What’s the Difference Between a Health Coach, Nutritionist, and Dietitian in Australia?

What’s the Difference Between a Health Coach, Nutritionist, and Dietitian?

When I first started as a certified Health Coach, I had a client ask me to design a personalised meal plan and tell her exactly what to eat.

Wanting to help, I invested in a resource often used by qualified nutritionists and dietitians. While it gave her something to start with, I walked away from that experience with a clear realisation: this is not my role ... I’m not a nutritionist, and I’m definitely not a dietitian.

Since then, I’ve drawn a clear boundary in my practice: I don’t prescribe meal plans or tell people what to eat. That’s the domain of qualified professionals like Dietitians, Nutritionists, and GPs. Health Coaches work alongside these experts to support lasting behaviour change.

That’s where the true power of health coaching lies, not just in sharing information, but in guiding people to make meaningful, sustainable lifestyle shifts.

We’re Swimming in Information. So Why Aren’t We Healthier?

We live in an era where answers are at our fingertips, literally. Just a few decades ago, not everyone even owned a computer. Now, kids are born knowing how to swipe left (scary times).

Yet access to information doesn’t automatically lead to action or change. That’s why I believe Health Coaches are more relevant than ever. We don’t just hand out advice, we work with the whole person, helping clients shift their sleep habits, manage stress, improve movement and relationships, and create a life they actually want to live.

But confusion often arises because Health Coaches, Nutritionists, and Dietitians are often sought out for similar reasons:

• You want to feel better in your body

• You want more energy, less stress

• You want to lose weight, or feel more in control

• You’re navigating a life transition (hello, motherhood, burnout, career shifts...)

  
  

However, the how behind each of these roles is very different.

What Do Dietitians and Nutritionists Do?

According to Dietitians Australia:

“All dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians.”

Dietitians are university-trained professionals qualified to work in medical settings, offering evidence-based advice to prevent and treat disease through nutrition. They can provide medical nutrition therapy and often work in hospitals, aged care, or chronic disease management.

Nutritionists, on the other hand, often focus on general dietary advice, community education, food safety, and public health. However, the nutrition industry in Australia isn’t regulated, meaning anyone can technically call themselves a nutritionist, even without formal qualifications.

So, What Do Health Coaches Like Me Do?

According to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), Health Coaches provide:

“A safe, supportive space to explore health issues and goals, not just diet, but also relationships, career, home environment, and even spirituality.”

I’m not here to tell you what to eat.

I’m here to explore why you're stuck, what you're craving (in your life, not just your pantry), and how you can finally make the changes that last.

As a certified Professional Health Coach trained by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I work with women, especially busy mums who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and running on autopilot.

Sound familiar?

I help you:

• Understand your relationship with stress, sleep, food, movement, and boundaries

• Build new habits that actually stick

• Reconnect with who you are underneath the burnout

• Take small steps toward a life that feels good (not just looks good on paper)

We talk about food, but we also talk about relationships, motherhood, purpose, identity, your nervous system, and everything in between. At IIN, we call these “primary foods”, the things that nourish you off your plate.

Do Health Coaches Need to Be Certified?

At this stage, health coaching isn’t regulated in Australia, but it’s evolving. Organisations like HCANZA (Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association) are working to set industry standards.

As a certified and HCANZA-recognised Health & Wellness Coach, I’ve chosen to pursue formal training and ongoing professional development to uphold these standards.

Certification ensures coaches have the right training to stay within scope and if something is outside of it, I refer to trusted professionals in my network.

Which One Do You Need?

Let’s break it down simply:

• Want a medical diagnosis or need support with chronic illness?→ See a Dietitian.

• Want education around food, healthy eating, or community wellness?→ Consider a qualified Nutritionist.

• Want help making sustainable lifestyle changes especially when you already know what to do, but just can’t seem to do it?→ Work with a Health Coach.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to improving your health and wellbeing. Each professional brings something valuable to the table.

The most important question is:

What kind of support do you need to move forward?

There’s no shame in needing support. You don’t have to “fix” yourself with another plan, another strict diet, or another app. You’re not broken.

If you’re in a season of burnout or change, it’s okay to pause and ask for help.

That’s what I’m here for.

If you’re ready to feel more like yourself again, energised, grounded, and in control of your choices, I’d love to walk alongside you.

Let’s not just talk about health. Let’s create a life that feels good to live in. Book a Free Clarity Call, and if you're currently experiencing burnout, you might also like to enrol in the free Burnout Recovery Mini Course.

A Little Story to Leave You With...

Oh, and you know that client I was telling you about,t the one who originally came to me wanting a meal plan?

As we worked together through the coaching process, something deeper came to the surface. What she truly wanted was to reduce stress, rebalance her body, and improve her fertility.

She didn’t just change her habits, she changed her life. She fell pregnant.

That’s the kind of transformation that happens when we stop chasing quick fixes and start creating real, lasting change.