Year after year for me as a coach furthering my knowledge to stay top of my game is essential, the enables my team to further their results in week after week, and also understand my protocols.
As a qualified sports nutritionist, I work alongside sports nutrition Australia to ensure I’m always updated with the latest research, data, and studies- which means you will be too. There will be no more cookie-cutter diets on my team.
The importance of adequate sports nutrition is as an Ally’s athlete is something I strive to inform all my team about, a low dietary intake leads to an athlete struggling with what we call low energy availability which may lead to pretty severe medical issues. With science-backed evidence diets, I provide my team with the knowledge that creates a framework for them to become the athlete/individual they need to be in full health. when exercise demands increase and/or when dietary intake is restricted, specific nutrition strategies should be implemented to promote favourable training adaptations and optimize performance while also supporting health and mental wellbeing.
Setting unique nutritional goals for my team enhances their training and promotes optimal performance that is unique to every one of their goals. What many coaches are misinformed about is the reciprocal relationship exists between nutrition and intense sports participation: frequent participation in sport can create unique nutritional requirements- an athlete’s nutritional needs are determined by their training load which is going to look completely different to everyone- that’s even without the consideration of lifestyle, goals, and genetics!
Many in this industry jump of the supplement bandwagon drinking endless shakes, popping pills, and powders- you always want to implement a food first approach! Prioritizing these nutritional strategies mean’s that some athletes can support lower bodyfat percentages without daily fluctuations in training, low energy availability, or leaving an individual vulnerable to illness and injury- you don’t get the essential micronutrient breakdowns of food from shakes.
So why is the concept of ‘energy availability’ so important?
energy availability (EA) = energy intake – exercise energy expenditure.
EA = calories remaining for biological processes (for example a woman’s cycle) – once the energy cost of physical activity has been subtracted.
Sustained periods of low EA (typically considered <30 kcal/kg fat-free mass) or repeated acute (within-day) bouts of low EA in very lean individuals can cause impaired physiological functioning, a condition defined as relative energy deficiency in sport (includes impairments of metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis, and cardiovascular health).
When an athlete has low EA, they tend to struggle with bone stress-related injuries and compromised iron levels. Particularly in women, low energy availability affects the bones- rapidly.
This is because a woman’s estrogen-dependent and estrogen-independent mechanisms affect your bone density. A calorie deficit without adequate nutrition strategies harms bone protein synthesis and mineralization- that’s when your body starts metabolizing your bone structure.
Being on our team means we take these worries off your shoulders and make sure you have the healthiest body internally and externally.
Learn more about the Fitness Muscle Glamour Competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sports nutrition?
This is no more a secret that athletes and other sportspersons take regular supplements as advised by their doctors and nutritionists to keep up with the pace and maintain their physical strength. There is a whole market known as ‘sports nutrition’ to address this issue.
To define the very term ‘sports nutrition’, it is the study and practice of nutrition and diet with a view to improving the athletic performance of an individual. Nutrition plays an important role in the sports arena especially when it comes to measuring the type as well as the exact quantity of fluids and other nutritional items an athlete should take in order to enhance his/her performance. Considering all these factors a sports nutrition company manufacture vitamin supplements, organic substances having carbohydrates, proteins and other nutritional ingredients that are often taken by the athletes.
Well, it is mentionable that nutritional requirements vary from person to person. So, how do the athletes determine their required intake of sports nutrition? There are several factors that are used as parameters to ensure that their sports nutritional approach is suitable for an individual sportsperson or athlete. Type of activity, gender type, body weight, height, workout routine, sleep cycle etc. help determine someone’s sport nutrition habit. A proper diet consisting of the right sports nutrition will increase someone’s stamina whereas a wrong routine can ruin everything and put an athlete’s career into jeopardy.
Sports nutrition may contain one or more dietary ingredients or their constituents is meant to be taken in the forms of pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid. Many athletes choose to take nutritional supplements in order to enhance their performance. There can be three types of nutritional supplements, starting from energy supplements to performance-enhancing supplements to supplements that help in recovery.
When an athlete cannot exercise rigorously, then they go for energy supplements. Some supplements belonging to this kind are Caffeine, Guarana, Vitamin B12 and Asian ginseng. Among all these, Asian Ginseng is so powerful that some people call it ‘Natural Viagra’.
Again, sometimes athletes suffer from injury or other health complications. This is where recovery-supplements play a major role. Protein and amino acid supplements are the most common types of nutritional supplements that help athletes and sportspersons recover from problems caused by excessive exercising.
Last but not the least, there are some supplements to enhance your performance. These are called performance-enhancing supplements. Usually bodybuilders take this kind of supplements so that they can exercise for a longer period of time. The supplement known as Creatine is very effective in increasing exercise performance and strength among the athletes.
However, do not forget that they are some supplements which are illegal. Many athletes take these supplements to enhance their performance excessively so that no one can beat them and sports federations always warn against the intake of such sports nutritional supplements. Athletes must keep themselves away from those supplements and rather stick to those which are approved and legal. At the end, it can be said that sports nutrition is definitely a part and parcel of an athlete’s life nowadays.
Why do we need sports nutrition?
We all want to stay healthy and live our life to the fullest. In order to accomplish such a goal in life, there is no alternative option for eating healthy food and maintain the proper balance of nutrition in the body. Dictionary says nutrition refers to the process that interprets the nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health, and disease of an organism.
But there is another term called sports nutrition? The straightforward answer to this question is that sports nutrition is adapted to accelerate an athlete’s performance; this is its primary purpose. Certain characteristics of sports nutrition set it aside from the regular nutrition. Moreover, most of the athletes have their own Accredited Sports Dietitian certified physician to help an athlete with tips, guidelines, and, most importantly, assist in creating personalized meal plans with the view to increasing that athlete’s fitness and overall performance.
While sports nutrition is designed especially for the athletes, why do you need to, or you can say ought to follow this regularly. There are plenty of rational reasons behind influencing one to take this for granted.
Reasons to add sports nutrition
- Develop Mental Health
‘A sound body lives in a sound mind’ and vice-versa. This adage signifies that body and mind both have an interlinked connection, so when you are keeping yourself fit and healthy, you will have a peaceful mind. In general, an athlete’s mental power is phenomenally higher than a regular person. Why? Because your body will always want to consume more sugar, but while you are following the sports nutrition, you are limiting the amount of sugar, which may create dysfunctional status in your brain, meaning it may reduce your brain’s work capacity and which later may affect your mind’s capability. When you are adding sports nutrition in your daily diet, you are becoming strong passively.
- Best Alternative to Supplement
Some claims supplement is essential to stay fit and become an athlete immediately, while others oppose this idea. It is true to a great extent that supplement is not necessary when you are taking proper nutrition, especially athlete nutrition every day.
Most of the certified ASD experts stated that supplements can be considered the second option to stay fit and provide necessary components to the body to fulfill the nutrient requirements. So, while you are following the athlete nutrition guidelines, you won’t be required to take supplements in order to stay fit and healthy.
- Boost Immune System Performance
You must have been aware of the fact that the immune system in your body is responsible for protecting you from any kind of infectious attack, as well as assist you in fighting against the internal issues more effectively. The immune system, however, mostly depends on the nutrients performance to a great extent. By employing sports nutrition in your body, you will be reducing the chance of getting infected by any virus or infectious attack. So, it is high time you considered sports nutrition in your diet list and boosting your immune system to stay healthy.
What is a sports nutrition company?
You may have sometimes wondered how the athletes run so fast in the Olympics or any other competition help throughout the world. The answer is simple – they regularly take supplements meant to boost their energy as an athlete and make them stronger. This is where the role of a sports nutrition company comes in. Only supplements are not enough to boost someone’s performance rather he/she must follow a strict diet advised by the dietician and other nutrition routine prescribed by an expert. All those nutrition-packed items are manufactured by the sports nutrition companies.
Owing to the fact that competition in the sports arena is increasing with every passing day and there are at least a dozen of competitions held every year across the world, the demand for nutritional items has skyrocketed in the last few years. Usually three kinds of supplements are manufactured by a sports nutrition company – namely energy supplements, recovery supplements and performance-enhancing supplements. Sports nutrition companies who manufacture and market all three kinds of supplements are in high demand in the global market. And make no mistake – there is an ever-expanding market out there for sports nutrition companies.
In Australia, there are a dozens of sports nutrition companies who are manufacturing the afore-mentioned things and are directly involved in the nutrition business. Some leading companies in Australia are Power Foods International, Australian Sports Nutrition, AVS Nutrition and Pure Sports Nutrition. Among these, Power Foods International is widely considered as one of Australia’s leading sports nutrition companies taking their market stakes into account. It is one of those companies who own a sports nutrition exclusive manufacturing facility here in Australia.
On the other hand, ASN Sports Nutrition offers online facilities for buying different nutritional supplements from their site. They have the facilities in other countries as well. However, they own a considerable amount of market share in the Australian sports nutrition industry.
According to the experts, the sports nutrition industry is experiencing a boom throughout the world and as a result, sports nutrition companies are pocketing a handsome amount of profit every year. In the years from 2004 to 2018, the global sports nutrition market grew phenomenally which is estimated at a rate of 190% with a compound annual growth rate of 7.9%, according to information provided by Euromonitor International.
Such high growth has been possible owing to the fact that sports nutrition companies are exploring new horizons with a view to meeting consumer demands. They are always in a pursuit to develop new products meant to deliver better results for the athletes. As a result, the number of consumers is also growing at a rapid rate.
Australian sports nutrition companies are not lagging behind in the business as well as many of these companies have their overseas factories and they own a good share of the local market in those respective countries. However, experts feel that you must consult your nutritionist before buying any of these products as the extent of doses depends on your physical condition and other factors.
Where to study sports nutrition
So you have determined to learn more about sports nutrition and showing greater interest not only to keep yourself fit but also to help others with pieces of advice to stay fit and healthy. Surprisingly, Indeed.au revealed that the average salary of a proficient sports nutritionist is $85,367 per year in Australia. In order to earn such a handsome amount of money, you must obtain a certificate on Sports nutrition and have sound knowledge of this preferred field.
The human body is very much complicated and functions in a very profound way. To understand the human body more effectively, one must have a thorough knowledge of the human body’s functional components. There are plenty of options to become a dietitian, however, Sports Dietician Australia (SDA) suggests the career pathway become a sports dietician. Let’s look at the SDA career path suggestion on studying sports nutrition in Australia.
Before we jump into the details, it is worth mentioning that sports nutrition industry has a huge prospect in the future and it will require more manpower so it is suggested that if you are still confused about which career path you should choose, you can set the goal to become an expert in sports nutrition.
Enrollment Requirements
In Australia, several universities and organizations offer professional degree(s) to help students make sports nutritionist their careers. The road to becoming a sports nutritionist begins from enrolling in Accreditation of Dietetics Education (ADE) Programs. But prior to joining the mentioned ADE programs, a student must have a minimum Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent degree. Moreover, ADE suggests that several nutrition-related programs are available in Australia, but gaining a certificate from the institutions that are not enlisted in ADE won’t qualify a student to gain Accreditation from The Dietitians Australia (DAA).
DAA has set some standard rules to enroll in the offered programs and become a member of DAA and join Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) Program. You can find out their requirements and career path information at the SDA site.
So, where should you study sports nutrition in Australia? Here are some of the DAA recognized universities offering convenient and effective sport nutrition programs for undergraduate students. Note that due to the COVID-19 situation in Australia, the number of enlisted universities is less in number. However, it will increase once everything comes back to normal.
Where to study sports nutrition?
Here is the list of Universities in Australia offering a Master’s program in sport nutrition
Australian Capital Territory
- University of Canberra
Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (Code: 772AA)
Full Accreditation until 31 October 2023 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements
New South Wales
- The University of Sydney
Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (Code: LC005)
Full Accreditation until 30 September 2023 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
- University of Wollongong
Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (Code: 1631)
Full Accreditation until 30 August 2022 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
Queensland
Bond University
Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice (Code: CC-63041)
Full Accreditation until 30 March 2023 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements).
- The University of Queensland
Master of Dietetics Studies (Code: 5473)
Full Accreditation until 30 May 2023 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
Victoria
- Deakin University
Master of Dietetics (Code: H718)
Full Accreditation until 30 April 2025 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
- Monash University
Master of Dietetics (Code: M6002)
Full Accreditation until 30 May 2024 (subject to continuous compliance with accreditation requirements)
- Swinburne University of Technology
Master of Dietetics (Code: MA-DIET)
Provisional Accreditation until 1 June 2021 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
Western Australia
- Curtin University
Master of Dietetics (Code: MDietCurtin)
Full Accreditation until 30 November 2022 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
- Edith Cowan University
Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (Code: I49)
Full Accreditation until 30 May 2021 (subject to ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements)
Apart from the mentioned universities, you will find more enlisted universities from SDA. Note that, in order to kick-start your career, few universities also offer a Bachelor’s degree in the sports nutrition career. Go for it!
Why study sports nutrition
Nutrition is often considered as the daily needs of the body to run smoothly and live a healthy life. It can compare the charge for your body in order to keep the function of your body running. It is worth mentioning that the proper amount of nutrition in your body is essential to boost your immune system, which will protect your inner mechanisms from any kind of virus or infectious attack.
Note that the level of nutrition you take also determines how healthy you are. To put it in simple words, it can be said that the regular proper amount of food and sports nutrition is not the same. There is a silver-lining gap between these two types of nutrition levels.
Universally, sports nutrition has some unique characteristics, for instance, it has add-ons and mitigation from the regular nutrition level. Australian sports nutrition is not different from standard sports nutrition. You probably are wondering why you need to know about sports nutrition. Here is why:
- Balancing Body’s Fitness
Obviously, you have noticed that athletes’ body is quite fit and healthy. The open-secret follows strict diet plans and consumes fixed nutrition determined by their expert dietician(s). So, their fitness entirely depends on the amount of food they take on a regular basis. For instance, an athlete who races will undoubtedly balance the sugar level so that they don’t consume too much carbohydrate, which in return can immediately give them extra weight.
- Stay Healthy
Many research studies revealed that an athlete has the lowest chance than the people who consume a higher amount of nutrition daily. The primary reason behind this is owing to their developed robust immune system. So, how they developed this immune system? Sports nutrition comprises the lowest amount of fat, carbohydrate, iron, vitamins, protein, and other minerals. In simple words, sports nutrition contains enough food your body requires.
- Improve Energy Level
Ever wondered how athletes, for instance, footballers play 90 minutes consistently? It is because they have that amount of energy level that developed from consuming the exact amount of nutrition their bodies require and exercise extensively to keep the energy level balanced. Moreover, sports nutrition plays the most prominent role in terms of limiting calorie and fat consumption and more focused on energy components consumption. Needless to say, studying and knowing more about sports nutrition will allow you to determine your strict diet plan more precisely.
- Increase Life-Expectancy
A Healthy and suitable amount of nutrition can extend your life expectancy to a great extent. None other than, sports nutrition has the most effective nutrition consumption rule. When you are aware of the Australian sports nutrition (ASN) guidelines and implement that in your daily life, you are more likely keeping the doctors away because sports nutrition guidelines are meant to develop and boost your immune system as well as mitigate the possibility of any kinds of internal diseases. So, ASN is the perfect choice if you want to stay healthy and live your life to the fullest.
