Nutrition and Physical Activity
Nutrition essentials
Know the broad strokes of dietary guidelines: emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and limited added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. Understand energy balance (calories in versus out), macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat), and micronutrients of concern (iron, calcium, vitamin D, folate). Recognize food insecurity as a nutrition issue and know referral pathways (SNAP, WIC, food pantries, produce programs). A common trap is recommending a strict or unfamiliar diet that ignores the client's budget, culture, or food access.
Physical activity guidelines
For most adults, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week plus two days of muscle-strengthening is the standard benchmark. Children need more - roughly 60 minutes daily. Know that any activity is better than none, and that breaking activity into short bouts counts. The trap is treating the guideline as a pass/fail threshold rather than a target that can be built toward.
Counseling approach
Use small, specific, client-chosen changes rather than sweeping overhauls. Ask about typical meals and routines before suggesting substitutions. Respect cultural foods and household realities. Screen for and respond to food insecurity before offering nutrition education. Watch for disordered eating signals and refer rather than counsel.
Worked rule of thumb
If a client says, "Healthy food is too expensive," the best answer links to food resources and budget-friendly options and validates the constraint. Telling the client to "try harder" or "buy organic" ignores the barrier and is a classic wrong answer.