What does a Sports Dietitian Do?
A certified Sports Dietician, helps athletes of all abilities meet the nutritional demands of their sport, in a way that’s right for their personal metabolism and health.
Those with this certification are specially trained to help athletes by counseling them on the best dietary and nutritional plans for their body type, activity level, and recovery. Working with an individual’s family, physician, coach, and other health professionals, sports dietitians:
- Assesses and analyzes dietary practices, body composition, and energy balance (intake and expenditure) of athletes in the context of their athletic performance and health
- Counsel athletes on optimal nutrition for exercise training (match nutrition to training phases and goals), competition, recovery from exercise, weight management, hydration, immunity, disordered eating, travel, and supplementation.
- Counsels athletes on achieving and maintaining a level of body mass, body fat, and muscle mass that is consistent with good health and good performance.
- Provides personalized meal and snack plans to promote achieving shortand long-term goals for athletic performance and good health.
- Develops and counsels athletes in hydration protocols.
- Addresses nutritional challenges to performance, such as food allergies, bone mineral disturbances, gastrointestinal disturbances, iron depletion, and iron-deficiency anemia.
- Provides medical nutrition therapy, as needed, to help manage or treat medical conditions.
- Counsels athletes on optimal nutrition for recovery from illness or injury.
Sports dietitians are great resources for athletes trying to take their training to the next level or for individuals who are concerned about eating a healthier diet for their level of activity.
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