Sports Dietitian Jobs

A sports dietitian is a very professional and integrity driven job, offering their personal services to the athletic and sports fields. They have the knowledge to advise what nutritional food and drinks would be proper in order for their clients to gain maximum performance during training and competitions. If you are considering to become a sports dietitian, you should start with a desire to help people and have an interest in food, nutrition, diets and sports.

To have a sports dietitian job, one is required to have a license, and only people carrying this license are granted permission to work as professional dietitians. In the United States, there are particular laws regulating dietitians in each state, so it is best to do some research to find out what state you want to be employed in. Some states require licensure, certification, or registration in order to properly provide nutritional advice to people seeking their services.

A Bachelor’s Degree in Science Nutrition or a Master’s Degree in Dietetics is required to become a sports dietitian before you can become registered. In order to become a registered dietitian (RD) through The Commission on Dietetic Registration, you will need to successfully complete and obtain a 4-year degree, an approved internship and pass a certification exam.

The sports dietitian provides many different services, with their major concern being to optimize performance. Sports dietitians analyze each situation separately, and primarily work alongside coaches, personal trainers, and physicians, giving highly researched professional advice. The main objective of all concerned is to optimize maximum health, minimize disease, increase energy, help heal injuries and improve concentration, which in turn creates a more healthy body composition. Their client base includes individual athletes, sports teams or groups, and private consultation with individuals needing professional help.

Sports dietitians make the decision on setting goals for their clients by regulating nutritional needs according to their schedule, training, and competition needs. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fat intake are all taken into consideration for each person individually, along with recommended doses of vitamins and minerals for improvement.

Becoming a sports dietitian is very rewarding and opens up many different fields, which might require your services other than in the sports area. Other opportunities to pursue with your credentials could include personal consultations, nursing homes, fitness instructors, teaching at a college or university, local health programs, food editors, working in a eating disorder facility, writing as a food journalist, creating a cooking show or class, weight management clinics, health club nutritionist, working with government programs such as the Peace Corps, and consulting with doctors needing professional assistance with their patients.

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