Many of you have been asking about my experience at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) so I thought I would share my year studying nutrition online over here.
For those of you who don’t already know, I graduated as a Health Coach from the largest nutrition school in the world in September 2016. Needless to say, it was a year of discovery with the first day of the course beginning exactly one day after the birth of my daughter!
First off, What is a health coach you may ask?
A health coach is a supportive mentor who works with clients to help them feel their best through nutrition and lifestyle changes. Instead of prescribing one diet or way of exercising, a health coach helps its clients figure out what their personal health and wellness issues are, how they affect them holistically and guide them in developing individualized wellness programs and strategies to overcome them. Most importantly, a health coach understands that primary foods, i.e. relationships, exercise, career, and spirituality are just as important to your health as the food you eat.
And why would someone need a health coach?
Most of us know what we should be doing to improve our health. But are we doing it?
Everyday, we hear of a new health trend, a new diet, some that work miracles. The abundance of information can be overwhelming but most of the time conflicting and confusing.
A health coach is here to support by honing in on the information that’s relevant to you as an individual. No one diet or lifestyle works for everyone. Each and every person has unique needs. As Joshua Rosenthal would say, “one person’s food is another person’s poison”. A health coach can provide step-by-step tools to create permanent changes for optimal health and well-being.
Why did I enroll at IIN?
After embarking on my own health journey in 2010 and experiencing the life changing effects of a lifestyle transformation rather than simply a diet or exercise regime, I wanted to share it with my family, friends and who ever else was interested in knowing more.
I however faced two roadblocks:
- What I knew, I had learned from research and experimenting on myself. I was not certified which didn’t make me very credible to most people
- People are so different. Our bodies are different, our genetic and cultural backgrounds are different, our tastebuds are different. No two people are the same, and what worked for me may not work for the next person
Meanwhile, the IIN banner kept popping up, a few people I followed on instagram had gone through the course and a good friend was thinking of joining. It felt like all signs were pointing towards me finally enrolling.
While I have been inclined to learn more about nutrition, I don’t have a scientific background. IIN was attractive to me because the course is accessible to anyone willing to learn. Moreover, it offers a holistic approach not just to nutrition but lifestyle management as well. It is nutrition for your body, mind and soul. and gives you the tools to improve your day to day life. You can find out more about the curriculum here.
Lat but not least, IIN is a year-long online course designed for busy people, making it flexible and accessible to all, and in my case, making studying with a newborn more realistic.
Study anywhere, anytime!
I wasn’t sure what to expect with online studies to be honest. Ive never done it before and I wasn’t sure how effective it would be. But I absolutely loved it! Not only did I enjoy every single module but it was the most convenient thing ever. You can access your IIN courses on your laptop or your smartphone. I pretty much plugged in my earphones to listen to the world’s leading experts in health and wellness every time baby napped or during my walks.
Click here for a closer look at the course details which includes videos, live online classes, group discussions, and written assignments.
My two biggest takeaways
I have to admit, while the IIN format is extremely convenient, studying while taking care of a newborn was not an easy task. It was however a welcome distraction and a blessing. Having a baby is a life changing experience and literally turns your whole world upside down. Being at IIN helped me navigate through the ups and downs of this beautiful yet challenging time:
- It taught me the importance of BALANCE – the scale was tipping with a new addition in our lives and I needed to re-balance it
- It taught me that SELF CARE is not being selfish. If you can’t take care of yourself, you have nothing to give others
People see health, nutrition, exercise as restrictive elements. They let diet and exercise dictate their lives . I did that and lived by it for a while but it was not sustainable. To live fully and beautifully, one has to balance out the primary foods in their lives including their relationships, career, spirituality, and exercise routine. All of these elements are essential forms of nourishment. The extent to which we are able to incorporate them determines how full and beautiful our lives feel.
“Food is more than what you find on your plate. Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. When primary food is balanced and satiated, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary”
I enrolled at IIN for myself first and foremost. I honestly believe that everyone should have IIN knowledge. It should be general knowledge. This is the stuff to live by.
If you’d like to know more about the institute, or are interested in exclusive enrollment savings, do feel free to get in touch with me via email at fitnutuae@gmail.com
Sarah xxx
