The PN Level 1
Nutrition Coaching Certification
Frequently Asked Questions.

Developed over the past two decades, and proven with over 150,000 clients, the PN Nutrition Certification curriculum stands alone as the authority on the science of nutrition and the art of behavior-change coaching.

We’re the only nutrition certification company in the world that coaches its own clients every day, which means everything you’ll learn in the program has been tested and proven in the real world, with real people.

Whether you’re already mid-career, or just starting out, the PN Nutrition Certification is your springboard to a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results.

This means you’ll feel qualified to offer nutrition advice and confident in your ability to coach anyone to better health and fitness.

But, here’s the thing:

You don’t have to currently work in, or operate, a health and fitness practice to benefit from the PN Nutrition Certification.

Many people who join the program see it as their first major step toward becoming a health and fitness professional. (Often they’re still in the job they plan to leave for this new career).

Others want to coach people on the side without leaving their job, so they can earn extra income doing something they love.

Still others complete our certification program simply to learn more about how nutrition influences a person’s health and fitness… so they can eat better themselves and help others do the same.

Whatever stage you’re at in your career, this program will give you everything you need to confidently coach nutrition with anyone.

Here’s what our recent grad Darius Pinkney had to say about the program:

“Before joining the PN Nutrition Certification I felt lost and confused about what good nutrition is. I didn’t have the confidence in my abilities to successfully coach nutrition, and I believe that held me back from reaching my full potential.

Now, after going through the Certification and receiving my credentials, I feel so much confidence in my abilities and skill set. Having this knowledge now gives me the assurance of being able to coach and guide my clients. The PN Nutrition Certification helped me combine the science of nutrition and coaching in one course. There’s no other program like it.”

Since we first launched the PN Nutrition Certification, we’ve been the definitive source of nutrition education for health and fitness professionals who want to catapult their careers and make a difference in people’s lives. Yet we’re never satisfied with yesterday’s success.

Nutrition science is dynamic, new discoveries are made almost daily. And that’s just on the research side. As we continue to personally coach people in the real world (over 150,000 and counting), we’re discovering new methods of helping them achieve real, lasting behavior change. (We’re the only nutrition certification company in the world that coaches people every single day.)

As we train and certify health and fitness professionals (more than 175,000 and counting), we’re also uncovering the best ways to help our Certification students learn, retain, and apply the material.

That’s why we’ve re-envisioned and redesigned the program from the ground up. Now in its 4th edition, it’s more valuable and practical than ever.

Inside both the Expert-Guided and Self-Guided programs you’ll get:

• 3 unit textbooks, beautifully packaged in a box set—to give you everything you need to know about nutrition, behavior-change psychology, and coaching practice (click here to download the table of contents). Plus, it’s easy to carry from your house, to the car, to the gym, so you can study anywhere!
• 20 animated instructional video seminars, to help you better understand each chapter (check out a sample video below).
• Workbook and study guide, with exercises and thought experiments to help prepare you for the end-of-chapter exams.
• Real-world case studies, drawn from our work with over 150,000 clients, to help you practice and retain the powerful new concepts you’re learning.
• Active learning tools, to help you use what you’re learning in the real world, right away.
• Over 40 premium coaching tools, including assessment forms and questionnaires, to help you learn more about your clients and unlock their full potential (click here to download an overview of the questionnaires and assessments).

The 4th Edition of the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification is beautifully packaged in a box set and packed with the latest research and proven coaching practices.

As promised, here’s “What is a great coach?”—which supplements Chapter 3 of the text. (Remember, every chapter has a video like this, to go along with the text.)

Join the Early Access List—and save 37%!

Community of like-minded people + top experts

As a PN student, you’ll never feel alone—because you’ll be connected to thousands of fellow students and PN’s top coaching experts. Ask questions, get support, troubleshoot coaching scenarios, and study alongside your peers as you move through the program. Participate in optional weekly Q&A calls with PN’s Master Coaches, contests, and much more… all to help you take your coaching skills and career to the next level.

With study tips, live Q&As, and other resources, being part of this community will deepen your learning, introduce you to new people, and help you level up your career.

Join the Early Access List—and save 37%!

With the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification, you’ll learn a science-proven method for coaching nutrition in a way that leads to lasting results, from the company that Nike, Equinox, Titleist, and professional athletes worldwide turn to for advice and expertise.

Now, more than ever, our certification is guaranteed to give you a one-of-a-kind education experience—plus the knowledge and confidence to coach nutrition with anyone who comes to you for help.

Both programs include everything listed above—the textbooks, case studies, online videos, coaching tools, and community. It’s everything you need to help anyone improve how they eat, feel, and live.
Here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two options:

As you can see, the Expert-Guided program includes live weekly chapter discussions led by PN’s Master Coaches, Q&As, case study sessions, peer interaction, plus 5 weeks of business coaching, and more.

This gives you the opportunity to learn nutrition coaching directly from industry-leading experts—as you collaborate with your peers and deepen your learning together.

Our Expert-Guided program is perfect for those who want to learn beyond the textbook.
It’s one thing to learn knowledge from a book (which is great on its own).

But it’s a whole other thing to have a seasoned practitioner in the field bring that knowledge to life for you in live sessions… as they draw from their years of experience, offer additional context you couldn’t get any other way, answer any questions you and your peers have, and discuss how these coaching principles play out in real-life scenarios.

Something almost magical happens when you interact with PN Master Coaches and peers as you learn something new.

Material that may have felt intimidating at first suddenly becomes much easier to understand, retain, and apply—as you discuss what you’re learning, get your questions answered, practice your new knowledge, and uncover additional insights.

As you tap into the collective intelligence around you, you make new connections and level-up your knowledge faster than ever.

And as you get the chance to practice what you’re learning alongside your peers, you’ll develop the confidence to start coaching right away.

So if you want more support, structure, interaction, and accountability, Expert-Guided is your best option. Here’s a note from Chris Carter, one of our Expert-Guided students:

“Because of this group, I’m moving through the program much faster than I ever would have on my own, and my learning is more in-depth. Everyone is there to help you succeed. This program gives me the confidence to be able to coach… and do it well!”

The next Expert-Guided cohort opens for early enrollment on Tuesday, March 11th and starts on a specific date shortly thereafter. Students can progress through it over 20 weeks alongside their peers in a private online cohort.

If you follow the schedule, you’ll be ready to graduate in 20 weeks. But you can always go at your own pace if you’d like—and you’ll continue to have access to all the cohort and community features (including recordings of live sessions and the ability to interact with your peers and PN’s experts online).

The Self-Guided program offers all the same knowledge and tools—but without the weekly expert-guided sessions or private cohort interaction. You’ll still have access to our private PN Coaches community—where you can ask questions, get advice, and troubleshoot coaching scenarios with over 50,000 of your peers and PN’s experts.

Join the Early Access list for more details about both programs, plus big savings and priority access.

Absolutely! For a limited time, we’re offering the Self-Guided PN Nutrition Certification at our lowest price ever.

Click here to learn more + enroll today.

If you join the Expert-Guided program, and follow along with the cohort schedule, you’ll be ready to graduate and become certified in 20 weeks. At that pace, your total time investment will be about 3-5 hours per week. But remember: there’s no deadline and no pressure. You can take as much or as little time as you like, and you can access any live session recordings once they’re completed. Click here for our upcoming Cohort course schedule.

If you join the Self-Guided program, there is no course schedule. Again, you can take as much or as little time as you like.

The pace that seems to work best for most of our students is completing one chapter per week. That means reading the chapter, reviewing the online video, answering the workbook questions, and writing the 10-question exam.

If you follow that structure, you can expect to spend 3-5 hours per week on the certification materials. Since there are 20 total chapters, you’d earn your PN Nutrition Certification in a little over four and a half months.

But here’s the best part: You don’t need to wait to get certified in order to feel confident and qualified to coach nutrition. Since you’ll be learning and practicing from Day One, you’ll be in a perfect position to start helping your clients immediately.

Both research and experience show that the best way to help someone transform their health is to start with their nutrition.

But understanding nutrition science is only a small part of what it takes to get people the results they deserve. It only matters if you also know how to help someone change their behavior.

This is where other nutrition programs miss the mark: They may teach a little science (that you’ll probably never even use), and then they send you on your merry way to figure out the “coaching” part on your own.

None of them teach you the science of nutrition and the art of behavior-change coaching.

Specifically, that means knowing how to break down your client’s complex goals into a series of proven practices that will lead to lasting changes. And then communicating with your client in an authentic way that builds trust and sets them up to succeed.

This is where PN is different: We’ll teach you all the nutrition science you need to feel competent. And we’ll give you the behavior-change coaching skills you need to help people get the results they deserve.

Here are a few reasons why we’re the obvious choice…

We coach people every day

Since 2005, through our personal coaching programs, we’ve helped more than 175,000 people improve their health, drop body fat, build muscle, increase their energy, handle stress more effectively, sleep better, get off meds, and more.

In fact, we’re the only nutrition certification company in the world that coaches real people, every single day. Through the years, we’ve built, refined, and perfected our coaching method for helping people change how they eat, look, and feel. Now we’re ready to help you coach like we coach, and get results like we do.

#1 recommended nutrition program

In a recent third-party industry report, close to 1,000 health and fitness professionals rated nearly a dozen well-known nutrition certification programs on a variety of factors.

The PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification is top-ranked across the board:

• #1 most recommended nutrition education program
• 94% of customers rate our program better than anything else out there for learning how to become a better coach and helping clients change their behaviors
• Highest rated in customer satisfaction, reputation, nutrition content quality, and program effectiveness

What’s more, Business Insider recently listed the PN Nutrition Coaching Certification as the #1 online nutrition certification available!

Bottom line: If you want to learn nutrition science and coaching from the best in the field, you’ve come to the right place.

PN Certified Coaches earn more

According to a recent study, nutrition coaches earn 3x more than the median hourly rate in the US. What’s more, PN Certified nutrition coaches earn 11% more income than those with other nutrition certifications! In fact, our PN grads are charging anywhere from $65 – $130 USD per hour or more, because they have a rare and valuable skill set that’s always in demand.

Science-backed and peer-reviewed

The PN Method, which drives our Certification and Coaching programs, was recently validated in 3 peer-reviewed studies. This means that the system you’ll learn in the the program is truly evidence-based.

For years, we’ve known how effective our coaching method is for improving one’s health and fitness. Now the medical and scientific communities know it, too.

Our method was recently validated in peer-reviewed studies published in Internet Interventions, the Journal of Cancer Survivorship, and Obesity Science and Practice.

After being authored by some of the world’s top health and fitness experts, each new version of our program text is peer-reviewed by dozens of top professionals in a range of disciplines. This means everything you’ll learn has been vetted by top experts and validated by science.

We’re the experts other experts come to for advice

When elite athletes, professional sports teams, and Fortune 100 companies need game-changing nutrition programs, they come to us.

We’ve worked with top sports organizations like:

And companies like:

And major media outlets like:

In the PN Nutrition Certification, we’ll peel back the curtain and give you the same world-renowned knowledge and tools we share with our elite clients.

While we won’t pretend to have the perfect advice for every situation, here are some facts to help you decide…

If you decided to go back to school for a nutrition degree or to become a registered dietitian, you’d likely spend anywhere from $10,000 – $20,000 USD per year. If you did a four-year degree, you’d be looking at spending upward of $40,000 – $100,000 USD.

The only problem? Most university programs don’t teach you the skills needed to help people transform their bodies and health. They’re intended for people looking to become professors, researchers (people who work at universities), or clinical dietitians (people who work at hospitals). If you want to do any of that, you go to college, study for years and get a Ph.D. or an R.D. Both noble professions.

Our co-founder John Berardi got a Ph.D. in the field, so we’re not knocking it. Brian St. Pierre, who co-wrote the textbooks for the PN Nutrition Certification, earned both a master’s degree and R.D. and worked at prestigious hospitals and research institutes. And both Krista Scott-Dixon and Helen Kollias, our other co-authors, earned Ph.D.s at respected universities.

But neither of those roads teach you how to actually coach an exercising client through a health and body transformation. That’s a very specific skill set, requiring both an understanding of the science of nutrition and—this is critical—a reliable system for coaching it.

So unlike anything else out there, the PN Nutrition Certification does both of those things. It was designed from the ground up, specifically for those who want to help clients transform their bodies and health through better nutrition.

In other words, it’s like getting a graduate-level education in nutrition science and behavior-change coaching, so you can get results for anyone who comes to you for help—at a tiny fraction of the cost of attending a university.

The PN Nutrition Certification is for:

• Anyone working in health and fitness who wants to help their clients get better results than ever
• People who are passionate about health and fitness, and want to help others—either on the side or as a new career
• Those who want to learn all they can about nutrition—so they can improve their own health

We’ve worked with more than 175,000 students from every corner of this industry and beyond—from personal trainers and yoga instructors to physicians, therapists, nutritionists, holistic wellness coaches, stay-at-home parents, and people who want to coach nutrition on the side.

Carolina Belmares is a full-time personal trainer and nutrition coach who used the PN Nutrition Certification to level-up her skills…

“The PN Nutrition Certification gave me the confidence of knowing I’m following a proven method that’s brought success to thousands of clients. And it shows! My own success has increased since applying what I learned.”

Kelly Slagh is a kindergarten teacher who loves to coach nutrition on the side…

“Upon completing the program, I feel prepared to coach others, and I have a clearer focus of what my next steps are. I can’t wait to see where this new adventure leads me!”

Gonzalo Torres joined the PN Nutrition Certification to improve his own nutrition. Now he uses his coaching skills to help his friends and family…

“Now I have a proven nutrition coaching methodology, and I’ve made a real difference in my family’s health.”

And Ray Chan is a former accountant who decided to switch careers and become a full-time health and fitness coach…

“Now that I’m PN Certified, I have the confidence to have crucial conversations about nutrition with my clients. And I can help them get past the inevitable plateaus standing in the way of their goals.”

Whether you already work in health and fitness, or you’re starting a new career or side business you’re passionate about, this certification will give you the knowledge, systems, and tools to make a real, lasting change for anyone you work with.

We couldn’t find a textbook or a course that did all the things we wanted to do, nor all the things we wanted to teach others.

So we created the PN Nutrition Certification, based on our extensive research and work with over 150,000 clients.

It’s packed with the latest findings in nutrition and behavior-change psychology, and includes practical coaching strategies, plus a step-by-step system for getting results with anyone.

Let’s get specific…

In Unit 1, you’ll learn all about the PN approach to coaching. After working with over 150,000 clients (and counting), we’ve learned what really works for helping people change. Now we’re passing it onto you.

We’ll show you how to:

• Set yourself up for the best learning experience
• Explore your own coaching style
• Use scientific evidence in coaching
• Build a healthy coaching relationship with clients
• Coach people to “deep health”—where your clients thrive in all areas of their lives (physical, mental, emotional, and so on)

Next up is Unit 2, where you’ll dive into the science of nutrition. We’ll cover topics like:

• The body’s systems, organs, and cells
• Calories and metabolism
• Digestion, absorption, and water balance
• Energy production, fat storage, and muscle gain
• Macronutrients: protein (amino acids), carbohydrate (fiber, sugar, and starch) and fat (triglycerides and fatty acids)
• Vitamins, minerals, and zoonutrients (yes, zoonutrients!)
• And much more

It’s like getting a graduate-level education in nutrition science. Yes, you’re going to “nerd out” a bit! But don’t be intimidated. Each chapter is written in a way that’s easy to consume and comprehend.

In Unit 3 you’ll learn how to best apply this new information, including how to:

• Walk clients through the PN Coaching process step-by-step
• Assess clients, gather data, and identify their goals
• Create an action plan they’ll actually follow
• Measure their progress and adjust where necessary
• Help them achieve lasting changes in their health and lives
• Work with all types of clients and situations
• Build a coaching business, in-person or online

In all, you’ll get nearly 700 pages of the latest, most effective research in nutrition science and behavior-change psychology—co-authored by some of the industry’s leading authorities in health and fitness.

And that’s not even including the workbook & study guide, case-studies, and video seminars you’ll have access to.

With this incredible learning resource we’re doing everything in our power to change the game. We’re out to educate and train a new, more effective kind of health and fitness coach… one who’s ready to deliver life-changing results for anyone who comes to them for help.

Because an effective nutrition coaching system is the missing component in the health and fitness industry today.

If a health intervention or exercise program isn’t accompanied by an effective nutrition system, you’ll get mediocre results—no matter how badly the client or patient “wants it.”

The fact is this: Many very good coaches, in a variety of health and fitness fields, see their efforts go to waste because their excellent programs aren’t accompanied by a proper nutrition intervention. And that’s not merely our opinion.

To give you a very specific example: There’s ample research demonstrating that in the absence of nutrition change, even very intense exercise programs with experienced trainers, will yield an average of merely 3 to 6 pounds of fat loss in 6 months’ time.

Think about that: A client would spend $3,000-$5,000 for 6 months with a personal trainer, only to lose a few measly, unnoticeable pounds of body fat. That’s not good.

To give you a counter example, in our PN Coaching program, clients average around 15 pounds of fat loss in the first 6 months. That’s nearly 3 times as effective.

In our PN Coaching programs, we provide both exercise and nutrition coaching, and that’s the difference.

But keep in mind: Our coaching is 100 percent online. They get those results without ever meeting us in person.

If they work with a coach or trainer while doing PN Coaching (which can help them work harder in the gym and stay accountable locally), they lose closer to 25 pounds of fat in 6 months. That’s over 4 times as effective.

(Of course, nutrition coaching isn’t just about fat loss. It’s also about building strength, improving health, feeling energetic, and more. We’re just using fat loss as an example.)

So something is missing, and that something is a proven nutrition coaching system.

That’s why we developed the certification program: To teach you both the science of nutrition and the art of behavior-change coaching. Because once you really understand both, on a deep level, you can deliver results that are impossible with exercise alone.

Equally rooted in the latest nutrition science and behavior-change psychology, the Certification offers a proven and practical coaching system that shows you exactly what to do at every stage of the nutrition coaching process—from the very first time you meet with a client, until they reach all of their goals.

Yes, you can now count your PN Nutrition Certification towards credit at colleges and universities in the US!

You’re putting in the time and effort to become a Certified Nutrition Coach. And you want a credential that says to the world, “I take this seriously. I know my stuff. And I can help you.”

Now we’re giving you yet another opportunity to do that. By the time you become PN Level 1 Certified, you’ll have…

✓ the world’s #1 recommended nutrition coaching credential

✓ a coaching approach that’s been proven with over 150,000 people in the real world, and validated in 3 peer-reviewed scientific studies

✓ (NEW) a nutrition education that’s now recognized as a university-level course—and eligible for college credit!

The PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification has recently been approved by the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Learning Evaluations.

Here’s what this means for you: If you complete the PN Nutrition Certification program along with an additional, final proctored exam as outlined below, you can earn 3 session hours (a.k.a. credit hours) at the Bachelors 1st or 2nd year level—in the form of the “Introduction to Fitness and Wellness” course. You can then request to apply these credits toward a post-secondary degree at select colleges or universities in the US. Click here for more info about ACE credit-accepting institutions.

This means you get a university-level nutrition education, the industry’s leading certification, and the ability to get college credit—without the high cost of a university course!

And you won’t be just getting classroom theory. The PN Nutrition Certification is based on the proven coaching approach we’ve used in the real world to help over 150,000 people lose weight, build strength, gain energy, and get in their best shape ever. Now you can get results like we do. Plus you’ll have the credentials that make it clear to people that you have the academic training, knowledge, and tools to help them.

Follow the 5 steps below to request college credit for your PN Nutrition Certification.

(If you’re not interested in college credit, you can skip to the paragraph below step #5.)

NOTE: Credit eligibility is determined by individual colleges and universities.

1) Click here for more information about ACE credit-accepting institutions.

2) Contact your college or university to learn about their policy regarding credit for prior learning, and to confirm that you can receive credit towards your degree for completing the PN Nutrition Certification program.

3) Complete the PN Nutrition Certification program and pass the Certification quizzes with a 75% total score or higher.

4) Take a proctored, closed-book, final exam that covers the material in the PN Nutrition Certification, and pass with a 75% or higher. (This is only required for those seeking college credit. Testing service is offered through Gaugeonline.com.)

5) Follow your college or university’s instructions to have the credit for the PN Nutrition Certification applied toward your degree program.

Not planning on using your PN Nutrition Certification for college credit? Or live outside the US? All you have to do is complete the program and pass the regular Certification quizzes with a 75% or higher (no proctored exam needed). You’ll still be getting a world-class, university-level nutrition education—one that’s recognized by leading health and fitness organizations, professional sports teams, Fortune 100 companies, and academic institutions.

When you help someone change their eating habits, they can improve their physical and mental health, lose weight, handle stress more effectively, have more energy throughout the day, sleep better through the night, and more. In other words, nutrition can impact every area of someone’s health and life.

Let’s zero in on fat loss for a moment. As mentioned above, our PN Coaching program incorporates both exercise and nutrition.

During the first 6 months of the online-only program, the average fat loss is around 15 pounds. In addition, we see hundreds of reports of clients being taken off blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes medications.

If that client uses our exercise and nutrition system while working with a trainer in-person, they’ll see an average of 25 pounds of fat loss over the course of 6 months.

And the best performers are losing up to 100 pounds in 12 months. It’s quite amazing.

So with the right exercise and the right nutrition programming, supervised by an in-person coach, the cost per pound of fat loss can go down from $1000 per pound to $100 per pound. That’s nearly 5 times the fat loss and 10 times the cost-effectiveness.

If you’re a health and fitness professional, imagine how in-demand you’d be if you could regularly deliver results like that.

It’s absolutely possible. In fact, it’s what we should expect. But no one is teaching this stuff.

Nothing out there covers the specific problem: How to deliver nutrition coaching in an exercise, personal training, health, rehab, or sport coaching environment. And that’s why we created this certification.

We wanted to create a new kind of program: one that helps you become a body (and health) transformation expert, and one that helps clients get the kind of results they deserve.

The PN Nutrition Certification is a massive step in that direction.

Absolutely. In fact, we wish every dietitian would find their way to this program and get involved.

Although RDs have excellent training in all aspects of clinical nutrition, most dietetics programs don’t even offer a sport and exercise nutrition course. If they do, the course is usually too general to be of any use in the field.

Trust us. We know because we’ve taught in dietetics departments. Just because someone has earned an RD or LD credential doesn’t mean they’re done learning. The best dietitians, physicians, trainers, and coaches make lifelong education an important priority.

The PN Nutrition Certification program would be an asset for every dietitian.

Absolutely. Becoming a certified nutrition coach is the perfect place to start your career! It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on coaching full-time or starting a side-business to bring in extra income. Either way, you have the opportunity to do work you’re passionate about and help people transform their bodies and lives.

And don’t worry: You don’t need a fancy science degree or a background in business to be successful. Instead, you simply need the desire to help people eat better and live healthier while doing something you love.

In the PN Nutrition Certification, we’ll give you all the skills and tools you need to make it happen.

In fact, here’s what Rachel Rivera, a recent PN Nutrition Certification graduate, has to say about the program:

“One of my biggest struggles before joining the PN Nutrition Certification was a lack of confidence. I knew I wanted to empower people to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, but I felt like I couldn’t because I didn’t have the knowledge and skills.

Now I am full of confidence and knowledge! With the PN Nutrition Certification, I know that I can step out and empower, educate and encourage others. I also have a support system that is unmatched!”

Most likely. The curriculum is pre-qualified for CEUs with the following organizations:

• ACE: 6.0 CECs
• ACSM: 4 CECs
• AFAA: 15 CEUs
• CIMSPA: 10 CPD points
• CDR: 16 CPEUs
• CPTN: 14 CECs
• EREPS: 10 hours
• ISSA: 20 CEUs
• NASM: 1.9 CEUs
• NBHWC: 15 CEs

This means that, if you are certified by any of the groups listed above, CEUs are guaranteed upon successful completion of the course.

We should also note that a host of additional organizations accept our course on a one-off basis. For these, graduates from our program submit a summary of the course and their certificate for review.

First and foremost, we’re practitioners, not just theorists. In fact, we’re the only nutrition certification company in the world that coaches our own clients, in addition to educating health and fitness professionals.

We’re in the trenches every day, coaching thousands of people around the world, from all walks of life. We’re constantly improving our coaching process based on our own learnings from the field, along with the latest research in nutrition science, exercise physiology, and behavior-change psychology.

Our team includes some of the best nutritionists, PhDs, dietitians, and specialists in the industry.

For example, Dr. John Berardi, PN’s co-founder and co-author of the Level 1 program, has had vast exposure to almost every aspect of health, fitness, and nutrition. He’s been:

• A student of nutrition, completing his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology and Nutrient Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario.

• A teacher of nutrition at multiple universities, including the University of Texas, Eastern Michigan University, and the University of Western Ontario.

• A competitive physique athlete, winning Mr. Jr. USA in 1995.

• A personal trainer, running a successful training business in Miami.

• A researcher who has published studies in peer-reviewed academic journals.

• An author of over half a dozen nutrition books and hundreds of articles in magazines like Men’s Health, Women’s Health, and many more.

• A consultant to companies like Nike, Equinox and Titleist.

• A nutrition coach to thousands of everyday people and quite a few pro athletes and Olympic gold medalists.

So apart from being qualified academically, he has a pretty unique perspective—one that’s very well-suited to teaching this material, especially to professionals.

Dr. Berardi has seen the field of nutrition from more angles, both personally and professionally, than almost anyone else teaching nutrition today.

In addition, he’s written chapters for other nutrition textbooks, he’s created Masters-level university courses on sport nutrition, and he’s created nutrition certification material for other certifying bodies.

So he has extensive experience creating academic course material.

But most of all, we think our team is qualified to teach this because we’ve used and tested this very system extensively with our own clients here at PN.

Remember: PN isn’t just a certification company.

Over the past the past two decades, through our PN Coaching system, we’ve been quietly conducting the largest body transformation research project in the world.

We’ve had over 150,000 clients go through our nutrition coaching curriculum, doing what is essentially a total exercise, nutrition and lifestyle intervention.

The purpose of this coaching is simple: to help people lose fat, gain lean mass, and completely transform their bodies (and lives).

Now, here’s the thing: Since the entire program is online, we’re able to collect data on everything. And we mean everything.

Because we don’t see clients in person, we can’t “eyeball” things. We need data. So we have detailed psychometric (personality) profiles on our clients. We track compliance and every measurable and relevant behavior. And, of course, we regularly collect photos and monitor body composition and performance outcomes.

As a result of this rigorous data collection, we’re guessing we here at PN know, better than almost anyone else in the world, which variables are most important to body transformation success.

Now, remember, we’re not talking about what we think is correlated to success. We’re talking about what we absolutely know is correlated with success. Success here means compliance, consistency, and ultimately, fat loss, muscle gain, and life-changing health improvements.

It takes a long time to gather this kind of information, especially since no one in the health or fitness industry has ever done anything like it before. But now that it’s been gathered, analyzed, and tested, we believe it’s time to share it.

From there, the PN Nutrition Certification was born.

Yes, two.

This is the first, the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification, and includes the textbooks, the online material, and the online exam.

Essentially, Level 1 certifies that you have a solid understanding of nutrition science and behavior-change coaching. Once you pass the exams, you get a Level 1 certificate acknowledging your completion of that part of the certification program.

Some people will stop there. And that’s cool with us. With the Level 1 certificate, they’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to help people improve their bodies and health through better nutrition.

In the PN Level 2 Master Health Coaching Certification, each student is required to do an online mentorship, perform regular research reviews, and produce client case studies showing that they can actually deliver results. Level 2 certifies that you can take the theory and apply it with your clients all the way through a successful health and body transformation.

So, unlike other nutrition certification programs, the PN Nutrition Certification has both a knowledge component where you learn the material (Level 1) and a mentorship component where you practice under the watchful eye of a world-class coach (Level 2).

Those who complete both levels will be among the best in the world at getting results.

The Level 2 program is an in-depth online mentorship that takes 20 weeks to complete.

We’ve found that students who do the best in our Level 2 Certification have already passed the PN Level 1 Certification and/or have a background in a health-related field (fitness trainer, nutritionist, health coach, nurse, or another kind of health care provider). So while this isn’t “required”, we do encourage it.

No. We assume no prior knowledge of biology, chemistry, etc., and so we don’t require a university degree.

Now, if you were terrible in science, you can expect some parts of this certification to be semi-challenging. But if you’re willing to read and understand new concepts, you can definitely learn the material.

While our certification program isn’t “accredited” by the national education boards, you can still be sure that it is the most respected (and most recommended) nutrition certification in the world.

If you want letters and a rubber stamp, there are organizations for that. At PN, we’re all about passing on important and life-changing knowledge. We’ll leave all the bureaucratic hoops to other organizations.

However, we should mention that we are recognized as a continuing education provider by the top fitness and nutrition organizations in the world (see below). The program is also approved by the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Learning Evaluations. This means you can count your PN Nutrition Certification towards credit at select colleges and universities in the US. And as mentioned above, our course material is approved for teaching at the master’s level.

The general public price of the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification is $99 USD per month for 12 months. However, if you’re on our Early Access List, you’ll get the opportunity to save up to 37% on the Expert-Guided program during our Early Bird enrollment on March 11th. (You’ll pay only $749 USD. Monthly payments will be made available after Early Bird enrollment closes, at a slightly higher total cost.) Or you can join our Self-Guided program at an even bigger discount.

To receive your savings for either program, join the Early Access List today.

More than 175,000 health and fitness professionals think it’s worth it. But let’s look underneath the question “is it worth it?” and get to what’s really being asked here. After being in business for nearly two decades, we know what people really want to know.

And that’s this: “How much money can I expect to make when I become a certified nutrition coach?”

Other variations of this question include:

• Can I afford to follow my passion?
• Can I quit my job?
• Can I have a career in health and fitness… on the side?

Those are great questions that deserve an answer. That’s why we created this handy income calculator, using data collected from hundreds of nutrition coaches.

Keep in mind, these numbers are averages: Some coaches make less; some make more. A lot more.

In fact, for very successful PN coaches, $100 to $200 per monthly client seems to be a typical range. And some of these coaches work with as many as 50 to 100 monthly clients or more at any one time. (We’ll let you do the math.)

Of course, rates vary based on experience, location, and offerings (such as one-on-one vs. group coaching).

And as with any business, the amount of money you make depends on many factors, including your levels of interest and motivation, the time you can commit, and the results you can deliver.

But this calculator can help you better see the possibilities—whether you’re a veteran health and fitness professional looking to add a revenue stream, or you’re completely new to the industry and weighing your next step.

Yes. And given our exposure online, that’s a big advantage for PN Certified professionals. As we grow our online coaching programs, that advantage will grow with it.

For example: Our coaching clients are often interested in finding a local coach, one who actually knows what the heck they’re doing, to help them out with their new exercise movements, etc.

In the past, we had no one to send them to.

We can’t just send them blindly into the local fitness club with their PN exercise and nutrition program in hand. It would be a disaster.

So with the PN Nutrition Certification we’re creating an army of health and fitness coaches who actually get it. Coaches who our readers, clients, and customers can trust.

What’s more, by being PN Certified, coaches will be part of a network of local professionals that we trust and that we can refer our own clients to.

Once you’re certified, you’ll have a professional profile in our online Certified Coach Directory, so you’ll be easy to find when people are looking for local help.

As a Precision Nutrition Certified coach, you’re required to renew your credential every two years, from your date of course completion. This will keep you on the cutting edge of this field, demonstrate your commitment to continued learning, and help you continue to deliver the best possible results for your clients.

As long as you complete the recertification process before your PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification expires, you’ll maintain your status as “PN certified”.

People come to PN to get certified because they want the best possible exercise and sport nutrition training—from one of the world’s most recognizable exercise and sport nutrition companies.

For those of you looking for some other end, like national accreditation (which often means that the program has been reviewed by your government; and we all know how awesome they are at offering nutrition information), give us a shout at [email protected].

There are other programs for that and we’ll be happy to point you to those types of certification programs.

That’s a great question and one we cover in-depth in the course.

Most health and fitness professionals are allowed to make nutrition recommendations to otherwise healthy clients. So even without the PN Nutrition Certification, most folks can make nutrition recommendations. What we’re offering is a much better system for making those recommendations.

The only scope of practice that’s restricted is Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), which means giving nutrition advice to treat or cure disease. You won’t be qualified to do this, and you should never try, unless you’re specifically MNT-accredited.

The feedback on the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification has been overwhelmingly positive.

To date, we’ve enrolled more than 175,000 students in the course. And student satisfaction ratings exceed 99 percent, meaning nearly 100 percent of our students rate the course as “excellent.”

What’s more, Business Insider has rated our program the #1 online nutrition certification. And our proprietary coaching approach has been used with professional sports teams, Fortune 100 companies, and Olympic athletes. Now we’ll share everything we know with you—so you can coach how we coach, and get results like we do.

The next cohort for the Expert-Guided PN Nutrition Certification opens for early enrollment on Tuesday, March 11th, 2025.

Because we give a high level of attention to our students, spots are very limited in each cohort. (That’s why it’s so important to join the Early Access List.)

If you’re interested in the Self-Guided PN Nutrition Certification and don’t want to wait until our next cohort opens, you can click here to learn more + enroll today.

To get an early bird chance at registration—because the program usually sells out fast—please join our Early Access List today.

We’ll send you an early enrollment invite by email before we open to the general public and that’ll increase your chances of getting a spot.

If you’re on the Early Access List and enroll in the Expert-Guided program before the general registration opens, you’ll save up to 37% off the cost of the PN Nutrition Certification program.

(The general public price of the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification is $99 USD per month for 12 months. But during Early Bird enrollment, you’ll pay only $749 USD. Monthly payments will be made available after Early Bird enrollment closes, at a slightly higher total cost.)

If you decide to enroll in the Self-Guided program, you’ll save even more.

To learn more about the course, and to get on the PN Nutrition Certification Early Access List, which gives you a chance to enroll early at a big discount.

Once you’re on the list, we’ll follow up with more information about our PN Nutrition Certification program.