What is a nutritionist

What you eat affects everything from how you feel to how you look. As a Nutritionist, you'll help people change their diets for better health and wellbeing.

Nutritionists translate complex food science into practical advice that people can actually follow. They play an important part in preventative health and improving people’s lifestyles. Read on for more about this career path.

What does a Nutritionist do?

A Nutritionist is a food and nutrition expert who provides advice on healthy eating habits and develops nutrition plans for clients. Unlike dietitians, who can provide medical nutrition therapy, Nutritionists focus primarily on general dietary advice and wellness education.

As a Nutritionist, here’s what your responsibilities will be: 

• Assessments: Assessing people to learn their current eating habits and find areas for improvement.

• Meal plans: Writing personalised meal plans that align with people’s health goals and preferences.

• Education: Teaching clients about food groups, portion control and the relationship between nutrition and health.

• Monitoring: Checking up on progress and adjusting recommendations based on how people are doing.

• Making content: Coming up with nutrition content for blogs, social media or health and wellness programs.

• Collaborating: Working with other health and wellness professionals.

You’ll do all this from a general wellness, sports, corporate health, community nutrition or more holistic setting. Some nutritionists even have private practices where they give advice in a home or office-based setting. 

How much does a Nutritionist earn?

According to SEEK, Nutritionists earn $80,000 to $90,000 per year on average. This is based on full-time salary ranges in job ads.

This estimate also changes when you’re looking state-by-state. Here’s what SEEK estimates Nutritionist salaries to be by state:

*As of May 2025

How to become a Nutritionist

There are a few different paths to becoming a Nutritionist, but not all are made equal. At AIPT, we offer a 10967NAT Diploma of Nutrition that is super comprehensive, nationally recognised and teaches you to follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines and Eat for Health Program.

A lot of people who study nutrition use it as a platform from which to launch a successful Personal Trainer career with extra skills in meal planning. If you’re going down this path, you might want to look at a SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness + SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness + 10967NAT Diploma of Nutrition (Complete Personal Training & Nutrition Course) to fast-track your studies.

There are also a number of other nutrition careers you can go into if you are passionate about helping others live a healthy lifestyle. These include:  

• Nutrition Assistant: Work alongside dietitians offering nutrition help at healthcare facilities. 

• Nutrition Coach: Work one-on-one to help people improve their nutrition and reach their health goals. 

• Nutrition Advisor: Work either one-on-one or with teams, advising on nutrition and diet for sports or general good health. 

Is becoming a Nutritionist worth it?

Choosing a career is a big decision. Before jumping into nutrition, consider both sides of this rewarding profession:

Benefits

• Meaningful impact: Help people transform their health through better eating habits.

• Flexible work: Create your own schedule in private practice.

• Diverse career paths: Work in sports, corporate, community or private settings.

• Growth potential: Scale your practice and sell prepackaged nutrition programs.

Challenges

• Building clientele: Establishing a steady client base takes time.

• Scope limitations: You can’t advise on medical conditions.

How do I find out more about nutrition? 

Making smart choices about the foods we eat and the way we eat them is an important step in the journey to a healthy body and sound mind. 

If you want to find out more about how food impacts on the body, why not start your journey towards good health today with our nationally recognised  nutrition courses. Call on 1300 616 180 and find out more today! 

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Nutrition

Helping people transform their relationship with food creates lasting change in their lives. As a nutrition professional, you'll guide clients toward healthier habits that stick.