Sports Nutritionist- Careers, Job Description and Benefits | IISM Blog

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Sports Nutritionist- Careers, Job Description and
Benefits IISM Blog
Not so long ago, people did not consider
consuming supplements, or energy drinks. Cut to
2022, everyone is health-conscious, and people
are taking extra care of what they eat and
cutting down the consumption of junk food to
remain healthy. People are now becoming more
aware of what they consume and have become
cautious about their nutritional intake. This is
also a major reason why the nutrition industry
has grown exponentially. The products sold by
the nutritional industry also undergo thorough
quality checks and are inspected under strict
regulations, just like the pharmaceutical
industry. One major factor, that has contributed
to the phenomenal growth of the nutrition
industry is the sports industry. Sporting icons
promoting healthy diets and supplements that aid
in boosting immunity have led the general
population to buy health supplements. According
to an EY India report, the dietary supplements
market in India grew at a CAGR of 15 to reach
?331 billion in FY21. High demand for health
supplements, protein bars and energy drinks,
youngsters actively taking part in exercises that
require high levels of fitness, the health-
conscious mentality of Millennials and Gen-Z
alike and busting myths about the supplements
have also aided in the growth of the sports
nutrition market in India.
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Athletes serious about their health are
constantly training hard and are in search of
ways that will enable them to take their
performance to the next level. Their goal is to
take steps to maintain good health and create a
good post-exercise recovery method. Nutritionists
also play an important role in an athletes
performance. They evaluate the athletes current
health condition, understand what is expected of
the athlete and devise diet plans that will aid
the athlete to train in an optimum way and
enhance their performance. Athletes must be
educated on what and how much food they must
consume and most importantly should be told what
they are not supposed to consume and why. An
athlete challenges his body on a regular basis
through physical training and competitions. In
order to keep up with the requirements of his
activity or sport, the athlete requires enough
fuel for daily training. Nutrition is important
for an athlete because it provides the energy
required to perform the activity. The food they
take leaves an impact on strength, training,
performance and recovery. Not only the type of
food that is consumed is important for sports
nutrition but the time is equally important for
what they eat and when they eat throughout the
day. A nutritionist will only be able to guide
the athlete properly if they are trained well and
are well aware of what is needed from
them. What is the job description
of a sports nutritionist?
Sports nutritionists have access to the athletes
specific nutritional needs and they accordingly
customise a diet plan and recommend changes to
their current plan. They are able to achieve it
because of the excellent training they went
through during their formative years. If you
also want to become a leading sports nutritionist
then you also must enrol at IISM which is Indias
leading sports management and science education
institute. When you enrol in a Bachelor of
Sports Science or Master of Sports Science degree
course at IISM, you will learn about varied
aspects of the sports science world including
sports nutrition. This formal education helps
you be industry ready. To make aspiring students
industry-ready, IISM has collaborated with
industry experts and curated these courses that
create a strong foundation for our students.
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The first step that a nutritionist will do when
they interact with an athlete is to understand
their current diet plan and explain crucial
aspects of nutrition they must know.
The following part is analysing the athletes
diet, comparing the previous results athletes
achieved while adhering to the diet plan and
making necessary changes. If the athlete is on a
strict budget, then the diet plans will change
accordingly. Over time the nutritionist will
note down the effects of the new diet on the
athlete and their performance. If the changes
are what they had expected, the nutritionist will
continue the diet plans or make changes to meet
the requirement of the athlete. How to become a
sports nutritionist? To become a sports
nutritionist, a candidate needs to pursue
Bachelor in Sports Science, Master of Sports
Science, or B.Sc.(food science and nutrition) in
dietetics or nutrition, PG in Sports Nutrition
and Master in Sports Nutrition. A student must
clear their 12th standard board exam in science
and must have an interest in learning more about
biology and medical terms. However, every
institute has its own criteria that the student
must fulfil to secure admission. You can secure
Admission at IISM by clearing SSAT, which is our
entrance test exam. What are your career
prospects after completing the nutritionist
course? Once you have completed your formal
education, you can get appointed as a sports
nutritionist, sports scientist, sports
dietitian, health coach, holistic nutritionist
and expert in nutrition performance. A sports
nutritionist can work in all sectors such as
government, and private and start their own
practice. There is a lot of scope in todays date
and time, as the number of people who are taking
very good care of their health is on the rise. If
you become a sports nutritionist, then you also
get to travel with the team to their sporting
venues and ensure the athletes adhere to a strict
diet. This ensures their performance will be at
its peak during the game. Learn more about the
career prospects after becoming a sports
nutritionist by Ms. Aradhana Sharma, Senior
Sports Science Consultant, IISM Visiting Faculty
at IISM.
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What are the benefits of becoming a Sports
Nutritionist?
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• You get to work at numerous places with renowned
  players, teams and explore the field like never
  before
• You will be in a position of authority.
• How can a sports nutritionist help you create
  healthy lifestyle choices?
• During the initial consultation with a sports
  nutritionist, they will ask you questions about
  your health and nutritional needs. Once they
  have thorough information about your eating
  habits and nutritional needs, they will work on
  diet plans that will help the athlete achieve
  their goal. They enhance their performance apart
  from suggesting diets by asking the athletes to
  go cycling, participate in various triathlons
  and take up running in a marathon.
• Overall, a sports nutritionist is the one who can
  suggest the best course of action for someone
  who wants to make improvements to their lifestyle
  by taking into account their intake of food. If
  you are also fascinated by the works of a sports
  nutritionist and are aiming to become a leading
  sports nutritionist, then enrol for our sports
  science degree programs here at IISM.