As gym owners, we know that embarking on a wellness journey isn’t just about hitting the weights or logging meters on the rower; it’s a holistic endeavor that encompasses both fitness, and nutrition. At the heart of any successful fitness program lies a strong foundation of healthy eating habits. That’s where your nutrition coaching program steps in, aiming to revolutionize the way members approach nutrition. In this blog post, we delve into an essential tool that can enhance your engagement, and buy in to your program – the Nutrition Board.
This dynamic visual visual aid isn’t just a bulletin board; it’s a catalyst for transformation, fostering a sense of community, and shared goals within your gym. Today we will explore how this simple yet powerful tool can amplify your gyms nutrition coaching program, and bring members closer to the healthy lifestyle we now they are dreaming about.
What Is A Nutrition Board, And What Is Its Purpose?
A nutrition board in simplistic terms is a bulletin board with nutrition, and healthy lifestyle information posted on it. These “bulletin boards” are typically made from a chalk front, white board material, blackboard, chalk paint, or cork board. They don’t need to be extremely expensive to be an effective resource. They simply need to detail a few different important topics in order for clients to see the presence, and value of your nutrition coaching program.
What is the purpose of a nutrition board?
The purpose of a nutrition board is to bring awareness, and engagement to the nutrition coaching program in your gym. By having a visual presence of nutrition, members begin to see nutrition as part of the facilities philosophy. They are reminded daily that not only did they join a fitness gym, but they also joined a nutrition coaching gym. The nutrition board also provides another source of visual proof of your programs efficacy for leads and members to soak in. Having it visible continues the consistent message of how important nutrition is.
I like to think of our members as “students” of fitness, and nutrition. Just like in the classroom at traditional schools, we must encourage students, and educate students about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. And, in the adult world, the education goes way beyond the food groups our children learned about in school. Teaching our members about the holistic approach to nutrition and lifestyle is extremely important to us because so many things go into nutrition choices, other than just trying to figure out what to eat.
Lifestyle factors such as sleep, exercise, social support, and stress all play into the foods we choose to eat. The process of helping clients identify certain habits within these holistic pillars that they struggle with is part of the learning process.
Three Important Topics Every Nutrition Board Should Have
It’s not enough to just have a board on the wall with some vitamins, fruits, and vegetables drawn on it. Our idea of a nutrition board goes a little bit deeper than that. We have found that there are a few topics every “nutrition bulletin board” should include that many members enjoy seeing, and engage in.
These three topics are non negotiable:
Topic #1 - Client Success Stories
Client success stories, and testimonials will help sell your nutrition program! People buy from people. When gym members see other clients being successful, they want to learn, and do all the things to help themselves find the same success. Did you know that 95% of people trust what a client says about a business, more than they trust what the company says about themselves?
I believe it! This means that the more user generated content you can share about your program, the more likely people will be to buy from you!
Topic #2 - Weekly Healthy Recipe
Even if you have healthy recipes on your website, it’s important to showcase them on the nutrition board. Part of the roles and tasks of your nutrition coach is to update the nutrition board weekly. They should be changing out this recipe so that members can experience a new healthy option each week.
Nutrition doesn’t have to be boring. We want to let members know that eating healthy food doesn’t have to suck! (Visions of my parents boiling vegetables on the stove are dancing in my head.) There are fun, delicious recipes out there that can be included in a healthy diet.
Pro Tip
Print the recipe out & tape it to the board. Draw a picture of a camera next to it, and post a QR code on the page. In the past I have had members try to take the printed copy of the healthy recipe off of the board. By having the QR code that says “scan me”, and a picture of a camera, hopefully members will get the hint they are to take a picture, or scan the code to get the recipe.
Topic #3 - Clear Call To Action
Every day your members walk by your nutrition board they should be called to action!
There should be a spot on the board that tells people to book a free intro with the nutrition coach. Writing “Book A Free Intro” in large text with an arrow to a QR code that links to the nutrition coaches scheduling software would be the most ideal. But, if you don’t have that technology in the gym, the coaches email address is the next best thing.
You want to make it as easy as possible for members to get in touch with the nutrition coach. We live in a microwave society where people want things now. If members have to spend too much time looking into how to get in touch with the nutrition coach, they will get frustrated and go somewhere else.
Pro Tip - Added Bonus Topics To Make Your Board Great
Having the above topics on your board constitutes a “good” nutrition board. But why not make your board GREAT!?
By adding a few other topics, you could really spice things up, and take your board to the next level.
Upcoming Nutrition Events
Posting the nutrition events being hosted by the program is a great way to get more members involved. Have a spot on your nutrition bulletin board that clearly highlights upcoming nutrition talks, or nutrition challenges. Nutrition coaches can create a QR code for registration, and post it on the board for these events.
Or, having a visible sign up sheet sometimes gets more people registered.
Members can visibly see all the people who have signed up for the nutrition event ahead of them. If their gym friends are signed up, the likelihood they will sign up is higher than if they couldn’t see that their friends were talking part.
Value Of Nutrition Coaching
If there is room on your board, posting a bullet point list or pretty diagram of the value your nutrition program provides is a nice visual reference. I have seen many board post a bulleted list that states in bold letters something like: “Our Program Provides”, then a bullet point list of the program highlights.
They include:
Guidance
Support
Accountability
Education
Habit based approach
Diagram Of The Plate Method
After class the other day, I had a member tell me she was just frustrated with her whole nutrition outlook, and that she has tried EVERY diet under the sun over the last 10 years. I asked her if she ever tried to not be on a diet.
She said no. So I took the opportunity to walk her over to the nutrition board and show her the diagram of the plate method. We spoke about it in detail, and afterwards she said, “That’s too simple”, it’s not going to work.
From there I pointed out that according to what she just told me, nothing in the last 10 years has worked so why not try it my way for 30 days and see what happens?
I’m sure we’ve all had similar conversations, but the point of the matter is that I had a diagram of the plate method to show her on my nutrition board. You never know when that thing may come in handy. And, if members see the diagram there and don’t “get the plate method”, they will ask you about it. An opportunity for you to talk about your program could be created from just having the plate method posted on your board.
Monthly Nutrition “Theme”
I have seen several gyms have a monthly nutrition theme. Maybe one month they focus on healthy cocktails for those who choose to consume alcohol, the next month they may focus on educating clients to add a veggie at every main meal. When using a theme, it is generally showcased and spoken about on social media platforms, in addition to being posted on the nutrition board.
If you are one of these gyms that has a monthly nutrition theme, post it on your nutrition board!
Wrap Up
As I conclude this exploration into the transformative potential of a Nutrition Board, it’s evident that this simple yet powerful tool could hold the key to unlocking a new level of engagement around your gym’s nutrition coaching program. By strategically spotlighting these essential topics, you’re not only providing valuable information to members, but also fostering a sense of community, and shared purpose.
The board is helping to shape a culture of wellness that goes beyond the assault bikes and barbells. It is helping to educate about the vital role nutrition plays in your members fitness journeys. So, your goal after reading this article is to take this knowledge and apply it.
What could you do to turn good nutrition board into a great one? Or maybe you are already there! If so PLEASE post a picture of your nutrition board in your Instagram stories and tag me! @heatherbrilkiddoo I will repost and share to mine.
