There are a lot of nutrition courses out there. Some are online nutrition courses while others are accredited nutrition courses. So to become the best nutritionist out there, you need to choose one that covers the fundamentals that all good nutritionists need to know.
What are the key functions of a nutritionist?
Fitness and exercise guru, Hannah Morgan, says that the main function of a nutritionist is to assess their clients’ fitness and/or medical needs. After this they will draw up an eating plan based on their findings.
Nutritionists – she says – work in a variety of places, such as:
- Hospitals,
- Cafeterias,
- Doctors’ offices, and
- Clinics.
How does a nutritionist draw up a client’s eating plan?
There are three basic food groups:
- Milk and protein,
- Fruits and vegetables, and
- Carbohydrates and fats.
The components of these food groups are broken down further into:
- Carbohydrates,
- Protein,
- Fat,
- Minerals,
- Water, and
- Vitamins.
An eating plan for a person who has no special fitness or medical needs requires each of these components to be featured in their daily diets. A total of 55 – 60%% of a ‘normal’ diet should consist of carbohydrates, 25 – 30% should consist of protein and 15 – 20% should consist of fat.
Once the nutritionist has determined what the client’s fitness and/or medical needs are, he or she will proceed to work out how much energy the client needs to consume each day, based on their physical activity, in order to reach their goals.
The nutritionist will look at the client’s Resting Energy Expenditure (in other words the amount of calories the person needs to maintain their body systems when they are at rest) as well as the client’s Activity Energy Expenditure (the amount of calories the person will use during physical activity). How big the latter is will depend on how much physical activity the person does.
After the nutritionist has determined how many calories per day the client may consume, he or she will work out an eating plan based on this, taking into account what the client does/does not like to eat.
Where can you find an accredited nutrition course?
Trifocus Fitness Academy offers the premium in online nutrition courses. Our nutrition course is accredited with the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) for the following unit standards:
- 10214,
- 13923, and
- 14468.
On it, you’ll learn how to:
- Calculate calorie needs for Resting Energy Expenditure,
- Recognise targets for carbohydrate intake,
- Recommend alternative sources of protein for vegetarians,
- Decode food lables, and
- Work out a detailed nutritional plan for your clients.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Learn more about our accredited, online nutrition course – and to register on the website !
