As more people recognize that wellness is more than just fitness, they will increasingly demand someone who can meet all health needs. Many people are looking for more than just a workout. They want accountability and help making significant lifestyle changes.
Wellness Coach vs Personal Trainer – Key Differences
Earlier this year, I made the switch from personal trainer to wellness coach. The roles are surprisingly different. Yes, they overlap, but there are crucial differences. Let’s start with definitions:
- Personal Trainer. A personal trainer is a fitness professional who works with clients to achieve fitness-related goals. They design workouts, teach and correct form, lead training sessions, assess fitness measures, and adjust training as needed.
- Wellness Coach. A wellness coach works with clients to reach health and wellness goals. They help clients set goals, make lifestyle, and diet changes, and find motivation to achieve their goals. They provide education, motivation, and strategies and act as guides and cheerleaders for clients on health journeys.
These two professions have a lot in common. They both require expertise in health and fitness. They involve working with and educating clients, helping them meet goals. Both require a passion for wellness, a willingness to keep learning, and an ability to work with people and provide motivation and inspiration. There are also important differences:
The Scope of Practice
Personal training is strictly about fitness, even if the client has personal goals for getting healthier or losing weight. A skilled trainer creates workouts and instructs clients in how to exercise effectively and with proper form.
Wellness coaching has a wider and more holistic scope. It involves many aspects of physical health, including fitness and weight, nutrition and diet, stress management, sleep hygiene, time management, and lifestyle habits like drinking and smoking. It also includes emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Please note that the scope of practice for a wellness coach does have limits. A wellness coach does not have the same certification as a dietician, medical professional, or counselor/therapist. They cannot recommend a specific diet or attempt to treat a medical condition (nor can personal trainers).
Client Relationship
Coaching goes above and beyond training. You can work out with a trainer once or twice per week with no other goal than to work out once or twice a week. A coach is more involved in a client’s long-term changes and progress.
Client-Centered Focus
In both roles, the profession provides services to meet the needs of the client, but in different ways. A trainer leads the workout, telling the client what to do and guiding forms and movements.
A wellness coach takes a more client-led approach. They turn more control over to the client, acting more as a guide or mentor. They offer guidance and motivation but encourage clients to make more decisions themselves: how and when to workout, nutrition, stress management strategies, and scheduling activities.
Want to work with me? Schedule your Discovery Session here!
While I still work in the capacity of a personal trainer, my focus has shifted to coaching and a holistic approach to achieving wellness.