Learning Outcomes

Module 1

• Understanding of Energy and Energy Balance: The learner will understand the concept of energy, how it is measured, and its role in various bodily functions. They will also learn about the balance between energy intake and expenditure, and how it affects weight gain and loss.
• Knowledge of Macronutrients and Energy Density: The learner will gain knowledge about macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), their energy content, and the concept of energy density in foods. They will learn how to calculate the total energy in a particular food based on its macronutrient content.
• Understanding of Bioenergetics and Fuel Substrates: The learner will understand the concept of bioenergetics, which refers to the flow of energy within a biological system. They will learn about the three basic energy systems in human muscle cells that provide ATP: the phosphagen system, glycolysis, and the oxidative system.
• Knowledge of Nutrient Requirements: The learner will gain knowledge about the requirements of various nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, and dietary fats. They will learn about the sources, metabolism, and dietary requirements of these nutrients.
• Ability to Calculate Energy Requirements: The learner will learn how to calculate daily energy requirements based on factors like resting metabolic rate and physical activity. They will also learn about various prediction equations used to estimate resting metabolic rate.
  
  

Module 2

• You will learn about foundational physiology, biochemistry, and nutrition which we need to understand well in order to apply it into a sporting context. The remainder of this certification will use this foundational knowledge, and illustrate how we can use this to achieve specific body composition and performance goals.
• You will learn about the importance of vitamins and minerals, their function, sources, and needs across life stages. You will also learn about phytonutrients and their role in human health.
• You will gain an understanding of fluid balance and regulation, the functions of water in the human body, thermoregulation and sweat rates, and the impact of hydration on athletic performance.
• You will learn how nutrients and energy combine to form actual foods that people eat in real life. You will also learn about designing meals and special diets.

Module 3

• After completing the first three modules, you should have a basic understanding of physiology, nutrition science, exercise physiology, and how different sports provide different challenges in a nutrition context. You should be able to identify key areas of concern, how to address these in terms of nutrition targets, understand which common foods are able to meet these targets, and begin to have ideas on how to adjust one’s diet in order to achieve specific goals.
• You will gain an understanding of the impact of sports training and competition on nutrition requirements, and how using our understanding of nutrition and exercise science, we can better prescribe optimal nutrition for active persons and athletes. The module will cover overarching sports nutrition principles, endurance and team sports, weight sensitive and aesthetic sports, nutrition periodization, and an introduction to dietary supplements.
• You will learn about the concept of nutrition periodization and understand why it's important. For example, the goals of fat loss and muscle gain require different energy states (deficit and surplus, respectively), and these cannot be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, understanding when each should take priority is crucial. The module will also cover the psychological aspects of nutrition, emphasizing the need for athletes to enjoy food and maintain a balanced lifestyle.
• You will gain an understanding of the dietary supplement industry, including the challenges of navigating the claims made about performance supplements and foods. The module will cover the hierarchical model for the relative strength of evidence, which can help you assess the validity of supplement information sources. 
  
  

Module 4

• After reading through all 4 modules, you should now have a basic but complete picture of what it takes to develop and implement nutrition plans. It is recommended you review all the material thoroughly, as well as construct and work through case studies of typical athlete types from various sports.
• You will learn the step-by-step process used to develop a nutrition plan. This includes identifying a person’s nutrient needs, understanding what these nutrients look like in terms of actual food, and taking into consideration individual and lifestyle factors which impact how a person interacts with food.
• You will learn how to convert all of this nutrition knowledge into an actual plan for a real person or athlete. You will also learn how to put into action what you have learned through a few short case studies presented and discussed in 3 slightly different formats.
• You will learn how to calculate energy intake, protein, and carbohydrate intake, and fill the remaining energy with fat. You will also learn how to check the fat target in terms of g/kg to see if it falls in line with ranges recommended in the course.
• You will learn how to provide hydration recommendations for an athlete practicing an endurance sport. This includes understanding the sweat rate to provide suggestions for what to drink during training and what to drink after training.