Sports Nutritionist

Sports nutrition is the study and practice of nutrition and diet as it relates to athletic performance. It is concerned with the type and quantity of fluid and food taken by an athlete, and deals with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, supplements and organic substances such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Although an important part of many sports training regimens, it is most commonly considered in strength sports (such as weight lifting and bodybuilding) and endurance sports (for example cycling, running, swimming).

Differing conditions and objectives suggest the need for athletes to ensure that their sports nutritional approach is appropriate for their situation. Factors that may affect an athlete's nutritional needs include type of activity (aerobic vs. anaerobic), gender, weight, height, body mass index, workout or activity stage (pre-workout, intra-workout, recovery), and time of day (e.g. some nutrients are utilized by the body more effectively during sleep than while awake). Most culprits that get in the way of performance are fatigue, injury and soreness. A proper diet will reduce these disturbances in performance. The key is to get a variety of food, to get all the macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. According to Eblere's article (2008), it is optimal to choose raw, unprocessed foods such as oranges instead of orange juice. Eating foods that are natural means the athlete is getting the most nutritional value out of the food. When foods are processed it normally means that nutritional value is reduced.

Sports Nutrition Courses

During your studies in sports nutrition you will find yourself taking some if not all of the follow courses

• Kinesiology
• Anatomy
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Statistics
• Food Science
• Nutrition
• Life Cycle Nutrition
• Community Nutrition

Sports Nutritionist Salary

According to a report released by the bureau of labor statistics in May of 2013 a dietitian or nutritionist makes on average $56k/year. The top 10% earning dietitians and nutritionists bring home $78k/year.

Careers in Sports Nutrition

• Fitness Consultant
• Corporate Wellness
• High School and Collegiate Sports
• Professional Sports