CHC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CHC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
CHC exam key facts
- Part 1 of the NSHC Certified Health Coach (CHC) exam contains 125 timed items, followed by a Part 2 Skills Competency. Source
- The NSHC Health Coach Certification program, which includes first-year membership and one free test attempt, costs $875. Source
- Candidates who do not pass the NSHC CHC exam may re-test after 30 days. Source
- The NSHC Certified Health Coach certification is valid for 5 years from the date the exam is passed. Source
📋 CHC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CHC Topics to Study (23)
✍️ Sample CHC Questions & Answers
1. How does the autonomic nervous system's response relate to stress management coaching?
Understanding fight-or-flight (sympathetic) versus rest-and-digest (parasympathetic) responses helps coaches teach clients techniques that activate the relaxation response, reducing stress.
2. How does gratitude practice contribute to stress reduction in health coaching?
Research shows regular gratitude practice shifts cognitive focus, improves mood, enhances sleep quality, and builds psychological resilience, making it an evidence-based stress reduction tool.
3. Which dietary guidelines serve as the primary reference for US health coaches?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published jointly by the USDA and HHS every five years, serve as the evidence-based foundation for general nutrition guidance in health coaching.
4. What is the most effective approach to helping clients improve their eating habits?
Gradual, sustainable changes aligned with client preferences and lifestyle are most effective because they are maintainable long-term and build positive relationships with food.
5. A client says they use their phone in bed for an hour before sleep. What should a health coach advise?
Blue light emitted by screens inhibits melatonin production, delaying sleep onset and reducing overall sleep quality.
6. A health coach disagrees with a client's dietary choice that is culturally significant to the client. The coach should:
Cultural competence requires coaches to respect client values and work within the client's own context.
🎯 Free CHC Practice Tests
📖 CHC Guides & Articles
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CHC
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length CHC mock exam — 150 questions in 224 minutes with a 70% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed CHC question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable CHC cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- CHC flashcards built from the same question bank.
- Free CHC practice tests with the correct answer shown after each question.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- nshcoa.com — Test delivery, exam format, renewal, retake policy, test dates, score validity, eligibility, fees · verified Oct 2026