Sports Nutrition allows students to translate theory into practice and to relate content to fitness and sports. Included are topics on weight and body composition, eating disorders and guidelines through proper nutrition. The material covered gives students comprehensive knowledge of nutrition for use in complementary fields focusing on sport and exercise. Projects include following a social media personality to analyze their communication strategy, evaluating a supplement company, creating a real-life weight loss and performance enhancement plan for an athlete, and providing research-based nutrition advice to an athlete based on an assessment of their needs.
Course objectives:
- Define and describe the three main energy pathways, their usage in various sports and exercise conditions, and the substrates utilized in each.
- Explain the metabolic and physiological requirements for each macronutrient and fluids for exercise performance.
- Identify and explain the role of key vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes for athletic performance and recovery.
- Research and debate current controversial topics in the field of nutrition and fitness as related to athletic performance.
- Assess an athlete's needs to provide research-based advice in improving nutrition and performance.
- Analyze intervention strategies for both eating disorders and sports that involve weight control requirements for participants.
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to sports nutrition
- Metabolism and energy balance
- Energy systems
- Carbohydrates and fat for energy production and sport performance
- Protein in the athlete’s diet
- Vitamins, minerals and supplements for sports performance
- Fluid and electrolyte requirements during exercise
- Intervention strategies for athletes with weight management concerns and disordered eating
- Beyond competition: How to create a diet and exercise program for life
Resources:
Webinar – Career Spotlight: Sports Nutrition
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