Education Plan for Sports Nutrition
Sports nutrition is a career field that focuses on the specific caloric intakes of athletes to reach maximum athletic potentials. They create and design nutritional plans for athletes. Sports nutrition is a specialized career field that incorporates an understanding of individual sports demands, physical exertion of energies both mentally and physically of athletes, body functions (especially the muscular and digestive systems) and nutrition. A well-developed educational plan is needed to help individuals become sports nutritionists.
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Skills and Interest
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Sports nutritionists must have strong written and verbal communication skills to help the athletes follow the nutritional plans that were developed for their specific needs. It is also essential for nutritionists to have positive social skills to keep athletes motivated towards achieving nutritional goals. Organization and precision are also necessary for sports nutritionists to be effective because of the importance of accurate records, measurements and assessments. This career also requires a strong understanding of the human body and the metabolic breakdown of foods during physical activities.
Educational Choices
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In order to become sports nutritionists a college in a related field is mandatory. It could be a degree in health and nutrition, dietetics or sports nutrition. There are several different degree options available for those individuals pursuing careers in sports nutrition. Some colleges offer bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in sports nutrition. A post-bachelorette certificate is also available at certain colleges for individuals that already have a college degree in another career field.
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College Classes
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The specific classes required for a degree in sports nutrition will demand on the college. Some of the academic curriculum will include many of the following classes: sports science, nutrition, exercise physiology, anatomy, kinesiology, biomechanics, sports psychology, research methods, statistics and more.
Certifications
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Most states require some type of certification for sports nutritionists besides a college degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of 2010, "Of the 46 States and jurisdictions with laws governing dietetics, 33 require licensure, 12 require statutory certification, and 1 requires registration. Specific requirements vary by State. As a result, interested candidates should determine the requirements of the State in which they want to work before sitting for any exam." It is important to look at individual state requirements to ensure all requirements are met before practicing as sports nutritionists.
Career Choices
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Earning a degree in sports nutrition creates numerous career paths. Some individuals pursue careers in local schools, sports and fitness centers, hospitals, corporate businesses, rehabilitation centers, colleges, universities and as personal trainers. It is important to understand that certified sports nutritionists are not dietitians and cannot perform under that job title but there are lots of sports nutrition careers available.
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References
- Photo Credit sports medicine image by Keith Frith from Fotolia.com
