So you’re thinking about doing an online program to learn more about nutrition and how to get healthy, or maybe you need help with boosting your motivation to lose those extra kilo’s you may have packed on over the festive season? The big question is, with so many online programs on offer nowadays, how do you know which one is right for you?
Do you go by price and choose the cheapest one, or go by the length of the program? Do you choose a person’s online program based on their celebrity status, or by their number of Instagram followers ? Or perhaps it’s the pretty photos of delicious food they use in their marketing that entices you to buy it? But like anything, just because it’s marketed well, or run by a celebrity, or the website has lots of flash bells and whistles, doesn’t mean an online nutrition program will contain the most accurate, or scientifically backed information, or that the person behind it will have the professional experience and technical knowledge to best assist you along the way. Most of the time you’re not even dealing directly with the person behind the program, when it comes to technical guidance and assistance.
So if you’ve decided you’re in the market to join an online health program, here are my top tips to help you choose which program is right for you:
1. Check out their qualifications & experience
This would be my main tip, with so many supposed ‘health experts’ out there nowadays, it can be a confusing path to navigate. But if taking health advice from Beyonce over a qualified health professional sounds crazy, then why are so many of us listening to celebrities to guide us on such important areas of our life – namely our health? The problem with the online world, is that it allows for anyone to post anything, with no formal body to regulate the information put online. So how do we know if it’s actually accurate? Start by looking at the person’s qualifications – are they even in health – and what level of qualifications do they have? Last time I checked, a Bachelor in celebritism or Instagram, doesn’t qualify as a health professional. If an online nutrition program doesn’t have a qualified nutritionist, naturopath, or dietician as the main man behind the program, then I’d steer clear, because they’re not going to have the scientific training or knowledge to ensure you’re being provided with accurate information, nor the technical skills and experience to personally assist you along the way.
2. What Information are they offering you?
If it’s just a meal plan with pretty pictures you’re after, then here’s a tip, you can usually grab one in New Idea for around $4. Getting advice on your health boils down to a lot more than just a meal plan and shopping list, or a pretty face welcoming you to program. It’s the quality of the content and the level of education you’re provided along the way, that will not only determine your success both on and beyond the program, but also how likely you’re going to be able to apply the knowledge and new found skills in everyday life.
3. Do they offer online support?
The truth is there is no one size fits all when it comes to health, so if a program does not offer online technical support by a qualified health practitioner, then again I’d steer clear. Even though the bulk of the program and meal plans etc may be working for you, if something crops up for you along the way, which in my experience working with patients it inevitably does, you need advice from an experienced health professional to personally assist you.
4. Think about your primary health goals
I want you to ask yourself what is your biggest health issue right now? Are you carrying too much weight? Do you have digestive issues? Do you struggle with sleep, chronic pain or sugar and caffeine cravings? Or perhaps it’s all of the above, and some! Well the more complicated and complex your health problems, the more important it is to ensure the program you’re doing is not only produced by a qualified health professional, but that they are the ones online to support you along the way. If you want to get super fit and learn how to train for a marathon, then choose a program produced by someone with the qualifications and experience to show you how, but if you want to learn how to take control of your health for the long haul and how to use food as medicine, not just to count calories or weigh food for weight loss, then choose a program that offers you this.
5. What are others saying about the program?
The proof is in the pudding they say, and although those ‘before’ and ‘after’ headless images of people’s supposedly shrinking bums and bellies may be enticing, the truth is, there is no way of telling if they are legitimate. I offer testimonials from people who have actually done my program, with a head shot along side, so that if anyone ever wanted to verify if they were real, they could!
6. Experience counts for everything
I once consulted a chiropractor who I didn’t realise at the time had less than 3 yrs experience, who ended up fracturing a vertebrae in my neck after I told him not to adjust it…..my mistake – I didn’t look into his experience more thoroughly, and I’m now left with a chronic neck pain. So my point is, just because the world of online health programs is relatively new, shouldn’t mean the person behind it should have new found or little experience. The longer they have been around, the more likely you’re guaranteed to be getting a tried and proven product that works, as far as the information and content on offer.
If you’re keen to be part in an online program, written and presented by a qualified health professional with 16 years of clinical experience, that will cater to a wide variety of eating preferences and educate you beyond just food, but also in how to prevent illness and disease, then cut through the confusion and sign up to my 6WK Eat Yourself Healthy online Program and discover how you can reach your full health potential and stay that way for life!
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Copyright Sally Joseph 2016, All Rights reserved
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