Wednesday 23 May 2012

Dietician Courses

Proper diet is one of the focus areas for overall fitness. Today more and more people have realized this fact and started working towards this goal. We now see many people going to the gym regularly and following a recommended diet to achieve the type of physique of healthy body they desire. Since every body is different in terms of metabolism, weight gain, physical activity, food preferences, etc, the ideal diets vary too. Dieticians are the professionals that design the diets that are most effective and required for individuals. The role of a dietician is crucial to help achieve the optimum level of physical health. Dieticians are not just people who suggest a diet. They are individuals that have undergone relevant and recognized dietician courses that teach the A to Z of nutrition and how to apply it in daily diets in different human physiology.

These days there is an increasing demand of good dieticians that possess comprehensive knowledge not only about the various food categories and food, but also about the workings of the human body. These are mostly professionals that have done many relevant courses and have all the soft skills needed to be good at this job, chalk out nutrition programs, food plans, direct preparations and size of servings. Some of the skills required to make a career in this field include having empathy towards the patient or client, showing patience, being polite, great motivational skills to keep the client interested in the diet plan and follow it, a strong sense of ethics as the client puts in a lot of trust in your knowledge and readiness to work at alternating diet plans to keep the client comfortable and happy.

The major areas of practice for a dietician are clinical, consultancy, management and community. Some prefer starting their own practice, while others join hospitals, schools, clinics, gymnasiums or corporate companies to administer the food plans. Being a noble profession, dieticians are extremely well-respected in our society.

There are quite a few dietician courses available around the world. These include full-time programs as well as part-time and autonomous courses. While it is preferred that the applicant have a science background, it is not a compulsory requirement for some colleges and institutes. You can research the field and courses offered online. Doing this can give you information about the many institutes and also an insight into the course modules and profession in general. Many college websites also have blogs that may give you a clearer idea of the learning environment and courses offered there. When looking for a college for such courses, it may be imperative to consider aspects such as the reputation of the institute, the course modules, faculty, location of the college, facilities provided for better learning, etc. comparing these factors can be extremely helpful in finding the ideal institute.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Types of Courses in fitness

Professional courses in fitness training are almost mandatory for getting a good job in the field of health and fitness. Working as a gym instructor or personal trainer can be a lot of fun provided that you are working for a good organization.

Health and fitness are no longer something, which doctors recommend and people discuss over a cup of coffee. People have realised how vital it is to take care of their bodies and are thus becoming highly health conscious. The trend that started in western countries has now spread throughout the world. If you have the fundamentals sorted out, like identifying your ‘call’ and enrolling for courses in fitness, nothing can stop you from having a great career ahead. The best thing about working as a fitness professional is that you enable people to live healthier and longer lives. Apart from getting a good job and excellent pay, such work is extremely rewarding at an emotional level.

Personal training courses are advisable for those who are interested in working as fitness instructors in gyms or attending to individual clients as private trainers. A personal training course from a reputed fitness school virtually guarantees great jobs in India as well as abroad. Such courses are of short duration, usually not more than a couple of months.

If you wish to work with people who have certain disabilities and make their lives better, you can enrol in a course that deals with personal training for such special cases. In these courses, trainers are equipped to deal with clients who suffer from disabilities, injuries or handicaps. Some courses may also include fitness regimes for pregnant women as part of their curriculum.

A competent gym instructor or fitness trainer should also have the basic knowledge about diet plans and nutritional requirements of their various clients. This is particularly beneficial if some of your clients are highly active. These diets can be designed for specific people who wish to achieve certain body compositions or performance goals.

If you are also interested in learning massage therapy, learning both mediums could increase your earning potential and enhance your value for the clients. Personal trainers have been known to double up as masseurs. Massage courses include popular techniques like Aromatherapy, Swedish Sports Massage, Ayurvedic spa treatments, foot massages, etc. Personal trainers equipped with such diverse skills, can boast of clients that no longer have to visit expensive spas for massage therapies to relax their body and relieve stress. On the other hand, professionals who enrol in these kinds of courses in fitness, open the doors to career opportunities in the field of massage therapy as well.

If you consider yourself an ambitious person and are passionate about this field, the end goal would be to open your own gym, spa or health club in the future. Operating a fitness club is a full-fledged business venture and requires the right training to be successful. Available courses in fitness schools sometimes include gym management. Such a course is ideal for gym owners, sales people and managers. A highly comprehensive course gives them a chance to learn everything from setting up of the facility to pre-sales and recruitment to marketing. Just like with any other certificate course, diploma or degree, the better the institute, the more value it will hold. You may search the internet for good institutes and read reviews written by the alumni. Do not forget to consider your budget before zeroing in on any one of them. Steer clear from online and distance learning courses, as being an expert in this field requires hands-on training and practical knowledge.