Last updated on July 29, 2024
Lifestyle coaching has emerged as a thriving niche within the coaching industry, and it is generating quite a buzz and interest among aspiring coaches. Guiding people toward becoming the best version of themselves is a noble pursuit, and obtaining a lifestyle coach certification can serve as your golden ticket to this fulfilling career.
In this article, we’ll explore the most valuable training opportunities that can profoundly enhance your professional growth in this field.
- iPEC – Best for Comprehensive Training
- Endeavour College of Natural Health – Best for Holistic Lifestyle Coach
- NASM – Best for Health and Lifestyle Coach Training
Table of Contents
What Is a Lifestyle Coach?
A lifestyle coach helps clients identify lifestyle changes they should make to live a happier and healthier life.
Through a holistic approach that encompasses understanding the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual, a lifestyle coach determines the root cause of clients’ problems and designs specific steps and goals that will lead to a more fulfilling life. A lifestyle coach also has a motivational role and holds clients accountable for their present choices and future actions.
Lifestyle coaches mostly focus on holistic, wellness, and health improvements, but their expertise extends beyond these domains. They can work with clients on other aspects of life, such as business, where they address clients’ work-life balance, personal issues that affect professional performance, and more.
How To Become a Lifestyle Coach
While you don’t need a diploma or certification to start a lifestyle coach practice, certification programs can allow you to learn the ins and outs of this niche, build the necessary coaching skills, and adopt proven techniques. Moreover, earning a certification can validate your expertise, instill confidence in clients, and provide you with a competitive edge in this ever-evolving field.
A lifestyle coach should also embody certain traits and skills, including:
- Positive attitude
- Empathy
- Patience
- Communication skills
- Listening skills
- Logical thinking
- Providing constructive feedback
- Ability to motivate and encourage
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Lifestyle Coaching Program
Do you want to be sure that you’re investing your time and money into the right course? Then you should approach the pursuit of a certification program with the following factors in mind.
Program Cost
With the diversity of online lifestyle coaches, there is a big difference in pricing. Course features that can affect the cost are the duration of the course, mentorship, live classes, ongoing support, and more. To save yourself valuable time in your search, set your budget in advance.
Course Length
Can you enroll in a lifestyle coaching program if you have a full-time job or a busy family life? Sure you can. Self-paced programs are designed to accommodate hectic schedules by allowing you to learn at your own speed. If you prefer structured learning, courses with scheduled classes can last from a couple of days to up to a year.
Accreditation
Accreditation isn’t mandatory, but it can give you the assurance that the chosen program adheres to the strict regulations of a reputable accrediting entity. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) sets the gold standard in the coaching industry as the most well-known accrediting body.
Best Lifestyle Coach Certification Programs
Comprehensive Option: iPEC
iPEC is known for providing top-notch training in life coaching with a robust syllabus and reputable certification.
What sets iPEC apart is its emphasis on the “Core Energy Coaching” approach. This method purports that clients can achieve greater success by harnessing their inner resources and shifting their perspectives. The “Core Energy Coaching” approach can help you support clients in making long-lasting lifestyle changes.
iPEC offers three levels of coaching credentials: Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP), and Master Practitioner in Coaching (MPC).
You can choose among four niche options—Life Coaching, Health and Wellness Coaching, Executive and Leadership Development Coaching, and Sports and Performance Coaching—which can further define your lifestyle coaching expertise.
Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Option: Endeavour College of Natural Health
Endeavour College of Natural Health is our top selection for a holistic lifestyle program. The Undergraduate Certificate in Lifestyle Coaching course is available as a full-time and part-time course to accommodate different learners’ needs.
Through this course, you’ll be able to dive deep into mindfulness, wellness, nutrition, and physical practices. The goal of the course is to deliver techniques and strategies and deepen your understanding of different areas for a holistic coaching approach.
- Course Length: 6 months – full-time; 12 months – part-time
- Program Cost: $7,231
- Accreditation: TEQSA, AQF
- Mode of Delivery: Online
Health and Lifestyle Coaching Option: NASM
When it comes to gaining expertise in health and lifestyle coaching, we recommend the Lifestyle Coach Bundle by NASM. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) has been dominating the fitness training field for over three decades, so it is a viable source for specializing in this field.
The lifestyle includes two nutrition-focused certifications:
- Weight Loss Specialization (WLS)
- Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC)
With the Weight Loss Specialization course, you’ll gain the tools to guide clients to achieve sustainable weight loss through lifestyle changes and transforming their relationship with food. The Certified Nutrition Coach course equips you with the knowledge and skills to provide personalized nutrition coaching and support clients to achieve their health and fitness goals.
- Course Length: up to 1 year
- Program Cost: $1,079
- Accreditation: NCCA
- Mode of Delivery: Online
Alternatives (non-niche)
Do you want to narrow down your lifestyle coaching focus? Transformation Academy offers over 35 niche certifications that can help you specialize in a certain lifestyle sub-niche.
For example, if you want to work as a business and lifestyle coach, with the Career Coach certification, you can acquire expertise in business coaching and combine that with your lifestyle coaching skills.
Special Offer: Get 50% off all certification programs at Transformation Academy by clicking our link or entering code LIFECOACHMAG at checkout.
Learn all about TA and their wide variety of courses in our in-depth review.
For those who want to enhance their overall life coaching skills, we suggest checking out the robust Coach Training Alliance. We’ve covered the ins and outs of CTA in our review if you wish to know more.
FAQs
- How much do lifestyle coaches make?
Lifestyle coach fees can depend on location, reputation, and the scope of coaches’ services and typically range between $30 and $150 per hour.
- Do you need a certification to be a lifestyle coach?
You don’t need a certification for lifestyle coaching, but there are benefits to obtaining one, such as increasing your knowledge, recognition, and marketability.
- How much does a lifestyle coach certification cost?
The average cost of a lifestyle coach certification starts at $1,000 and reaches over $10,000.
- Does accreditation matter in a lifestyle coach certification program?
By opting for an accredited program, you can gain peace of mind knowing that you are investing in a quality education that aligns with industry best practices.
- What is the most recognized coaching certification?
To gain wider recognition, it is advisable to prioritize accreditation over the program’s name. With programs such as iPEC, you can obtain globally recognized ICF accreditation, which is well-known among both clients and fellow coaches.
Conclusion
Enrolling in a lifestyle coach certification program can be a crucial step towards attaining the level of expertise required to effectively work with clients. The wide array of available courses enables you to gain knowledge and skills in the area of your interests while also obtaining an enticing coaching credential.
If you’re still on the fence about your life coaching specialty, we recommend checking out the comprehensive Coach Training Alliance or affordable Transformation Academy that can introduce you to a variety of life coaching niches.
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