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Editor’s Letter: Taking a “CAN DO” Approach to Nutrition in 2014

A number of industry experts convened for a nutrition scope of practice panel discussion at the 2012 IDEA World Fitness Convention™. The nearly 2-hour conversation was lively and forthright. There were so many questions and comments from fitness professionals who attended the session that it could have continued for hours. We transcribed and edited the material, and then published the highlights as a roundtable discussion in the March issue of IDEA Fitness Journal.

During this process it became evident to IDEA that, while fitness professionals understand how critical a role food and nutrition education play in the overall wellness goals of their clients, it’s not always clear to you how to deliver that information and remain within scope of practice. We understand that you are frustrated by being told what you cannot do rather than what you can do to help your clients in this realm.

Meanwhile, clients are still trying desperately to control their weight. Exercise is certainly a part of the picture, but we believe the bigger factor of the equation resides with food and nutrition. We have built this special supplement of IDEA Food and Nutrition Tips as a toolbox you can use to help educate your clients in 2014. The five articles in this issue are expertly written and are intended to give you concrete ideas about what you can do to help apparently healthy clients navigate their everyday food and nutrition hurdles. The authors are all dietitians with advanced degrees. They know your concerns about scope of practice and have given you practical, “how-to” information you can feel confident about putting into action. From a basic primer on how to read and interpret food ingredient labels, to specific suggestions on what to include in a supermarket shopping tour and a pantry clean out, this information will equip you with a solid start and hopefully, a new beginning for your clients.

As ever, it’s ultimately your responsibility to study and understand your state’s laws to know the legal parameters of where your scope ends. States look at these issues independently, so be cognizant of where you stand and act accordingly.

Please let us know if you found this supplement useful and if you have ideas for other “how to” articles we could add to your food and nutrition toolbox. In the meantime, if you haven’t signed up to receive your free, bimonthly digital copy of IDEA Food and Nutrition Tips, please do so at www.ideafit.com/ifnsignup.

From the IDEA offices to your studio or facility, we wish you a very warm and festive holiday season.

To a healthy and happy 2014,

Sandy Todd Webster

Editor in Chief

[email protected]

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