Curriculum

Integrative Nutrition’s comprehensive curriculum empowers students to launch successful and rewarding careers as Health Coaches.

Our alumni work with clients to help them achieve personal wellness goals, make sustainable lifestyle changes, and improve overall health.

IIN’s comprehensive, cutting-edge curriculum is taught by leading experts in the fields of nutrition, health, and wellness and covers holistic nutrition concepts you won’t find in a traditional nutrition program. The Health Coach Training Program is a yearlong course that consists of:

• Fundamentals that lay the foundation for your IIN education through introductory classes before your course even starts
• 40 Core Modules that combine innovative lectures and online materials that focus on nutrition topics, business training, coaching and mentoring techniques, and personal development
• Focus Classes that give you the option to explore specific health, wellness, business and nutrition topics in greater depth
• Dietary Theory Library that covers a wide spectrum of over 100 different dietary theories and evaluates the pros and cons of each new development in the ever-changing field of nutrition science

As part of our distance-learning program, lectures are available on the IIN Education app. This app gives you the flexibility to study whenever and wherever you’d like using your iPad, iPod, or iPhone.

Core concepts

Concepts unique to Integrative Nutrition underpin our primary philosophy and are integrated throughout our curriculum. They include:

Bio-individuality
The core principle of Integrative Nutrition’s philosophy is that there’s no one-size-fits-all diet. IIN students explore different ways of eating and learn how to create personalized approaches to food based on age, health, activity level, personal preferences, and more.

Primary Food
We are nourished not only by the food on our plate but by the energy in our lives. Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career, and a spiritual practice can feed your soul and satisfy your hunger for life.

Deconstructing Cravings
Many people believe that cravings are a problem, but IIN believes that cravings play a critical role in understanding what the body needs. You will learn why people desire certain foods and how to satisfy and manage these cravings in healthy ways.

Crowding Out
Most nutrition experts give their clients a list of foods to avoid, which explains why so many people are turned off by nutrition. “Crowding out” involves adding more healthy food to your diet rather than cutting back on foods you enjoy. With time, cravings for more unhealthy foods will likely diminish. 

Nutrition and Health

Nutrition Science
Students learn about human anatomy and how our digestive systems function. Topics include but are not limited to:

• autoimmune disorders
• weight loss
• blood sugar and glucose
• thyroid health
• metabolism
• endocrine health
• women’s health

Superfoods
Certain foods are nutritional powerhouses that are loaded with powerful nutrients and antioxidants to help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and improve your mood. We’ll help you find the fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that will boost your health and make you feel your best.

Organic and Local Foods
Discover how organic, non-organic, commercial, and locally sourced meat and produce are different, and learn how farming methods can impact your health and the environment.

Emotional Eating
Many people try to heal sadness, depression, and anxiety with food; this tactic can easily lead to overeating and unwanted weight gain. Explore the connection between food and emotions.

Government Policies
Why are unhealthy foods cheaper than healthy foods in the United States? Learn about government subsidies, campaign contributions, and the pros and cons of the USDA’s dietary guidelines..

American Health Crisis
Rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease continue to skyrocket. Patients around the world spend an exorbitant amount of money on medications and operations, but very little time learning prevention and education. Discover how you can reverse this trend.

School Food and Childhood Obesity
School food has long been blamed as the number-one cause of childhood obesity. Learn about new programs being launched to control this issue and how you can make a difference.

Professional Business Training

No other nutrition school offers so much support to help you launch a thriving and successful new career. Our Fast Track Program gives you the tools, step-by-step instructions, and confidence you need to begin building your practice even before you graduate. Topics include:

• business basics and entrepreneurship
• attracting ideal clients
• turning potential clients into paying clients
• social media
• creating a lead generating website
• managing your finances
• workshops and public speaking
• teleclasses and online programs
• networking and making connections
• effective time management and goal setting
• health coaching career options
• balancing your home and work life

We provide all the resources you need to start your own health coaching practice. Included in your tuition is a professionally-designed, customizable website; personalized business cards; a newsletter template with pre-drafted content; brochure templates; session guidelines; and handouts for clients.

Our Immersion Program is a free, advanced second year program designed to further strengthen your coaching and business skills.

Personal Development

The foods you eat are secondary to your relationships, career, spirituality, and exercise routine -- all the other things that nourish you in your life. At IIN, we call these elements primary food, and throughout the Health Coach Training Program, we encourage you to nurture and develop your primary food sources. You’ll be inspired by lectures that cover:

• visualizing and achieving the future you want
• self care – how to treat yourself well
• emotional development and relationships
• fun workouts, movement and dance
• meditation and deeper consciousness
• intimacy, love, and touch

Many Health Coach Training Program graduates report that our personal development tools help them live happier, more balanced lives.

Coaching

The role of a Health Coach is to guide and mentor clients towards achieving their personal wellness goals. You will be trained to listen to your clients’ concerns and help them identify personal health challenges.

In addition to learning how to conduct initial Health History consultations and lead clients through a life-changing six-month program, you’ll also be trained to:

• ask key, high mileage questions
• practice the art of beginner’s mind, active listening and mirroring
• set effective goals for yourself and your clients
• learn to hold your clients accountable for their progress
• meet clients where they are, not where you want them to be
• support clients suffering from body image issues and eating disorders
• use online tools to build a virtual coaching practice
• communicate about diet, nutrition, and a healthy lifestyle

Ready to get started? Get in touch with a member of our admissions team!