How to Become a Sports Nutritionist: All You Need to Know

Published on: February 14, 2024

Sports nutritionist talking to a client.

It's no secret that there's a strong link between an athlete's diet and nutrition and their performance. With proper nutrition, athletes can reach their full potential and even reduce their risk of injury. So, who do athletes turn to for help in determining the diet and nutrition plan that's right for them? A sports nutritionist.

If you're interested in sports and the connection between athletic performance and diet, a career as a sports nutritionist may be right up your alley. With a better understanding of what this career entails and how to become a sports nutritionist, you can determine whether this path aligns with your own interests and professional goals.

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What Is Sports Nutrition?

Sports nutrition refers to the study of how an athlete's diet can affect their athletic performance. This involves not only understanding an athlete's dietary and nutrition needs but also creating a plan or regimen they can follow to maximize performance.

Additionally, while sports nutrition is largely concerned with what an athlete consumes, it is focused on other factors that include the timing of meals, coordination of meals with workouts and exercise plus other aspects of their lifestyle.

What Do Sports Nutritionists Do?

Sports nutritionists are trained and knowledgeable professionals who provide nutrition counseling and plans for athletes. Typically, these athletes have specific performance goals and benchmarks they aim to reach.

The job of a sports nutritionist, then, is to consult with these athletes and gain a better understanding of their goals, lifestyles and current diet or nutritional habits. From there, sports nutritionists come up with customized nutrition plans athletes can follow to achieve their goals, optimize performance and reduce their risk of injury.

Oftentimes, a sports nutritionist is also a registered dietitian, though this is not always the case. Regardless, sports nutritionists may collaborate or work alongside other professionals, too—including physicians, support staff and coaches.

How to Become a Sports Nutritionist

If being a sports nutritionist sounds appealing to you, you might be wondering where to begin. Although the exact path to sports nutrition jobs can vary depending on the exact type of role in which you're interested, there are a few general steps all aspiring sports nutritionists should follow.

Earn a Degree

In general, sports nutritionists should have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in exercise science, sports nutrition, exercise physiology or a related field. This type of degree program can offer aspiring sports nutritionists the foundational knowledge and understanding needed to work in the field.

Ideally, a degree program will cover such important topics as:

Food science
Dietetics
Sports nutrition
Physiology
Kinesiology

Obtain Necessary Certification

While the field of sports nutrition is not federally regulated, it is still wise for those interested in working as sports nutritionists to obtain additional certification or licensing where applicable. Many sports nutritionists have received their board certification as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). To obtain this certification, students must take and pass an exam and meet other eligibility requirements.

In addition to CSSD, there are other certifications you may want to pursue in order to set yourself apart in the field. Some common certifications for sports nutritionists include:

Certified Sports Nutrition Coach (NASM)
Certified Sports Nutritionist (International Society of Sports Nutrition)
ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist (American Council on Exercise)

If you decide to pursue any of these certifications, keep in mind that most require you to renew your certification every so often. This may mean you need to pay additional fees, complete continuing education credits or retake exams to keep your certification active.

Gain Practical Experience

Even once you have a formal degree and certification under your belt, nothing prepares you to work in the field as much as practical experience. One of the best ways to gain real-world experience in sports nutrition is to volunteer. Your local gym, sports club or other athletic center may be seeking upcoming or recent graduates to help create nutrition programs or assist with related tasks. Depending on where you go to school, internship programs may also be available.

In addition, some facilities that hire sports nutritionists will provide their own on-the-job training, where new hires learn about the specific guidelines and standards used as well as how to use facility tools and equipment.

Where Do Sports Nutritionists Work?

One of the great things about serving as a sports nutritionist is that your work can take you just about anywhere. Some sports nutritionists work specifically for sports physician offices, offering specialized guidance to athletes who need their care. Other times, sports nutritionists may be hired directly by sports teams or sports leagues.

Sports nutritionists can also be hired by hospitals, medical clinics and government facilities. In some cases, an experienced sports nutritionist may even decide to open their own private practice.

Job Outlook for Sports Nutritionists

According to United States Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the job outlook for dietitians and nutritionists is promising—projected to grow 7% between 2022 and 2032 alone—with a median pay of $66,450 per year as of 2022. As more people continue to acknowledge and understand the link between diet and athletic performance, more athletes have begun seeking out professional guidance in optimizing their own diet and nutrition.

Tips for Finding a Sports Nutritionist Job

There is no shortage of nutritionist and dietitian jobs out there, with the latest BLS data estimating that there were more than 78,000 of these jobs in the U.S. alone in 2022.

How can you go about finding your first job as a sports nutritionist? You need not wait until you've completed your bachelor's degree and obtained your certification to get the ball rolling. In fact, it's never too early to start networking and putting yourself out there.

For example, consider attending sports nutrition and exercise conferences or other industry events while you're still in school. This can be an excellent way to start networking with industry professionals and making valuable connections that may lead to work opportunities down the road.

Meanwhile, building your own personal brand on social media (especially on professional networking sites like LinkedIn) could make it easier for you to find a job once you finish school. In the meantime, volunteering at a local gym or sports medicine office can provide you with valuable skills and insights that may translate into work later on.

Take the First Step Toward Becoming a Sports Nutritionist With Husson University

Working as a sports nutritionist can be a challenging yet rewarding career, particularly for those who are genuinely interested in how diet and nutrition affect the human body and athletic performance.

If you're looking for a degree program to help you work toward your dream job as a sports nutritionist, Husson University’s online Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Health can be a great starting point. Learn more about this and other programs by reaching out to request information today!