How to Work with a Nutrition Client from Start to Finish

When you first start coaching nutrition clients, there’s a moment where you think, “Okay… what do I actually do next?”

This article walks you through the entire process of working with a client from the first message all the way to graduating them from your program.

We’re going to use my former client, Jason, as the example the whole way through.

Jason lost 30 pounds in six months to prepare for a firefighter photoshoot and went through a huge transformation. You’ll see how his journey fits into each stage so you can apply the same structure with your own clients.

1. The Application Process

When Jason first reached out, he told me he had a photoshoot coming up and wanted to get in the best shape possible. He asked what he should do.

Before you ever get messages like this, you should already have an application ready.

Not something you throw together after they DM you. Something that already exists.

A simple Google Form works perfectly. The important part is that it’s easy to access, ideally linked in your social media bio. This removes friction and makes it obvious that you’re taking clients.

Your form only needs 4 to 6 questions that help you understand:

• Where they’re starting

• What they want to accomplish

Jason had a very clear goal and deadline. Knowing that from the start made planning his approach simple.

2. Responding to Applications (Using Loom)

After someone fills out the form, don’t respond with a long email.

Send a Loom video.

Video builds trust way faster than text, call, or email. They hear your voice, see your face, and it already feels like coaching.

Your response should:

• Thank them for reaching out

• Acknowledge their goal

• Explain that this is exactly what you help with

• Tell them you need a little more information to see what’s holding them back

This naturally sets up the next step without feeling salesy.

3. The Free Nutrition Report (Assessment Phase)

Before coaching starts, you run what I call the Free Nutrition Report.

This is where people start to understand the difference between:

• Hiring a coach

• Buying an ebook

• Following advice online

They track their food for 3 to 5 days without changing anything.

You don’t want their “best behavior.” You want their normal habits.

From this, you look at:

Energy intake

• Are they eating more or less than they think?

• Does this match their goal?

Macros

• Where calories come from

• Protein intake

• Carb and fat balance

Consistency

• Are weekdays and weekends very different?

• Are intake levels all over the place?

I organize this into three parts:

1. Here’s what you said you wanted

2. Here’s what you’re currently doing

3. Here’s where the disconnect is

Jason thought he was eating “pretty clean.” The report made it very obvious why his results didn’t match his effort.

This step shows your value before they ever pay you.

4. Transitioning to the Coaching Offer

After you explain what’s holding them back, the transition is simple:

“Based on what I’m seeing, this is exactly what I help people with. The next step would be working together one on one so I can guide you week to week instead of you trying to piece this together yourself.”

You can do this in Loom if you don’t love sales calls yet.

Your offer should clearly include:

• One-on-one coaching

• Weekly check-ins

• Personalized adjustments

• Habit work alongside calories and macros

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5. Pricing

Don’t think of this as selling a package. Think of it as ongoing coaching.

A great starting range is $200 to $300 per month.

Use one price. No options.

Sell month to month instead of long packages.

This lowers risk for the client, builds trust, and gives you more predictable income.

Use Stripe or PayPal for recurring payments so you’re not chasing invoices.

6. Onboarding

Once Jason paid, the first thing we did was set expectations.

You want to clearly explain:

• What you’re responsible for

• What they’re responsible for

• Check-in day

• Deadlines

• How you communicate

• Response time

You can do this through a call, a document, or a Loom video.

Clear expectations now prevent problems later.

7. Weekly Check-Ins

Weekly check-ins are where the real coaching happens.

To keep this from taking over your life:

Use one universal deadline
Example: Monday at 9:00 a.m.

Review all check-ins in one block
Don’t respond throughout the week.

Avoid routine Zoom calls
Use Loom instead.

Use a Hybrid Check In

• Client fills out a structured form

• You respond with a short Loom review of it

This takes about 5 to 10 minutes per client, but still feels very personal.

When this is systemized, check-ins stop being draining and start being efficient.

8. Coaching Duration

Most clients stay 4 to 7 months.

Jason reached his goal, then we shifted into maintenance:

• Reverse dieting

• Less tracking

• Practicing mindful eating

Clients don’t disappear after they hit their goal. Many come back later when they have a new one.

9. Graduation and Referrals

Clients like Jason become your best marketing.

Throughout the process, collect:

• Wins

• Feedback

• Questions

Use these as social proof. And ask for referrals. Happy clients are usually glad to share.

Final Thoughts

This is the exact system I use from the first message to graduation.

It takes some practice to get comfortable with, especially the check-ins, but once it’s in place, coaching becomes organized, efficient, and scalable.

If you want more help building these systems into your own coaching process, check out the other resources on our site.