Weight Management: The Personal Trainer-Dietitian Relationship

Nutrition and exercise are both integral to health. Therefore, ensuring that personal trainers and dietitians are maintaining collaborative relationships is essential. According to Christopher R. Mohr, the owner of Mohr Results, doing so allows for the expansion of “professionalism and the ability to work with a wider variety of individuals.” This collaboration allows people to utilize their strengths to improve how they help their clients.

The liaison between personal trainers and dietitians is critical if members are to see lasting results. Several benefits arise from this interpersonal relationship:

A synergistic team that allows members to feel that every aspect of their fitness and nutrition goals are covered.
Improved and lasting results for clients.
Client retention and satisfaction.
Both groups, as experts in their respective fields, can provide valuable information to each other. For example, a dietitian can provide insight into the latest nutrition trends that may benefit a personal trainer’s clients, while a trainer can inform the dietitian about the latest in workout equipment and regimens.

Maintaining this relationship between trainers and dietitians is the key to the success of your fitness department. How they maintain this relationship involves a multifaceted plan.

First, make sure that trainers and dietitians are meeting on a regular basis, like at monthly team meetings. These meetings ensure that both teams are on the same page.
Ongoing communication between meetings is also important, especially if trainers and dietitians share clients. Do not rely on reports from your client; take that extra step to inform each other on the progress, or lack thereof. Doing so demonstrates to the client that the facility is taking his or her success seriously.
Dietitians and trainers should include each other when offering special rates and programs. For example, if a trainer has a special rate for the month of July, the dietitian can also provide a special rate to attract business.
Brainstorm creative ideas or activities for your clients. I collaborated with a trainer that I often worked with to recruit people to run a 5K together. Since the recruits had never run a 5K, we organized a training program that involved running and balanced nutrition. The group enjoyed having both experts available to help along the way, and the opportunity to participate in an activity that they never would have done on their own.

Instilling and nourishing an interpersonal relationship between trainers and dietitians provides the quality service your members deserve. These partnerships also provide a way to retain members in the long run because their needs are being met. Utilize the techniques mentioned in this article to strengthen collaboration between trainers and dietitians and note the differences that your club will experience from doing so.

Denise Hernandez is a registered dietitian at The Houstonian Club in Houston, Texas. For advice on how to implement weight management or nutrition programs in your club, e-mail her at dhernandez@houstonian.com.