Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
8 Best Health Coach Certifications Online
Best Overall
Institute For The Psychology of Eating
Runner Ups
Best Under $1000
Best Under $400
Best Under $100
Honourable Mentions
Coupon Codes
Welcome
I created this post to allow you to compare all the most important factors in one place when choosing the best online Health Coach Certification for you. Using my personal experience in the fitness industry, I’ll give my no-bullshit, honest opinion on each of the programs.
Given that nutrition is a fundamental aspect of being a Health Coach, another post you may also want to read is my detailed review of the Online Holistic Nutrition Certifications
I’ve made contact with some of the providers as well in order to give you as much information as possible to help you make an informed decision. And while some look shiny on the surface, I have my doubts on whether there’s substance beneath that shine.
My Take on Health Coaching, What is it?
I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 12 yrs now, and I’m still in love with it. I dove into coaching years ago, and have immersed myself into learning about it day in and day out since then. Learning to coach has been the single biggest asset to my business, and to myself personally.
Health coaching is generally defined as being a catalyst to behaviour change for the client. Therefore, it is largely psychological and requires conversations to take place with a client in order to coach them.
It doesn’t matter how much we know about creating optimal health. If we cannot influence our clients to create systemic change by utilizing the information we provide and the guidance we give, that information largely goes to waste, if they do not use it.
In my experience, personally and from talking with others, coaching is the link that has been missing within the health and fitness industry for years, until recently. Coaching is the bridge to get clients from receiving the information, to create a behaviour change that allows them to utilize the information.
This is where coaching comes in. This is also where most personal training and nutrition certifications lack, being able to coach the information given. Although, I do see more nutrition certifications offering coaching as part of their curriculum.
This is why not many health coaching programs spend time on the physical aspect of health. One can argue that is what personal training certifications (and all their subsets) are for.
One of the main reasons I ranked Natural Wellness Academy as #1 is due to their amount of time spent on actual coaching conversations. Including live practice, which is imperative for one to become an effective coach. Luckily for myself, I already had clients to practice on while I learned to coach, so I am aware of the importance of this practice.
Compare 8 Of The Best Online Health Coach Certification Programs
Want the whole table in view?
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
|
School | Institute For The Psychology of Eating | Primal Health Coach Institute | Natural Wellness Academy | IAP Career College | Transformation Academy | ACE | Nickerson Institute | Health Coach Institute | CHEK Institute |
Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | |
Certifications | Mind Body Eating Coach | Primal Health Coach | Holistic Health and Life Coach | Wellness Coach Master Professional | Master Wellness Life Coach Certification | Health Coach | Integrative Health Coach | Health and Life Coach | Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 |
Help you stand out from the competition | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
Start any time | No (accept student every 8-12 months) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Accredited | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Program Length | 8 months | No Limit, unlimited access to materials | 9-12 months | 12 weeks part-time | No Limit, unlimited access to materials | No Limit, unlimited access to materials | 12 months | 6 months | No Limit, unlimited access to materials |
Totals Program Hours | 250 | Unknown | 150 hrs | 120 hrs | Unknown | 20 hrs | 200 hrs | 150 hrs | Unknown |
1 on 1 mentoring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
In-person Training | ✔ (optional) | ||||||||
Live Virtual Classes | ✔ | ✔ (for instructor-led) | ✔ | ✔(with Advantage option) | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Live Teleclasses | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
Live Coaching Practice | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (20 hrs) | ✔ (weekly) | |||||
Coursework Feedback | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Informational Live and Recorded Webinars | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Digital Downloads For Modules | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Video Content For Modules | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Lifetime Access To Resources | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Learn How To Start Your Own Health Coaching Business | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
Learn How To Market Yourself | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
Learn How to Build Your Own Website | |||||||||
Done-for-you programs | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
Done-for-you handouts and forms | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Investment (if paid in full) | $6950 | $4495 | $2795 | $377 | $497 (however, you can get 80% off through my link) | $599-1079 | $3799 | Full Price: Get emailed their catalog for latest pricing (put fake phone # if you don't want them to call you) | $347 |
Payment Plan | $375 x 16 $630 x 12 $1200 x 6 | $389 x 12 $764 x 6 | Example: $350 down then $150 x 12 (balance must be paid prior to receiving certification) | $50-$90/mnth | N/A | $50-$90/mnth | $975 x 4 | Available upon request | |
Coupons | $500 Off Code | Hint: Sign up to their email list, discounts of up to 20% have been offered before. | Save 80% through my link (discount applied at checkout) | Sign up to their email list, they send out random discounts | |||||
Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | |
Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website |
---|
#1 Online Health Coach Certification Program
Provider: Institute for the Psychology of Eating
Certification: Mind Body Eating Coach
Full Price: $6950
Payment Plans: $375 x 16, $630 x 12, $1200 x 6
Marc David (founder) and Emily Rosen (director) with a brief intro to Institute for the Psychology of Eating
Institute For The Psychology of Eating Review
Institute for the Psychology of Eating
Their curriculum isn’t presented on their main page, I had to do some digging to find this
Weight Loss
A unique and compelling look into the profound topic of weight loss through the lenses of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. You’ll learn basic and advanced coaching and counselling techniques, along with an in-depth series of maps and checklists that will shed a whole new light on working with this complex challenge. Some of the key highlights of this module include:
- Nutritional and metabolic factors influencing weight loss
- Masculine and feminine weight loss psychology
- Influence of stress and relaxation physiology on weight
- Bio-circadian nutrition and weight loss
- Working with social and cultural influences on body weight
- The importance of macro and micro-nutrient balance
- The metabolic power of pleasure, awareness and presence
- Neuropsychology, placebo science and weight loss
- Spiritual and soul dimensions of shape-shifting
- The power of story and core life challenges in weight concerns
- A deeper understanding of caloric science
- Working with body wisdom and intuition
- The hidden connection between weight, money and work
- Weight and menopause
- Shortcuts for creating breakthroughs with difficult clients
Body Image
An original, fresh and results-oriented approach to body image concerns that will give you the tools to help others see and experience their bodies in a more healthy and compassionate way. Using principles from Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition, you’ll learn the listening and coaching skills that will give you the confidence to work with this important issue of our times. Some key highlights include:
- Understanding the origins of body image
- The deep connection between body image and sexuality
- Body image tools/distinctions for working with different age groups
- Family of origin and body image
- The influence of stress and relaxation physiology
- The hidden connection between movement and body image
- Working with embodiment practices
- Masculine and feminine distinctions in body image
- Navigating the influence of media and culture
- Yoga Psychology and body image
- The impact of PTSD on negative body image
- Healing and transforming body image with Archetypal Psychology
- The connection between pleasure, desire and body image
- The neuropsychology of presence and “loving what is”
- The special relationship between women, food and body image
Overeating, Binge Eating, Compulsive Eating
A truly holistic approach to overeating concerns based on the core principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. Help others achieve breakthroughs with compulsive and binge eating using easy-to-practice tools and techniques that promote a positive and nourishing relationship with food. Some of the key highlights of this module include:
- The practical psycho-biology of appetite
- The cephalic phase digestive response and binge eating
- The psycho-dynamics of control and willpower
- Pleasure chemistry and overeating
- Breakthroughs using nutrition-dense food strategies
- The powerful and hidden gift of compulsive eating concerns
- Moving beyond cognitive behavioural therapy
- Practical short-cuts for transforming compulsive eating
- The impact of stress and relaxation chemistry on overeating
- Using bio-circadian nutrition techniques for fast results
- The hidden connection between body image and overeating
- The powerful effects of macro-nutrient balance on binge eating
- How to work and corporate culture impact overheating concerns
- The spiritual psychology of nourishment and a deeper hunger
- The influence of life transitions on compulsive eating
Chronic Dieting
Chronic dieting is a hidden contributor not only to emotional pain but also to many health symptoms that are wrongly diagnosed and treated. Learn how to identify and work with this powerful nutritional/emotional/lifestyle challenge using the principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. Some key highlights of this module are:
- The potent effects of chronic dieting on nutritional status and health
- How chronic dieting impairs calorie burning capacity
- Chronic dieting is a hidden epidemic of the soul
- The special relationship between women and dieting
- The connection between chronic dieting and compulsive exercising
- Dieting, culture, and the media
- The secrets to creating a long term, sustainable diet strategy
- The influence of dieting on energy level and oxygen metabolism
- Confronting the false and outdated science of dieting
- The hidden effects of chronic dieting on digestive metabolism
- Working with complaints of “slow metabolism”
- Chronic dieting and the psychology of romantic relationships
- Using powerful languaging techniques to heal chronic dieting
- How to re-educate clients around caloric theory, dieting and weight
- Designing a diet approach that can truly transform your client
Energy and Fatigue
Lack of energy and the desire for more of it is a powerful concern that grips a fantastic number of people across the globe. Unfortunately, many of our strategies to battle fatigue leave us exhausted and without a true and lasting source of greater vitality. Our Training will provide you with an integrative mind/body/heart/soul approach to this important health challenge. Some key highlights include:
- Mind-Body Nutrition approaches to working with energy and fatigue
- Nutritional and metabolic influences on fatigue
- The hidden effects of food allergies and sensitivities on an energy level
- Core life issues and their effects on energy level and fatigue
- Somatic Psychology skills for enhancing energy
- The healing power of story in chronic fatigue
- Breathing, oxygen and energy
- How key soul lessons impact our energy level and metabolism
- The influence of thought and beliefs on fatigue and energy
- The bio-emotional impact of work, purpose and mission on energy
- The potent connection between digestion and energy
- Stress chemistry and adrenal fatigue
- Simple and effective nutritional strategies for more energy
Digestive Health
Digestive health has become a rare and precious commodity. Complaints of digestive distress, heartburn, bloating, and ongoing discomfort are some of the most commonly seen nutrition issues. Learn simple and effective strategies from Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition for increasing digestive power and function. Key highlights from this module include:
- The impact of stress physiology on digestion and assimilation
- The enteric nervous system – the brain in the belly
- Digestive status as a barometer for personal empowerment
- The emotional psychology of the digestive system
- Simple and effective protocols for common digestive complaints
- The importance of the gastrointestinal immune system
- The influence of food allergies on digestive health
- Cultural speed and its impact on digestion
- Digestion of food as a metaphor for digestion of life experiences
- The hidden connection between sexual abuse and digestive health
- How fear, judgment and self-criticism diminish digestive metabolism
- Breathing, oxygen, the relaxation response and digestion
- Quick and easy strategies for working with GERD (heartburn)
- Digestion, gut wisdom and body wisdom
- Important distinctions from Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine
Mood Concerns
Working with mood and depression is an important part of every nutrition and health coaching practice. Fluctuations in mood teach us powerful life lessons while calling our attention to key metabolic and lifestyle changes that are asking to be made. Our Training features Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition approaches that are practical, holistic and effective. Highlights include:
- The influence of stress physiology and stress psychology on mood
- Key nutritional deficiencies and excesses associated with mood
- Brain physiology basics for understanding mood fluctuations
- Impact of immunity on mood
- Insulin, blood sugar, food and mood
- How chronic dieting silently impacts mood
- Archetypal psychology approaches to mood and depression
- The spiritual psychology of mood – the language of the soul
- Powerful and simple strategies from Yoga and Buddhism
- The hidden psychology of depression
- Importance of macro-nutrient balance and mood
- Mood disorders and the psychology of perfectionism
- Feminine and masculine differences in mood
- Influence of genetics and family lineage on mood
- Understanding mood through the life cycles
Immune Health
A strong immune system is both a gift and a rarity these days. When the immune system functions with efficiency, we can navigate a toxic and challenging world with greater ease. At IPE, we teach a fascinating and creative blend of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition approaches to working with immune health. Some of the key highlights of this module are:
- Nutritional strategies for improving immune strength
- Psycho-emotional influences on immunity
- The impact of dietary beliefs on immune health
- The profound importance of the gastrointestinal immune system
- How gastrointestinal immunity is impacted by thought and emotion
- Cultural and social influences on immunity
- Immune strength as a metaphor for presence
- Psychoneuroimmunology meets Mind Body Nutrition
- Soul Psychology and immune health
- The hidden transformational messages in immune challenges
- Key strategies for working with highly sensitive clients
- Simple Mind-Body Nutrition protocols for immune enhancement
- How the environment impacts immunity
- Somatic and embodiment strategies for low immunity
Women, Food, and Health
The special relationship between women and food cannot be overstated. It’s beautiful, powerful and rich in complexity. For this reason, it’s high time that we elevate a woman’s connection with food to the lofty place it deserves, and learn to understand women and nutrition from a fresh perspective. This is an important theme throughout our Training. Some of the highlights from this module include:
- Genetic/evolutionary influences on women’s relationship with food
- The powerful impact of culture and media
- Masculine and feminine distinctions in stress physiology and metabolism
- Feminine sexuality and its influence on eating habits
- Women, dieting and weight
- A woman’s relationship with food through the life cycles
- Archetypal Psychology and the feminine principle
- History-taking skills for women clients
- Woman-specific listening and coaching skills
- Working with teenage girls
- Insights into bulimia
- Working with Queen and Princess distinctions
- A deeper look at women and hormones
- Creating a feminine approach to nutrition
- Embodiment practices for women
Coaching Skills
Our training is designed to give you the tools, techniques, protocols and strategies that enable you to be an effective practitioner. We teach coaching skills that truly make a difference with clients, and that gets to the heart of how to successfully manage our relationship with food. Navigating eating challenges and nutritional concerns requires a specialized understanding and solid coaching tools. We’re proud to deliver an excellent education in this realm. Some of what you’ll learn includes:
- Coaching tools for the most commonly seen eating concerns
- Strategies for working with difficult clients
- How to help clients who feel “stuck”
- Coaching skills for working with women
- Coaching skills for working with men
- Effective communication with young people
- How to use “teaching skills” in a client session
- How to create a powerful first session
- Deep listening skills
- How to inspire your client vs. how to motivate your client
- Managing client resistance
- Tools for creating client compliance
- Soft coaching skills vs. direct coaching skills
- How to convey scientific information to a client
- How to measure progress and success
Coaching Business Module
- How to get started
- How to build your practice
- Practice management
- Determining your target market
- How to market and promote yourself
- How to attract clients
- Your program offerings
- Key facts to know for website development
- Using social networking
- Important communication skills
- Overview of Starting a Business
- Generating Your Brand “DNA”
- The Hidden Metaphysics of Business
- Your Relationship with Money
- Core Values of a Helping Professional
- Managing Inner Obstacles
- The Coaching Model
- Legal Do’s and Don’ts for coaches
Building Your Brand and Business
- Identifying Your Ideal Client
- Defining Your Niche
- Identifying Your Target Market
- Your Unique Perfect-Client Avatar
- Understanding Your Customer Pain Point
- How to Build “Know, Like and Trust” Factors
- Creating a Community or “Tribe”
Defining Your Business Model
- What are Your Services and Programs
- Getting Clear About How You Work
- Defining Your Rates
- Offering Support in Between Sessions
- Creating Packages
- Working with a Sliding Scale
- High-End Offerings
Your Client Flow
- Phone vs. Live Sessions
- Scheduling Clients
- Communicating and Interacting with Clients
- How to Create a Safe Space
- Intake Forms
- Client Contracts and Agreements
- Cancellation Policy
Setting Up Your Business
- Naming Your Business
- Understanding Professional Insurance
- Filing Systems
- The Importance of Business Banking
- Financial Record-Keeping
- Taking Payment
- Invoicing Clients
- Contact Management Systems
- Creating Your Support Team
- Backing Up Your Content
Marketing
- Highlighting What Makes You Different
- Elevator Speech
- Communicating About What You Do
- Networking
- How to Attract Clients
- Where to Market Yourself
- Copy for Website
- How to Build your List
- Using Social Proof
- Getting Testimonials
Building Your Website
- Website Options
- Buying a Domain Name
- Web Hosting Options
- Website Theme
- Website Outline
- Social Media Integration with Websites
Creating an Opt-in
- The Purpose of an Opt-in
- Designing an Opt-in
- Important Opt-in Pointers
Social Media Strategies for Success
- The Best Social Media for Your Business
- Understanding Facebook
- Understanding Twitter
- The Importance of LinkedIn
- Understanding Pinterest
- Using Hootsuite to Manage Social Media
- How to Create a YouTube Channel
- How to Create a Meetup Group
- How to Use Meetup to Build Tribe
- Basic, Moderate and Advanced Social Media Set-Up
Blogging
- Blogging Basics
- Important Pointers for Blogging
- Building Trust
Newsletter
- Creating the Right Newsletter
- How to Write a Great Subject Line
- Understanding Your Audience
The Flow of Information
- Understanding Copyright Law
- Internet Copyright Etiquette
Done for You Website Copy
- What is Mind Body Eating Coaching
- How is My Approach Different
- What is Mind Body Nutrition
- What is Dynamic Eating Psychology
None
Institute For The Psychology of Eating Review
A unique blend of holistic nutrition, eating psychology, and coaching.
Who is this certification for?
If you currently, or desire to work with those who have deep emotional ties to food that create a barrier to reaching their goals, this is the best online holistic nutrition certification for you.
200+ Hours of Videos and Slideshows
This is the most complete, innovative, and inspiring educational experience in eating psychology you can find. The Institute is the worldwide leader in combining results-oriented nutrition with a deep understanding of our fascinating relationship with food. Their curriculum is personally and professionally transformative, and our content is unparalleled in the marketplace. You’ll receive access to 7 information-rich modules delivered over 8 months. Each module has introductory videos with Marc David, Founder of IPE that outlines the important concepts in that module followed by 20-30 hours of narrated slide shows that dive deeper into the work. And you can access it all from anywhere in the world on your computer or mobile device.
Hundreds of Handouts
In addition to the video and audio classes, you’ll receive a powerful collection of written notes, worksheets, highlights, lessons, protocols and more that are included in easy-to-read PDF form. These handouts cover topics such as weight loss, body images, overeating, binge eating, digestion, coaching techniques, nutrition strategies, and so much more. They’re great for ongoing reference and reinforce your learning experience. And all handouts are downloadable and yours to keep for life.
Introspective Exercises
Each module includes optional exercises to help you deepen into the material. They are lots of the same exercises you’ll be giving your clients. At the Institute, they believe strongly that transforming your own relationship with food, health insurance, and body will greatly improve your skills and effectiveness being a practitioner. Most students report these introspective exercises to catalyze significant insights and breakthroughs within their own lives.
Live Q&A Tele-Calls with Marc David
This is a very important and unique possibility to interact directly using the Institute’s founder and primary teacher. Marc David can be an internationally acclaimed teacher and skilled facilitator. You’ll receive insightful feedback from one of the very most well-regarded and cutting-edge leaders in eating psychology and nutrition. All classes are recorded for those who cannot attend live. Participate in 2 teleclasses monthly – over 16 Live Tele-calls!
Bonus Business Training Module
Their bonus business module delivers the same leading-edge information fact that leading business programs for coaches and entrepreneurs address today. Learn basic through advanced skills that will set you in addition to the crowd with approaches for building your brand, defining your business design, creating programs, on and offline marketing, social media marketing, and even more. This Business Component is definitely taught by Emily Rosen, Chief Operating Officer for IPE, and it is an enormous value for all those just getting started, or for anybody seeking to expand their practice or business.
Bonus Nutrition Module
Get a solid foundation in nutrition with topics that range from digestive physiology and anatomy to the basics of entire foods nutrition and macronutrient balance. This optional, holistic, evidence-based component is a great review and an effective way to understand the fundamentals. The core training itself includes a great amount of content at heart Body Nutrition, functional and clinical nutrition, as well as results-oriented diet recommendations. This bonus module is included at no additional expense for anybody wanting an obvious knowledge of the diet fundamentals which means you have the info you need to produce a powerful impact with clients.
Live Conference
All students are welcomed to wait for an optional live event because of their graduating class that’s held by the end of working out. Get motivated by IPE staff and fellow students, experience live client demos, hear new content, work in small groups, and network and celebrate with others. Marc David hosts this event combined with the IPE team. You’ll get the chance to meet up so a lot of your fellow students who are focused on making a genuine difference in the world. That is a popular and well-loved part of the training and a great way to launch into the next phase of your career!
Done-For-You Forms & Marketing Copy
They’re committed to giving you the tools to succeed! You’re provided with effective marketing and website copy to help you communicate your work and your message. The kind of copy that’s clear, catchy, and helps tell the world exactly what you’re about. You’ll also receive essential intake questionnaires, client agreements and more to help launch or elevate your practice.
Peer Coaching Program
In this optional part of the training, you’ll be matched with a fellow student so you can practice the skills you’re learning throughout the training. Each month you’ll receive topics and discussion points to explore with your peer coach. All sessions are done over the phone or by Skype and at your convenience. This is a great opportunity to get grounded in your educational experience, learn how to work with phone clients, and connect in a whole different way to the material.
Private Online Community
Built into the training website, is an exclusive online forum for you to engage with fellow students and IPE staff around training content. Monitored by senior IPE Staff, this is a great way to have discussions with not only the IPE team but your colleagues from various backgrounds. There is also have a private Facebook group for professional networking opportunities. These platforms allow you to dive into course content, professional development, and your own relationship with food while receiving support from peers and IPE staff.
Downloadable Digital MP3 Recordings of Every Class and Call
The Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training includes over 200 hours of information-rich classes that you can watch or listen to by logging into our exclusive training portal. And because they want you to be able to return to the material for years to come, ALL the classes have been made available to download as audio files. You’ll be able to save them to your computer or mobile device and enjoy the material for life whenever you need a refresher or an infusion of inspiration
Just a handful of the extensive amount of testimonials
#2 Health Coaching Certification Online Program

Get 10% OFF when paid in full
Meet Jamie, a mentor for this course
Natural Wellness Academy Review
Get 10% OFF when paid in full
#3 Online Health Coach Certification Program
Provider: Primal Health Coach Institute
Certification: Primal Health Coach
Full Price: $4495
Payment Plan: $413.58 x 12
Exclusive $500 Off Primal Health Coach Coupon Code:
500TODAY
Brief Introduction
Watch this video for a look behind the scenes of their student portal.
Watch these 2 videos of founder Mark Sisson for a little more info on the Primal Health Coach Certification program.
Primal Health Coach Review
The Primal Health Coach program provides the most in-depth and up-to-date ancestral health education in the world, equipping you with an arsenal of well-informed alternative choices based on science and experience in order to best serve your clients’ goals.
Using the model of Integrative Health Coaching, rooted in developmental and humanistic psychology, we shape expert coaches into persuasive catalysts for behaviour change. Spark your clients’ craving for knowledge and help them access their sense of purpose and live according to their core values. Up-level your ability to motivate and inspire lasting change today.
Thirteen comprehensive chapters based on evolutionary health science teach you how to reprogram genes to direct optimal cellular function. Each chapter consists of a video overview from Mark Sisson, reading material, audio supplements, and an examination. An additional three chapters consist of videos with Master Coach Christine Hassler on the topics of coaching and sales.
As a Primal Health Coach you’ll master:
The Art of Listening
So you create the most effective prescription for health for your clients’ unique needs and goals.
The Craft of Intuition
So you can see beyond the surface and into the root of your clients’ issues and goals in order to better serve them.
The Science of Asking Questions
Asking the right questions in the right way is a science, and the coach’s most important skill when it comes to uncovering their clients’ motivations and desires.
The Knack for Collaboration
The coach/client relationship shouldn’t be a top down one, but one of collaboration and camaraderie.
The Inspiration of a Mentor
A mentor inspires, walks his/her talk and helps clients successfully maneuver around (or through!) the obstacles encountered along the way.
As soon as you are admitted as a student you will receive:
Lifetime access to all 20 chapters of the Primal Health Coach coursework and exams described above. Plus…
Multimedia Educational Materials:
Audio Books:
You will receive the following mp3 files for convenient download into your favorite audio player platform or for streaming any time from your login portal:
- The Primal Blueprint: Abridged recording (3.5 hours) of the original best-seller, narrated by Mark Sisson himself!
- The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation: Unabridged recording of the entire book, 5.5 hours in duration.
- The Primal Connection: Unabridged recording of the entire book, 6 hours in duration.
Digital Books:
Digital copies in PDF format of five popular Primal Blueprint titles:
- The Primal Blueprint
- Primal Endurance
- The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation
- The Primal Connection
- The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
- Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals
You can download these files onto the device of your choice, or access them any time at your online portal.
- American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.
Primal Health Coach Review
Who’s Mark Sisson?
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Mark Sisson, he is the author of the book: The Primal Blueprint, which was a catalyst to the Paleo diet becoming mainstream in 2009.
He is also the publisher of Marksdailyapple.com, said to be the #1 read primal/paleo blog in the world.
Website Lacks Transparency
The Primal Health Coach Institute website seems to be lacking a lot of important information that I would be looking for as a prospective student:
- curriculum
- how the program is delivered
- how many hours are involved in the program
- is there access to Mark himself? he seems to be a huge selling feature for the program so this would be good to know, especially for fans of his
Why? To Get You To Sign Up To Their Email List
It only makes sense, right?
The website is the appetizer, meanwhile, we’re hungry for the main course!
The solution? Sign up to their email list in order to receive more info. Classic sales approach old and stake in my opinion.
Most of the information on the Primal Health Coach Institute’s curriculum, I was only able to provide from subscribing to their email list and reading all of their emails.
A Bit Salesy In Approach (in my opinion)
One page on their website compares their tuition with that of other apparently similar institutions. In my opinion, any organization that has to convince you based on price is almost always lacking substance. Now, I could be very, very wrong here, as I have never taken their program, but I like to think I have a keen sense for this.
I signed up to their email list as well to get a better sense of the program. Being quite familiar with email autoresponders, as I have been subscribed to lists of some of the wealthiest internet marketers out there, their email series is quite typical from a marketing standpoint. Very little information was given regarding the program itself, and lots of talk about the industry and even a bit of scarcity to try and get you to act.
It appears that the sole purpose of the email series is to get you on the phone with one of their (sales) representatives. My guess, an attempt to sell you on enrolling in their program. The whole series of emails has been a turn-off for me personally.
Just a handful from the dozens of testimonials
Exclusive $500 Off Primal Health Coach Coupon Code:
500TODAY
Best Health Coaching Certification Online Program Under $1000

Intro to the ACE Health Coach Certification
ACE Health Coach Review
Best Under $400

Provider: IAP Career College
Certification: Wellness Coach Master Professional
Full Price: $377
Payment Plan: N/A
IAP career College Review
Introduction
- What is a Wellness Coach?
- The Wellness Coaching Industry
- Benefits of Being a Wellness Coach
- Wellness Coaching Specializations
How to Deliver Wellness Coaching Services
- Establishing the Coach/Client Relationship
- Holistic Techniques for Attaining Wellness
- Developing Meal and Fitness Plans
- Helping Clients Develop Conscious Eating Habits
- Customizing Wellness Plans
- Wellness Events for Groups and Individual Clients
How to Learn Wellness Coaching
- Getting Hands-On Wellness Coaching Experience
- Learn From Other Wellness Coaches
- Self Study
Starting Your Own Business
- Creating a Business Plan
- Financial Matters
- Setting Your Fees
- Working with Support Staff
Getting Clients
- Choosing Your Target Market
- Marketing Tools and Techniques
- Marketing to Corporate Clients
- None
Best Under $400
Provider: CHEK Institute
Certification: Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1
Full Price: $347
Payment Plan: N/A
CHEK Institute Review
If you’re looking for ways to help your clients, patients and athletes reach sustained health and fitness, HLC 1 will be invaluable to your practice, with a truly insightful system of questionnaires that will let you see the underlying challenges your clients face, and a practical, step-by-step approach to overcoming those challenges.
HLC 1 will make you – naturally – better at working with your clients and athletes because you will have implemented and practiced every tool and technique yourself, and you’ll have the health and vitality to show for it!
Over the Course of 15 Lessons, You Will:
- Learn how to apply the 1-2-3-4 approach to developing long-term body-mind changes.
- Learn how to use the CHEK Nutrition and Lifestyle questionnaire system for assessing physiological load and making essential diet and lifestyle changes.
- Understand the relationship between the 6 Foundation Health Principles and body-mind stress and learn how to apply these principles to balance your body systems so you can exemplify well-being!
- Learn Paul Chek’s Zone Exercises as a means of “Working-In” which will show you how to use movement to “create energy” and cultivate the life-force needed to effectively express your creativity and Work-Out!
- Identify common roadblocks to success with diet and lifestyle modifications and gain simple solutions.
- Know how to implement key concepts of individualized eating using Paul Chek’s Primal Pattern® eating
- Discover how and when to use the “less is more” principle of exercise prescription and how to apply the 5 essentials of program design.
Your Course Includes:
- 15 lessons
- Unlimited access to 83 streaming, online videos
- Digital, downloadable participant manual in PDF format
- Digital, downloadable forms and handouts to use yourself and with clients or family members:
- Primal Pattern® Diet Introduction (PDF)
- Primal Pattern® Diet Questionnaire from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! ((PDF)
- Nutrition and Lifestyle Questionnaire from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (PDF)
- Nutrition and Lifestyle Score Sheet from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! ((PDF)
- The Nutrient Energy Diagram (PDF)
- The Primal Pattern® Diet Fine Tuning Chart (PDF)
- The Circadian Rhythm Chart (PDF)
- The Tachometer Diagram (PDF)
- Nutrition – The CHEK Approach (PDF)
- Why Organic Food? (PDF)
- Why Wheat/Gluten Free? (PDF)
- The CHEK Shopper’s Guide (PDF)
- The Poopie Police (PDF)
- 15 online quizzes
- Downloadable Certificate of Completion upon successfully finishing the course
- Access to the HLC 1 Online Members Only Facebook Group
Not Included:
- Pre-requisite book How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (There is an option to order this with your registration and save $8!)
- Recommended audio program You Are What You Eat (There is an option to order this with your registration and save $20!)
- DVDs or printed manual (this course is 100% online)
None
Best Under $100

Provider: Transformation Academy
Certification: Master Wellness Life Coach Certification
Price: $497 (however, you can get 80% off through my link)
Payment Plans: N/A
Get 80% off through this link (discount applied at checkout)
This Program consists of 4 Certifications (4th is a choice of 3 )
Health and Nutrition Life Coach Certification
Transformation Academy Review
- American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.
Get 80% off through this link (discount applied at checkout)
Honourable Mention
Provider: Nickerson Institute
Certification: Integrative Health Coach
Full Price: $3799
Payment Plan: $975 x 4
Get more insight into the approach taken at Nickerson Institute.
Presented by Wendy Nickerson, Owner and instructor of Nickerson Institute
Nickerson Institute Review
Nickerson Institute Course Outline
This virtual and interactive 15-module Integrative Health Coach Training Program provides the latest evidence-based techniques and strategies (mind-body-spirit) covering the following session topics:
- Ethics, boundaries, and the biopsychosocial model of care.
- Communication and motivational interviewing.
- Using cognitive-behavioural coaching strategies for reducing depression.
- Using rational-emotive coaching for reducing anxiety.
- Alternative treatments for depression and anxiety.
- Detecting suicide. No stone left unturned.
- The truth about food – know the details.
- Foods and nutrients that determine the quality of mental health.
- Helping clients work through the stages of grief and loss.
- Stress and Coping: Mindfulness evidence-based techniques.
- The mind-body effects of trauma.
- Chronic Pain and Illness: The mind-body connection and the importance of thoughts and emotions on healing physical pain.
- Dealing with the issues of the elderly population.
- Teen depression and substance usage (spiritual revolution).
- Develop advocacy skills – scoping out your community.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, you will…
- Evaluate theories, concepts, and treatments in behavioural nutrition, issues concerning the elderly, teens, and those experiencing substance usage.
- Assess the interaction of foods and nutrients with brain functioning, mental health, and behaviour.
- Understand the differences between the biomedical and the biopsychosocial model of healthcare.
- Evaluate and discuss the ethical and cultural guidelines of an integrative health coach.
- Develop a personalized integrative health coaching toolbox.
- Understand the importance of setting boundaries in health coaching relationships.
- Develop skills for effective communication, listening, and intuition.
- Practice motivational interviewing skills and techniques.
- Understand and assimilate cognitive-behavioural and rationale motive coaching skills.
- Recognize symptoms of anxiety and depression and choose appropriate alternative coaching treatments for each.
- Detect and assess suicide risk and develop an action plan.
- Understand and synthesize the issues related to grief and loss.
- Develop a repertoire of mindfulness stress reduction techniques.
- Develop an understanding and knowledge base of the relationships between mental health issues and physical disorders.
- Assess and combine a list of community healthcare resources and organizations.
- Demonstrate your ability to conduct an integrative health coaching session with a client.
- Understand and integrate concepts of trauma and the seriousness of this condition on mental and physical health.
- American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.
- Health Coach Alliance (HCA)
- Canadian Association of Integrative Nutrition (CAIN)
It took a lot of digging to find this program and I’m glad I did—what a gem it is.
What I really like about this program
It focuses on training the mind to aid in the healing of mental, emotional, and physical illnesses. It encompasses interwoven evidence-based aspects of mindfulness, cognitive-behavioural techniques, neuroscience, health psychology, positive psychology, energy psychology and behavioural nutrition. Healing aspects of spirituality and the power of perception, insight, awareness, thoughts, and words are taught throughout this course.
This program targets mental health furthermore to physical and spiritual health. In addition, it targets behavioural nutrition since it pertains to mental health; and on psychoneuroimmunology, and that is clearly a big word for the way the mind, thoughts and stress create illness in the torso. Almost every other program concentrate on nourishment and exercise.
Option to become a Registered Health Coach
Not many Health Coach Certifications are qualified for this—especially at this price point. Why is being registered important? One word: insurance. It’s much easier (and usually cheaper) to receive professional insurance. Being a registered progressional also allows your clients to have a portion (or all) of your services covered by their insurance benefits, should they have some.
How much time will you need to complete the modules and the coursework?
You will need 200 hours for the entire program — approximately 12 hours for each of the 15 modules. This includes watching the videos, completing the written assignments and discussion boards, and attending a minimum of 4 bi-weekly live zoom discussion meetings. Additionally, there are roughly 20 hours of practical coaching sessions to perform.
Homework and Assignments
You will be given a discussion question and a written assignment vignette for each module. In addition, you will be continuously working on your personalized toolbox throughout the program. There will also be opportunities to audiotape portions of sessions and a complete session to show the application of the abilities taught.
Business and Marketing Support
After completion of the course, you can receive 4 webinar sessions on important areas of setting up your company. This covers areas of social networking, proper forms, brochures, website, and PowerPoint presentations, for instance. In addition, you’ll be given usage of their monthly meetings and that means you can build relationships additional IHCs and discuss projects and gain support.
Your own web page
You’ll also gain visibility for the Nickerson Institute website together with your personalized one-page Integrative Health Coaching business website. This professional webpage will be on the Nickerson Institute of Integrative Health Training website, under “Find an Integrative Health Coach”.
Additional Accreditations
As a graduate of the Nickerson Institute Integrative Health Coach Training Program, you have the option for additional accreditation as a Certified Coach for Highly Sensitive People. This 10-hour selfpaced supplemental course teaches the challenges and benefits of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity trait, which is present in 20% of the population and an estimated 30-50% of clients seeking mental health support. The content of this course includes a toolkit you can use with you HSP clients, as well as support material for how to market yourself as an HSP-trained mental health professional.
This course is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP), the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), the Health Coach Alliance (HCA), the Canadian Association of Integrative Nutrition (CAIN) and is eligible for NBCC Home Study Credits. A discount is given to graduates of the IHC program.
Unique Marketing Opportunities
Write for their blog
Students and graduates are invited to submit articles for the Nickerson Institute blog.In addition to sharing your knowledge and polishing your writing skills, this is an opportunity to promote your coaching services and increase your online presence. Select articles may also be promoted via the Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
Presentations
One of the common ways for new coaches to attract clients / generate business to give presentations in their (live or online) community. Asan IHC graduate, you are invited to be a guest speaker at our monthly Zoom meeting where you can hone your presentation skills, introduce current mental health topics, demonstrate effective healing techniques or offer business solutions. This is also an opportunity to reach beyond the Nickerson Institute community, as the recording of your presentation may be used for your own marketing/promotional use.
Create your own online course
Graduates of the IHC training program are offered the chance to develop and instruct an online course relevant to integrative health. These courses will be promoted to the general public, as well as students in the Nickerson Institute programs.
The unique and valuable aspects of this opportunity besides gaining the experience and satisfaction of developing an educational program to help others achieve holistic health are that the course becomes residual income, and as the developer/instructor, you have a platform to promote your own coaching services to those who enroll.
Honourable Mention

Provider: Health Coach Institute
Certification: Health and Life Coach
Full Price: Get emailed their catalog for the latest pricing (put fake phone # if you don’t want them to call you)
Payment Plan: Available upon request
Introduction video
More detail about their unique combination of health and life coaching
Health Coach Institute Review
Pillar 1: Holistic Nutrition for Coaches
Pillar 2: Habit Change Coaching Method
Pillar 3: Personal Growth (The Life Coach Certificate)
Pillar 4: Proven Marketing & Simple Business Systems
- International Coach Federation (ICF) – The Become a Health Coach program is CCE accredited by the International Coach Federation. The International Coaching Federation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to professional coaching. ICF has been the gold standard in coaching for over 25 years.
- Health Coach Alliance – The Become a Health Coach program has met strict Health Coach Alliance guidelines. Accreditation of educational programs is focused on quality of instruction, overall curriculum, program delivery, and determining whether students completing the program have successfully learned the materials by way of effective knowledge testing methods. Completing our Become a Health Coach Program will allow our graduates to receive the Registered Health Coach (RHC) Designation.
- Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) – The Become a Health Coach program is fully approved by the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT). FHT accreditation ensures that course providers and prospective students can be sure that qualifications and courses have been independently and externally assessed, meeting the highest standards. The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK’s leading professional association for therapists. *The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK’s largest professional association for therapists, ensuring high standards in therapy education and practice since 1962. FHT runs the largest Accredited Register of complementary therapists to have been independently accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, a body accountable to parliament, helping the public to choose a non-statutory regulated health practitioner with confidence.
Health Coach Institute Review
Done-For-You Materials
What I really really like about this program is the crazy amount of done-for-you materials. This is a HUGE time saver. If you’re not yet a coach, let’s just say you’re in for an eye-opener.
Creating detox and nutrition programs is a huge ask! Believe me! We’re talking about spending hours upon hours creating programs—only to ask yourself…is this what people want? Will it work? Will they stick to it? Will it create happy clients? Will it generate referrals?
Health Coach Institute provides these programs for you…and not only that…they’ve tested over and over again and been proven to work. These programs sell!
In addition to creating programs, you must think about creating handouts, infographics, checklists, and much more. Again, these are all handed to you and ready to call your own.
Business Marketing
You may be the most caring, inspiring and educated health coach out there—but nobody will ever know if you don’t know how to sell yourself and your services.
One of the best ways to know if a company’s business and marketing course is top-notch is to observe their own marketing. One can only expect to be taught what the other practices.
If you observe Health Coach Institute’s website, social media channels and ads, you’ll see how effective their marketing is. They stand out from the crown, it’s quite obvious.
Their marketing is top-notch, way ahead of the field, and this is what you can expect to learn to do for yourself as a Health and Life Coach once you graduated from their program. Stand out from the crowd.
Most courses have a lesson or two on business and marketing. Health Coach Institute has an entire module!
How is the Health Coach Institute program delivered?
The training is published in weekly modules and is accompanied by a myriad of resources to help you solidify your learning. Each lesson builds on the previous one so you know exactly what to focus on first, second, and third … in order to become a pro.
Multimedia Formats: Watch, Listen, or Read
Lessons come in three convenient media formats: video, MP3, and PDF so you can view, listen to, or read them depending on your learning method.
Short Lessons
They have broken our lessons down into short, digestible sections so you can ingest, act on, and grasp the information without cluttering or overwhelming the information!
Interactive Weekly Skills Labs
Since knowledge is meaningless without practice, also work with your peers in weekly skills labs where you can apply what you have learned in a safe environment and improve your skills to make you feel safe with paying customers. Labs give you practice, support, and accountability like nothing else!
Mentorship
They are there to support and guide you every step of the way. Your program will include phone calls with your personal success coach where you can ask questions, share successes, and overcome obstacles. lots of guidance and insights from your program mentors.
How is the Health Coach Institute program delivered?
The training is published in weekly modules and is accompanied by a myriad of resources to help you solidify your learning. Each lesson builds on the previous one so you know exactly what to focus on first, second, and third … in order to become a pro.
Multimedia Formats: Watch, Listen, or Read
Lessons come in three convenient media formats: video, MP3, and PDF so you can view, listen to, or read them depending on your learning method.
Short Lessons
They have broken our lessons down into short, digestible sections so you can ingest, act on, and grasp the information without cluttering or overwhelming the information!
Interactive Weekly Skills Labs
Since knowledge is meaningless without practice, also work with your peers in weekly skills labs where you can apply what you have learned in a safe environment and improve your skills to make you feel safe with paying customers. Labs give you practice, support, and accountability like nothing else!
Mentorship
They are there to support and guide you every step of the way. Your program will include phone calls with your personal success coach where you can ask questions, share successes, and overcome obstacles. lots of guidance and insights from your program mentors.
CommunitySurrounding yourself with uplifting and encouraging people has the power to change your life, and at HCI they wholeheartedly believe in the power of community. That is why your students experience so much of their training together! Access to your tribe. Whether you need help with a problem, a challenge from a client, or just need a breakthrough, this is a safe place for you to be yourself and feel seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Health Coach and a Life Coach?
In short, a Health Coach focuses on nutrition and lifestyle changes to promote better health whereas a Life Coach typically isn’t trained to give specific health or nutritional advice and focuses on broader aspects of one’s life such as relationships, career, money, life goals, spirituality, and personal growth. There may be some overlap in areas such as emotional well-being, spirituality, and generic health and activity goals.
How do you become a certified Health Coach?
You can become a certified health coach by completing any Health Coach certification in the post or elsewhere. You don’t need any prerequisites.
Can anyone become a Health Coach?
The short answer, yes, anyone can become a Health Coach. The Health Coaching profession is unregulated and therefore anyone can call themselves a Health Coach even without a certification.
Conclusion
In case you decided to skip parts of the post, I want to reiterate that the best all-around online Health Coach Certification Program is Natural Wellness Academy, hands down. This is regardless of whether you’re looking to make a career out of Health Coaching or if you’re already an established professional in the health and wellness field and looking to add Health Coaching to your current resume.
NWA is the best Health Coaching Certification program for those looking to make a career solely from being a Certified Health Coach, I do not recommend any of the other health coaching certifications if this is you. I can most definitely understand if $2795 sounds like a lot of money to some of you (Hint: sign up to their email list, discounts of up to 20% have been offered before).
Think about it this way, if you’re aspiring to create a career from being a great Health Coach then you need a great education AND a great mentor. NWA offers both of those. It’s an investment now that will definitely pay off later. If you cannot afford it now, I highly recommend you wait and save up, and don’t rush into a cheaper program that you won’t be able to build a career out of.
Detailed reviews of other areas of certification:
Holistic Nutrition Certifications
Online Life Coaching Certifications
Online Meditation Teacher Certifications
I truly hope this helped you make an informed decision toward what step you want to take next.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me, I WILL respond.