The Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist™ DIY Pass or Fail option is our self-directed path to CEU-accredited certification: full home-study coursework, 24/7/365 online access, and technical support only, with no coaching built in. You get 90 days to complete every requirement. Miss that window, or submit incomplete work, and you'll need to purchase a new certification at full price.
Key Takeaways
- The CFNS DIY Pass or Fail option gives you 90 days to complete every certification requirement before you'd need to buy a new certification at full price.
- Technical support is included with the DIY option; ongoing coaching support is not.
- You can upgrade to the Silver Coaching Program Subscription for free during the first 30 days of the DIY option.
- The CFNS course carries 1.9 NASM, 15 AFAA, 1.0 NCCPT, and 20 ISSA continuing education units.
- Body Composition Calipers + Measuring Tape are available separately for $19.95 plus $9.00 shipping and handling.
What Does the CFNS DIY Pass or Fail Option Include?
The DIY option includes the complete Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist™ home-study curriculum, delivered as distance learning you can access on a computer, smartphone, or tablet, 24/7/365. There are no prerequisites. What it doesn't include is coaching. You get technical support only, and you submit your work for a straight pass or fail grade.
Here's what's in the box:
- The full CFNS course curriculum, built as home study and distance learning
- No prerequisites, whether you're new to nutrition coaching or already working with clients
- Access around the clock, 365 days a year, from a computer, smartphone, or tablet
- Business in a Box materials
- Student access to What Works® Custom Nutrition Software™, so you can build custom nutrition programs rather than hand clients generic meal plans
- DFY (done-for-you) formulas included
- Technical support only, no coaching support
If you want a look at the teaching style before you commit, we put together a free sample lesson covering our proprietary 5-step process for building custom nutrition plans around the individual, instead of a one-size-fits-all template.
How Much Time Do You Have to Pass the Course?
You have 90 days from your start date to complete every DIY requirement. Typical students finish the full CFNS curriculum in 4 to 6 weeks, which leaves real cushion, but the clock doesn't pause for anyone. Submit incomplete or incorrect requirements, or miss the 90-day mark, and you'll need to purchase a new certification at full price to get certified.
When you choose the DIY route, you confirm in writing on the DIY Pass or Fail enrollment page that you understand the terms: fail the course, or fail to finish inside 90 days, and a fresh certification purchase at full price is the only way back in. That's the trade-off for skipping coaching. No one is checking in on your progress along the way, so the deadline sits entirely on you.
CEUs and Credentials Backing the CFNS Course
The Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist™ course carries continuing education units across four major fitness certifying bodies. We've held approved CEU provider status since 2003.
| Certifying Body | CEUs |
|---|---|
| NASM | 1.9 |
| AFAA | 15 |
| NCCPT | 1.0 |
| ISSA | 20 |
These CEUs count no matter which path you take through the course. Complete it via the DIY Pass or Fail option or through a coached path, the credential and the CEU value land the same either way. If continuing education is the only reason you're here this cycle, our CEU-only certification page walks through that route specifically.
Can You Upgrade from the DIY Option to Coaching Support?
Yes. During the first 30 days of the DIY option, you can upgrade to the Silver Coaching Program Subscription for free. Once that 30-day window closes, the free upgrade path through the DIY option is no longer available.
Silver Coaching adds unlimited email support, study tips delivered every 3 days, and laser coaching by phone or Zoom in 15-minute sessions, scheduled Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PST or Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. PST, or by appointment. While your membership stays active, you get unlimited time to complete certification and can retake and resubmit until you pass. The subscription runs free for the first 30 days, then $39.95 every 30 days until you cancel.
If you'd rather start with coaching built in from day one instead of upgrading later, the Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist™ PLUS Silver Coaching Program activates the CFNS course for $7 today, then $39.95 every 30 days until you finish the course. The CFNS course on its own carries a regular price of $497.
Tools You Can Add Alongside Your Certification
Certification gives you the credential. A couple of tools make the client-facing side of the work easier from the start.
The Body Composition Calipers + Measuring Tape set runs $19.95 plus $9.00 shipping and handling. It's built with dual spring calibration, meets jaw pressure and accuracy requirements, and comes with the MyoTape measuring tape, an instructional PDF showing exactly where and how to pinch, and a body fat chart for males and females.
What Works® Custom Nutrition Software™ is built for nutritionists, dietitians, and health and wellness professionals, giving you a way to build and hand clients custom nutrition programs instead of generic meal templates. Both tools work whether you complete your certification through the DIY option or through Silver Coaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior experience to start the CFNS DIY option?
No. There are no prerequisites for the Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist™ course. Personal trainers, life coaches, sports coaches, registered dietitians, certified nutrition coaches, certified diabetes educators, RNs, and certified fitness nutritionists all enroll in the same course, whether they're beginners or already working with clients.
What devices can I use to complete the course?
You can complete the CFNS course from a computer, a smartphone, or a tablet, since the curriculum runs online 24/7/365. You'll need internet access throughout, since the course is delivered as home study and distance learning rather than shipped physical materials.
What's the real difference between the DIY option and the CFNS PLUS Silver Coaching bundle?
The DIY option gives you the course and technical support only, with a hard 90-day deadline. The CFNS PLUS Silver Coaching Program Subscription activates the course for $7 today, then $39.95 every 30 days, and adds unlimited email support plus laser coaching sessions while your membership stays active.
Is technical support available if I get stuck on the DIY option?
Yes. The DIY Pass or Fail option includes technical support, so login and access issues with the course platform are covered. It doesn't include coaching on your nutrition plans or certification requirements. That level of support is what the Silver Coaching Program Subscription adds.
If you're weighing the DIY Pass or Fail option against a coached path, tell us where you're starting from, your target timeline, or which certifications you already hold, using the enquiry form below this article, and we'll help you figure out which route fits.
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