Frequently Asked Questions

If your question isn't covered here, please don't hesitate to reach out through our contact page. I’m happy to provide additional information to help you understand how ATHLETICA coaching might fit your needs.

This FAQ page is regularly updated to reflect current services and policies. Last updated: December 2025.

Coaching &
Professional Standards

  • This is one of the most important distinctions to understand.

    A programme is a static document - a set of instructions written once and handed over. You're essentially buying a product.

    Coaching is an ongoing professional relationship built on education, support, and adaptation. When you work with ATHLETICA, you're not just getting a plan - you're getting:

    • Ongoing assessment and adaptation - Your plan evolves as you do

    • Education and understanding - Learning the 'why' behind recommendations

    • Accountability and support - Someone invested in your success

    • Problem-solving partnership - Working through challenges together

    • Holistic approach - Considering your entire life, not just isolated goals

    • Professional expertise - Years of education and experience guiding your journey

    Anyone with access to AI can write a generic programme. True coaching transforms how you understand and approach your health and performance for life. You can read more about what coaching is here: Why coaching is a process and not a programme

  • ATHLETICA operates on the principle that sustainable health and performance must be built on a foundation of proper nutrition and lifestyle practices. We take a holistic, education-focused approach that empowers you to make informed decisions about your health.

    Coaching is deliberately nutrition-centric because you cannot build long-term health and performance on the foundation of a poorly planned diet, regardless of how good your training programme might be.

  • I hold the following professional qualifications:

    • Post-Graduate Diploma in Nutrition Medicine

    • Post-Graduate Diploma in Sport & Exercise Medicine

    • Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition)

    • Bachelor of Physical Education (Sport & Exercise Science)

    These qualifications provide the foundation for evidence-based nutrition and performance coaching within the scope of practice defined by these credentials.

  • No. ATHLETICA services are for educational and coaching purposes only. Our services are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and do not constitute medical advice.

    You should always consult with qualified healthcare providers before making changes to your diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle, especially if you have medical conditions, take medications, or have dietary restrictions.

  • ATHLETICA operates within clear professional boundaries:

    What we do:

    • Nutrition education and coaching

    • Performance conditioning guidance

    • Lifestyle and habit coaching

    • General health and wellness support

    What we don't do:

    • Diagnose or treat medical conditions

    • Prescribe medications

    • Provide psychological therapy or counselling services

    • Offer medical advice

    We work collaboratively with your healthcare team and will recommend you consult appropriate professionals when needed.

    Read: What a coach is and isn’t

  • No. Intentional fat loss or weight loss coaching is not provided by ATHLETICA.

    This decision aligns with the core philosophy that health and performance must be built on sustainable, holistic foundations rather than pursued through restrictive approaches focused solely on body weight or composition.

    Fat loss coaching tends to attract individuals seeking quick fixes or those with disordered relationships with food and body image. These approaches fundamentally conflict with ATHLETICA's evidence-based methodology, which prioritises:

    • Long-term health and metabolic function over short-term aesthetic changes

    • Sustainable lifestyle practices rather than restrictive interventions

    • Performance and wellbeing metrics beyond body weight

    • Building healthy relationships with food and movement

    Clients who are primarily focused on weight loss often become dissatisfied with genuine health improvements if they don't see the scale change as they expected. This misalignment undermines the coaching relationship and prevents the transformational work that creates lasting change.

    ATHLETICA specialises in helping clients who understand that true health and performance come from proper nourishment, not restriction. Weight changes may occur as a natural by-product of improved health, but this is never the primary focus or measure of success.

    If intentional weight/fat loss is your primary goal, ATHLETICA is not the right fit for your needs.

  • No, ATHLETICA does not sell supplements directly. When nutrition therapies or performance supplementation are appropriate and indicated, recommendations are made, but you source and purchase these independently.

    This approach eliminates conflicts of interest and ensures recommendations are based purely on your needs - not financial incentives. When supplementation is recommended, guidance is provided to help you source the best quality products at fair prices.

  • If testing is genuinely required for your health and performance goals, guidance is provided to work with your primary healthcare provider to access the most reliable and appropriate testing available.

    ATHLETICA does not offer or sell direct-to-consumer testing (nutrient deficiency panels, hormone testing, etc.). Apart from often being expensive, some of these tests can be unreliable.

    Selling tests creates conflicts of interest where the practitioner profits from promoting and selling such services.

Service Delivery

  • It's important to understand that you're engaging a professional service, not purchasing a product.

    What you receive for the fee is the time, experience, and expertise of a qualified nutritionist and coach invested in this proven 6-step coaching process:

    1. REVIEW - Regular assessment of your progress and current situation

    2. PLAN - Development and refinement of your personalised approach

    3. ACTION - Implementation of strategies tailored to your life

    4. SUMMARY - Analysis and documentation of outcomes

    5. OBSERVE - Monitoring of results and identifying patterns

    6. RESPOND - Professional adjustments based on your progress

    This cyclical process ensures your programme evolves with you, demonstrating why coaching is an ongoing professional relationship rather than a static plan. The fee reflects the investment of professional time in this comprehensive, adaptive approach that creates lasting change.

  • ATHLETICA operates on transparent commitment periods:

    • Foundation Nutrition Programme: 12 weeks, paid in advance

    • Integrated Strength and Conditioning Programmes: 12 weeks, paid in advance

    • Ongoing coaching: Monthly rolling commitment after initial programmes

    You're free to discontinue after your initial commitment period. Please note that ending your coaching relationship also terminates access to any coaching platforms, apps, and member resources used to deliver your programmes.

  • Coaching programmes require minimum initial commitment periods (12 weeks) to allow sufficient time for meaningful progress and adaptation. These periods are paid in advance.

    Cancellation policy:

    • Payment for the minimum commitment period is non-refundable once the programme has commenced

    • This reflects the professional time invested in your assessment, programme design, and the coaching relationship

    • In exceptional circumstances (such as serious injury, illness, or major life events), arrangements may be discussed on a case-by-case basis

    After the minimum period:

    • Ongoing coaching continues on a monthly rolling basis

    • Either party may terminate with one month notice

    • There are no refunds for the current monthly period already commenced

    Payment plans: If paying by installment (where agreed), you remain committed to the full minimum period payment regardless of programme continuation.

    This ensures both parties enter the coaching relationship with genuine commitment to the process.

  • Yes you do. This question highlights a common misunderstanding about what coaching is.

    You're not paying for programme changes - you're paying for ongoing professional coaching. Sometimes the best coaching decision is to keep your current approach consistent while your body adapts and progresses.

    Your monthly fee covers:

    • Professional monitoring and assessment of your progress

    • Expert decision-making about when to maintain vs. modify your approach

    • Ongoing support and guidance through your journey

    • Access to coaching expertise for questions and challenges

    • The coaching relationship itself - your dedicated professional support

    Working with a coach transforms how you understand and approach your health and performance - and that transformation doesn't pause when your plan stays consistent from one month to the next.

  • ATHLETICA coaching is delivered online, making it accessible to clients internationally. This includes:

    • Video consultations for initial assessments and regular check-ins

    • Digital delivery of personalised nutrition and conditioning plans

    • Email and messaging support between scheduled sessions

    • Access to coaching resources and educational materials

    • Online monitoring and plan adjustments

  • You can apply for coaching services by completing the form on our contact page. Initial responses are typically sent within 48-72 hours.

    If you haven't received a reply within 7 days, please check your spam/junk folder, as ATHLETICA emails sometimes trigger spam filters.

    Please note: Coaching services are available by application only and are subject to capacity and individual suitability for the programmes offered.

  • ATHLETICA is based in Austria. We work with clients internationally through our online coaching platform, delivering services in English to clients worldwide.

    I already have a coach for my sport. Can I still work with you?

    Absolutely! Many clients have sport-specific coaches for technical training but receive no nutrition or performance conditioning guidance.

    ATHLETICA's nutrition-focused and integrated performance conditioning programmes are designed to complement existing sport-specific training. We work alongside your current coaching setup to provide the nutritional foundation and general physical preparation that enhances your sport-specific work.

  • Once you've agreed to an ATHLETICA service, an invoice will be generated and sent to your email address. Payment is required within 7 days of invoice issue.

    Payment methods:

    • Bank transfer

    • Other electronic payment methods as agreed

    All payments are processed securely, and receipts can be provided for your records.