The human body is a fascinating instrument, impacted by the food we eat, the way we move, the amount of sleep we get, and even how we think. If you wish to explore the complexities of the body in more detail, you may be considering earning a degree in the field of wellness.
But it’s smart to have a career plan in place before investing the time and money into school!
Here’s some good news: the Global Wellness Institute expects the health and wellness economy to reach $7 trillion globally by 2025, up from $4.4 trillion in 2020. So there is plenty of opportunity in this market! If you’re not sure where your degree could take you, here are some of the careers that you may wish to explore.
Offer Dietary and Lifestyle Advice as a Holistic Nutritionist or Nutrition Coach
Food is our fuel, and in many cases, it can be our medicine too. Holistic nutritionists and nutrition coaches help their clients to make smarter food choices to support desired health outcomes.
For holistic nutritionists, these recommendations are usually related to a specific health issue. Clients may seek to improve their digestion and gut health, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, balance their blood sugar, or a host of other wellness goals.
The title of “nutritionist” is regulated at the state level. Some states don’t require any formal licensing in order to practice as a nutritionist or holistic nutritionist, while others have more specific education and experience requirements. Make sure to check the rules and regulations in your state or country. The American Nutrition Association is a good place to start your research.
Nutrition coaches, on the other hand, help their clients progress towards certain health outcomes, but not usually to treat a specific illness or issue. Nutrition coaches may help athletes to balance their macronutrient and micronutrient intake for peak performance, for example. Or they may create meal plans to help clients lose weight.
While there are many health and wellness degree programs out there, they offer a variety of different focuses. Escoffier’s Holistic Nutrition and Wellness degrees and diplomas center around food, including the role of nutrients in our bodies and the sources of those nutrients in our foods. After graduation from the program, you may be better equipped to help clients in either of these capacities–nutrition coaching or holistic nutrition.
Support Customer Health as a Nutrition-Based Chef
In the past, “healthy eating” meant either a diet of bland salads or fat-free processed food (that was usually loaded with sugar).
Fortunately, times have changed! We’ve learned so much more about the true nutritional value of our food and the role of protein, carbohydrates, and yes, even fat, in our diets. Using this information and some culinary know-how, those with a formal education in nutrition and wellness can reach a wider audience by becoming a chef!
Chefs can specialize in any number of nutrition specialties, from gluten-free to plant-based to raw/vegan and more. There are even Michelin-starred restaurants in these niches, like plant-based Eleven Madison Park in New York City, and raw food restaurant Barkett in Berlin.
But you don’t have to set your sites that high. You could simply create a local spot where customers can enjoy a health-conscious meal that both tastes delicious and keeps their goals on track. You could aim to work in a restaurant, a health-food café, or even at a food counter in a local gym, providing protein-packed meals to fitness-minded people.
A colorful carrot dish by Escoffier student Anne H.
Work One-on-One with Clients as a Health and Wellness Coach
While a nutrition coach is primarily focused on food, a health coach may take a broader approach to their clients’ overall wellness. Health coaches could also make recommendations regarding fitness and exercise, reducing stress and anxiety, getting better sleep, and more to serve their clients.
Many of these broader topics may be covered in a comprehensive health and wellness program, but they might also require some additional education or certification on the part of the coach.
Health coaches do not diagnose or treat specific medical conditions. While a health coach may be able to make suggestions to help clients handle a stressful situation, for example, they could not diagnose or treat an anxiety disorder.
But for those who need guidance to become their healthiest selves, a health coach can be the perfect steward.
Make Delicious, Functional Meals as a Personal Chef
For so many people, the barrier keeping them from eating a healthy diet is one of time. The demands of full-time jobs, school, or raising a family make it hard to put a nutritious meal on the table. These days, only one in five households with children has a stay-at-home parent. With two working adults, it’s hard to find the time to cook for themselves OR the kids.
Personal chef services can be the answer. Personal chefs can make and deliver delicious, healthy meals that simply need to be reheated when it’s time to eat. Health-focused personal chefs can even meet certain dietary restrictions, like providing gluten-free, high-protein, plant-based, or vegan meals.
“People are starting to play with the idea that there might be a better way of doing things than just the traditional meat and dairy way of cooking. They’re finding that more and more chefs around the world are playing with plant-based ingredients and with more vegetables, and society is accepting it. And that’s the driver for the change.”*
Shane Witters Hicks, Escoffier Boulder Graduate & Private Chef/Educator, The Soulful Spread
“People are starting to play with the idea that there might be a better way of doing things than just the traditional meat and dairy way of cooking. They’re finding that more and more chefs around the world are playing with plant-based ingredients and with more vegetables, and society is accepting it. And that’s the driver for the change.”*
Fresh quinoa salad topped with homemade pickled red onions by Escoffier student Daniel M.
How Can a Nutrition and Wellness Degree Prepare You for These Careers?
At Escoffier, our holistic nutrition and wellness programs combine education in nutrition, coaching techniques, and cooking skills.
Students may complete coursework in human nutrition, including the food sources of nutrients and their impact on the body. They may cover wellness topics like sleep, mindfulness, stress management, and Eastern healing. This view includes treating the human body as a multi-functional organism with a number of complex systems that must work in harmony for optimal health.
Students may also step into the kitchen, exploring practical culinary topics like sanitation and food storage, knife skills and mise en place, cooking techniques, seasoning, and more. They may discover principles of healthy baking, cooking methods that retain more of our food’s nutrients, and using food to support overall health.
Once you’ve explored these topics in nutrition, wellness, and cooking, what’s next? At Escoffier, we take things a step further with coursework in coaching techniques. Students may discover the psychology behind personal transformation, helping them to become more effective guides for their clients. Plus, they might explore entrepreneurial topics like business planning, legal issues, and business ethics to help prepare them for running their own small businesses.
This multidisciplinary approach may prepare students for careers as coaches, nutritionists, personal chefs, and more!
The Holistic Health and Wellness Programs at Escoffier
As of September 2022, Escoffier offers a degree and a diploma in Holistic Health and Wellness:
- Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Diploma (Online): This foundational program includes seven holistic nutrition and wellness courses, five industry-focused core courses, and one 6-week externship.
- Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Associate Degree (Online): This program includes the same coursework as the Online Diploma Program, plus additional coursework in business, psychology, history, culture, religion, economics, and more.
Be at the Forefront of This Fast-Growing Industry!
With so much growth ahead for the global wellness economy, there is no better time to invest in your education. In 42 to 84 weeks (depending on the program) you could earn your degree or diploma and be one step closer to a career as a health coach, holistic nutritionist, functional chef, or another dream job.
With student loans, scholarships and grants, and military/veteran funding available to those who apply and qualify, your education may be within closer reach than you think. Get in touch with our Admissions Department to learn more about the holistic nutrition and wellness programs and financial aid options at Escoffier.
Learn more about holistic health and nutrition with these resources:
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
