Comment from the supervisor of a group of students who took this course:
The Sports Nutrition course is providing our student athletes with some excellent information and fuelled some good discussion amongst them. Good class! Narda
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 9 lessons as follows:
- Introduction to Human and Sports Nutrition
- Energy
- Energy in the Athlete’s Body
- The Training Diet
- The Competition Diet
- Fluids
- The Athlete’s Body Composition
- Weight Management
- Training for Size and the Use of Sports Supplements
AIMS:
- To have a basic grounding in human nutrition as it relates to sport.
- Understand energy and how energy is produced in the body.
- Explain how energy is utilised in the human body.
- Understand the characteristics of, and to be able to design an effective training diet.
- Design a diet for an athlete.
- Understand the principles of and be able to design an athletic diet for the days leading up to, during and after a competition.
- Explain the importance of fluids in an athletic diet.
- Define the body composition of an athlete, and to become aware of the methods of measuring body composition.
- To examine effective methods for weight reduction and body fat control where they are deemed necessary.
- Examine methods of increasing muscle mass and to assess the use of sports supplements.
WHAT THE COURSE COVERS
- What are essential nutrients?
- What is the difference between fats and oils?
- Briefly discuss the importance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the human diet.
- Define energy.
- Describe how ATP is converted to energy in the human body.
- What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?
- How do actively contracting muscles get more ATP?
- What are the two main sources of ATP for muscles that are performing intense activity?
- Out of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which substances provide the most efficient supply of energy to the human body?
- Which energy sources are used throughout the exercise session?
- Define the following terms:
- Gluconeogenesis
- RQ
- VO2 max
- TDEE
- Name three things commonly measured during fitness tests.
- Outline the primary differences between the nutritional needs of an athlete and the nutritional needs of members of the general population.
- Design a diet for an athlete.
- Why do athletes need to eat plenty of carbohydrates?
- An athlete has just finished running a half marathon (21km). What advice would you give them to help speed their recovery?
- Why do athletes need more fluid in their diet than the general population?
- What are the signs of dehydration in an athlete?
- Define the following terms:
- Electrolyte
- Body water balance
- Dehydration
- Hypohydration
- Euhydration
- Hyponatremia
- Research three common ways of determining the % of body fat present.
- Discuss the importance of body composition to sporting performance for a sport.
- What is the difference between subcutaneous and visceral fat?
- Research one of the eating disorders -
- anorexia nervosa
- bulimia nervosa
- anorexia athletica
- Why would an athlete want to lose weight?
- What are five health risks of being overweight?
- What are the possible benefits of lowered body fat in a sport.
- What is the difference between a dietary supplement and a nutritional ergogenic aid?
- Come up with three suggested meals for an athlete.
- Research the effects of one of the nutritional ergogenic aids.
