What is the most widely accepted certification for becoming a Certfied Sports Nutritionist? or Personal Trainer? I know there are many online courses etc, but many seem to just be a mail-in postal mail certification. Which ones does the industry hold to be a true certification and where do you get one?

Many thanks,

Alski

I cant answer the question on nutrition but I think the most widely accepted trainer certification is ACE (American Council on Exercise). Here is a link to their website ACE (http://www.acefitness.org/)

The gold standard is the ACSM HFI (American College of Sports Medicine Health Fitness Instructor). You have to have a degree in an exercise-related field (science, physiology, etc).

As for nutrition, certified personal trainers are not legally allowed to comment on nutrition or prescribe dietary aids, supplements, etc. You have to be a registered dietician in the US to do that. To do so without a license is "illegal practice of medicine."

Kelli (who is getting her bachelor's in exercise physiology)

yeah ACSM is the best, i just qualified as a personal trainer in england and a lot of our information comes from the ACSM, also here in england we have this thing called REPS (register of excersise professionals, which is also moving to america and australia) you should check this out, and the nutrition and personal trainer thing, you have to be a qualified dietician to write a diet for someone, but as a personal trainer qualified in nutrition you can advise your clients wht foods to eat, and which foods are healthier things like that