What a week in the life as a freelance nutritionist really looks like

When people think about working as a freelance nutritionist or freelance dietitian, they often imagine back-to-back client appointments all week. Whilst some weeks do look like that, many don’t – and that’s often on purpose.

Freelancing isn’t just the client work. It’s also everything that goes into running a nutrition business behind the scenes. If you’re considering working as a freelance nutritionist or dietitian, or you’re curious about what the job actually looks like day to day, this blog offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how a real working week unfolds, as told by our founder and Registered Nutritionist Lucy Jones.

Monday: client work and mentoring

Monday is my first working day of the week. I start the day by sending check-in messages to my clients and replying to urgent emails.

Shortly after, I join my first call of the week – a conversation with a potential guest speaker for The Freelance Nutritionist Collective. We spoke through ideas for a future session, and I was pleased to get them booked in. I know their session will be incredibly valuable for the community.

Straight after, I have a one-hour mentoring session with one of my mentees. I began mentoring Registered (Associate) Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians towards the end of 2024, and it’s a part of my work I really enjoy. These sessions usually involve talking through what’s come up in their professional life since our last conversation and setting realistic goals to support their professional development.

My morning ends up being back-to-back, moving straight into a call with a one-to-one nutrition client. She’s been working with me for around a year, and we have monthly 30-minute catch ups to review her progress towards her fat loss goal. This month, we focus on snacking – particularly planning set snack times.

To finish what’s already a busy morning, I have another mentoring session with a different mentee.

Thankfully, I’ve blocked out my lunch break in my calendar, meaning no one can book over it. I’ve made the mistake of not doing this before and ended up skipping lunch – impacting my energy and focus for the rest of the day. Protecting time for basic needs isn’t a luxury when running a nutrition business, it’s essential.

After lunch, I have my final call of the day with another one-to-one client. This session comes with mixed emotions. She lets me know she’d like just one more month of support. It’s bittersweet when this happens. I truly love working with my clients, but I’m also pleased they’re reaching a point where they no longer need my support, as it’s a positive milestone for them.

The rest of the afternoon is spent writing up notes and sending follow up emails to everyone I’ve seen today. Admin is a significant part of working as a freelance nutritionist, and before I know it, it’s 5pm and time to close my laptop.

Tuesday: corporate workshops and discovery appointments

Just like yesterday, I start by sending check-in messages to my clients and replying to urgent emails.

Today I’m delivering a workshop on busting nutrition myths to a corporate organisation. I often feel nervous beforehand but within five minutes of starting, I’m in full swing and enjoying it. The session lasts 60 minutes, and I’m asked some great questions, which reassures me that the content has landed well. Offering corporate wellbeing support alongside my one-to-one clients helps to vary the work I do and provides an additional income stream, supporting the financial stability of my nutrition business.

After the workshop, I pop out for a personal appointment. One of the benefits of working for yourself is not needing to ask permission to do this.

After lunch, I have a 60-minute mentoring call, followed by two back-to-back discovery appointments. These are 15 minute calls designed to explore why someone is looking for nutrition support, and to get to know each other before starting a close working relationship. One person signs up straight away, and the other takes some time to think it through (spoiler: she later says yes!).

My day isn’t over yet. In the evening, I host The Freelance Nutritionist Collective’s Business Therapy session – a group drop-in space to talk honestly about how you’re feeling in your business, discuss your business barriers, and get support from others. Freelancing can feel lonely at times, so having a supportive, non-judgemental community is essential. By 7pm, we wrap up and I step away from my desk to have dinner.

Wednesday: in person appointments and preparation

Monday and Tuesdays are my busiest days, so by Wednesday I’m always glad to see my diary getting a bit quieter. I started my day, as usual, by sending client check-in messages and replying to emails.

There are only two things in my diary today. The first is a mid-morning coffee catch up with another local nutritionist. We haven’t seen each other in a while, and it’s nice that I can take time out of my morning to slow down. This is something I wouldn’t have the flexibility to do if I was employed.

After this, I drive to a nearby location where I deliver in-person appointments to see a client for her monthly 30-minute appointment. Most of my work is online, so it’s refreshing to see clients in person. Although, in person work does come with additional considerations, such as extra costs and insurance. But, I’ve noticed that some clients engage better in this setting, as it can be easier to build rapport quickly. There’s no single “right” way to work – it’s about finding what works for both you and your clients.

Once I’m home, I type up my notes and send an email with my client’s action plan. The afternoon is spent on preparing for upcoming client appointments next week, and making sure I’m fully up to date before seeing them. This preparation is a key part of the work of a freelance nutritionist.

Thursday: Behind the scenes admin as a freelance nutritionist

There aren’t any meetings in the diary today, so it’s just a day of admin – which also means a day spent in my dressing gown.

I spent the morning inputting two client’s food diaries into Nutritics and analysing these in detail. For one client, I’m exploring whether a slightly larger – but still safe – calorie deficit might be appropriate to support her fat loss progress.

In the afternoon, I switch my focus to planning my social media for the next month for my nutrition clinic, Lutrition. I use a messaging document to generate content ideas that speak directly to my ideal client, alongside my social media planner template (which is inside our membership) and Canva to help me with this.

Friday: protected admin day

Friday is always a meeting free day, so that I can get my head down and focused on any essential admin. Today I’m continuing my social media for Lutrition, but also working on my social media and marketing plan for The Freelance Nutritionist Collective.

These quieter admin days are important when freelancing. Without them, the foundational work that keeps my nutrition business running wouldn’t get done. This is why I avoid back-to-back appointments all week, because without this space, the business wouldn’t be sustainable.

Wrapping up the week

Every freelance nutritionist or dietitian’s week will look different, and it will change over time. No two weeks are ever the same. This week shows that freelancing isn’t just about seeing clients, it’s about balancing client delivery and the behind the scenes work that keeps the business running.

Building a sustainable freelance career means scheduling your week intentionally, rather than trying to fill every available hour.

Whether you’re a brand new or partly established freelance nutritionist, The Freelance Nutritionist Collective (TFNC) will give you the resources, support and strategies to kickstart and accelerate your nutrition business. Running a successful nutrition business is possible. TFNC will give you the confidence to build a financially secure livelihood, whilst supporting you to make a positive impact on people’s diets. Sign up to our membership by pressing here.