that week. Remember to keep it simple!




Here is a sample outline of a 6 week program that I’ve run before.

Week 1 – Understanding the basics. This included the reasons we need to eat clean, whole foods and the importance of eating meals and snacks. The handout was breakfast and snack suggestions.




Week 2 – Meal planning and portion sizes.The handout was a food portion booklet that included pictures of foods and real life examples to demonstrate the portion size.




Week 3 – Food Labels 101 Focus on how to read a food label and what to look for in the ingredient list. Talk about fiber, sodium and sugar. The handout was a food label with explanations on what each category explains.




Week 4 – Grocery ShoppingThis lecture stressed the importance of planning ahead and sticking to a grocery list. We talked about misleading food labels and the best brands to buy. The handout was a grocery list with brand suggestions.




Week 5 – Eating on the go.Clients need to know how to order at restaurants and the best choices to make when eating at the cafeteria or fast food restaurants. Making quality choices is not common knowledge and common sense doesn’t apply. The handout was a list of fatty menu words and the best way to skim the fat from your favorite convenience foods.




Week 6 – Willpower and Social Pressure

Self sabotage, the fear of being made fun of and succumbing to social pressure is very real and something that deserves attention. Talk about strategies to overcome these limiting factors. The handout was positive affirmations and phrases that can be used by your clients to respond to social pressure.




Step #4 – Pricing and Sales Process

The price of the program should depend on the length, how many people are in the group and the extra value you will provide.




Step #5 – Referrals and Lead Generation

Make sure you have a referral system set up where your clients can generate referrals and new leads for you. In return you must offer them something of value like free weigh-ins or free nutrition sessions.

Share your PASSION and

KNOWLEDGE with world

Get published on

Fitness Professional Online
