Integrative Sport & Exercise Nutrition

Understand energy balance and dive deep into carbs, proteins, and fats from a health and physical performance lens.

• Calories – how to estimate caloric intake and expenditure 
• Carbohydrates – what they are, why we need them, and where we get healthy sources 
• Fats – what they are, why we need them, and where we get healthy sources 
• Proteins – what they are, why we need them, and where we get healthy sources 

Learning objectives 1) Understand how calorie consumption and expenditure are assessed, plus limitations of these methods. 2) Describe the roles of carbohydrates in the body and healthy food sources of them. 3) Describe the roles of fats in the body and healthy food sources of them. 4) Describe the roles of protein in the body and healthy food sources of them.

Explore the powerful roles of vitamins, minerals and plant-based compounds in cellular health and recovery.

• Vitamins and their physiological functions in a health and performance context
• Minerals and their physiological functions in a health and performance context 
• Phytonutrients – the new kid on the block – best food sources to nourish your cells 
• Mitochondrial (energetic) nourishment via ‘fuel’, micros and antioxidants 

Learning objectives 1) Describe the roles of vitamins within the body and why they are needed for exercise. 2) Describe the roles of minerals within the body and why they are needed for exercise. 3) Understand the categories of phytonutrients and some good food sources of them. 4) Recognise the micronutrients needed by mitochondria to metabolise macronutrients, and examples of good food sources. 

Challenge conventional dogma. Learn about vital contributors to weight regulation, including inflammation, hormones and sleep.

• ‘Calories in versus calories out and weight management’ – introducing the inaccuracies of calorie counting, and personal metabolic efficiencies
• ‘Fat makes you fat’ – examining this partial truth through a lens of fat quality
• ‘Carbohydrate causes insulin resistance’ – exploring a wholesome diet through a lens of blood sugar balance
• Physiological contributors to weight management (other than calorie balance) – including muscle mass, blood sugar balance, inflammation, sleep patterns, and stress management 

Learning objectives 1) Understand certain aspects of health, other than calorie balance, that influence weight management. 2) Recognise the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ effects of fat on health and weight management. 3) Understand how whole food carbohydrates, when combined with quality fat and protein sources, can support blood sugar control and weight management. 4) Identify certain aspects of lifestyle, including exercise patterns, sleep hygiene, and stress management that can be supportive of weight management. 

Support your clients’ gastrointestinal, muscular and hormonal systems to enable better adaptation and performance.

• Introducing the concept of ‘integrative’ sport and exercise nutrition
• Gastrointestinal health for an athlete – the key to absorbing your carefully chosen food 
• Musculoskeletal integrity through nutrition – building blocks for muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones, and managing inflammation 
• Neuroendocrine health – how to balance physiological, physical and psychological stress load with restorative recovery 
• Bioenergetics – carbohydrate and fat metabolism within a context of aerobic and anaerobic exercise 

Learning objectives 1) Understand what kinds of foods can be nourishing to the gut of an active client, and how certain processed foods can irritate the gut. 2) Identify certain building block foods, including protein and essential fat sources, that can be supportive to musculoskeletal health. 3) Recognise components of life, including different types of stress load, that can negatively affect adaptation to training loads. 4) Understand the macronutrients most needed for different types of exercise. 

Learn the when, what, and how of eating around training for optimal energy, hydration, performance and recovery.

• Macro and micros – making sure an active individual is covering his/her overall nutrition needs
• Nutrient timing – a consideration of strategies that can support the nutrient needs of an exercise session, increase athletic performance and improve recovery 
• Hydration and electrolytes – how to assess an individual for hydration and electrolyte (salt) needs, and strategies for support 
• Pre, during and post-exercise nutrition – a very practical and healthy look at ways to nourish a particular training session 
• Tracking body composition – a discussion of measurement methodologies for tracking a client’s changes in lean and fat mass 

Learning objectives 1) Recognise some monitoring strategies (from an exercise professional’s perspective) to identify whether an active client is consuming enough food for their exercise needs. 2) Know practical and healthy ways to give nutritional support to a person’s exercise session. 3) Understand how to check for fluid and electrolyte needs of an active client throughout the day and for a particular training session. 4) Recognise pros and cons of different body composition methods that can be applied alongside appropriate assessment training.

Recognise genetic uniqueness in your clients and how food can influence gene expression for health and recovery.

• Bioindividuality – the history of individualised nutrition 
• Nutrigenomics – a focus on how good food choices impact genetic expression of health
• Genetics of metabolism – why the carb and fat debate will never reach a one-size-fitsall conclusion…
• Genetics of exercise recovery – a look at antioxidant and inflammatory genes and nourishing food choices for recovery 

Learning objectives 1. Give general nutrition advice, including the types of foods that will be supportive to most individuals’ health. 2. Understand what is meant by the terms nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. 3. Recognise that some clients will achieve better overall health by increasing certain types of food in their diets, while reducing others. 4. Understand that some people will attain improved recovery from exercise by consuming more antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory foods. 5. Recognise scope of practice as an exercise professional and when it’s important to refer to a nutrition professional, who can help your client with their personalised nutrition needs.

Explore common supplements used by your clients, their risks, and when to refer clients to qualified practitioners.

• Why do certain individuals need supplements – a look at what lifestyle factors can increase the demand on nutrients, plus genetic needs
• A review of common over-the-counter supplements – considering products that your clients might be taking anyway
• Sport-specific ‘safe’ supplements – products well backed up by research for supporting athletic performance, recovery and body composition 
• Food extracts (e.g. superfoods) – products caught in the divide between foods and supplements 

Learning objectives 1. Understand what aspects of a client’s lifestyle or eating patterns can actually deplete their available nutrients, thereby increasing their need for supplemental nutrients. 2. List a few common supplements and question whether it is appropriate for a client to be taking them. 3. Understand which ‘ergogenic’ sports performance supplements are actually backed up by science, and which are generally safe to use by most individuals. 4. Identify some food ingredients that can safely increase the available micronutrients and phytonutrients in a person’s diet. 

Practical tips and recipes to teach clients how to upgrade food choices and nourish with purpose.

• First things first – sourcing the very best foods and ingredients you can get your hands on!
• Upgrading to whole foods – the benefits of whole versus refined food choices 
• Food preparation for digestibility and nutrient availability – deep nourishment through food
• Exercise and sport-specific recipes for health, performance and recovery 

Learning objectives 1. Identify food retailers within the local area of your clients that ethically source nutritious food. 2. Explain to a client the importance of whole foods versus refined food sources. 3. Practice at least food preparation techniques that improve the digestibility of food. 4. Recommend natural and healthy sports nutrition options (e.g. sports drinks) to your clients instead of processed alternatives. 

Address client beliefs, REDs, disordered eating patterns, and learn goal-setting strategies for behavioural change.

• Self-care through food – developing a loving relationship with food, to move towards nourishment and strength 
• Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (REDs) and disordered eating patterns – how to spot them and what can you do to support such a client?
• Mindful eating and cooking – teach your clients a powerful technique so they don’t need your nutrition advice any more! 
• Goal setting techniques to keep your clients on the path that they expressed a desire to walk on, creating desired outcomes and cultivating healthy habits; learn how to frame the right questions to qualify the goals that your client sets with you 

Learning objectives 1. Recognise when clients have a negative personal relationship with food – e.g. with a limited belief of ‘food makes me fat” 2. In line with module 5, learning objective 1, be able to identify when an active client is not consuming enough food for their exercise needs (REDs), and consider an appropriate refer when necessary. 3. Teach your clients some simple mindful eating techniques, which can help improve their personal relationship with food. 4. Learn how to establish meaningful and actionable goals through a process of key questions and techniques to authenticate a true goal and what that means for the client. 

Apply your new skills to attract, convert, and serve clients through ethical triage, branding, and marketing.

Branding – your brand is your stand – Establishing your mission and values for your company and services – Messaging and impact statements for each product or service – Harnessing communication skills

• Marketing – The avatar – client profiling – Social media content, messaging and chosen platforms to speak to your clients – Packaging your services and adding value – Looking at the best paid marketing options – Selling nutrition to clients – what’s the point of difference
• Sales – how to best serve and enrol clients – The language of selling – The triage process – Ways to prospect 

Learning objectives 1) Learn the process of establishing a clear vision, mission, and set of values that define what you do and why you exist as a business or practitioner. 2) Learn the essential pillars of marketing through building your client avatar; discerning what marketing avenues you will choose, such as social media, email marketing and paid marketing options. 3) Learn how to communicate better to prospects by selling them a solution based on a triage process that gets you better understanding and unearthing the prospects needs.