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Think You Can be an Elite Athlete Without Proper Nutrition? Think Again.

Hi all! Welcome to my first blog post! I want to clear up any confusion you may have in regards to Registered Dietitians and how they play a critical role in athletic performance. RD and CSSD may be foreign credentials to you at this point but by the end of this post you will have a better understanding of how important these professionals are.

 

Nutritionist? Registered Dietitian? What's the difference??


There's a HUGE difference. People tend to make the common mistake of using these terms interchangeably and that is not the case. Very simply the title Nutritionist is not regulated, meaning anyone (and I mean anyone) can call themselves a Nutritionist. However, there are more formal titles such as Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). Professionals looking to become a CNS are required to have an advanced degree along with practical experience before taking their certification exam. Nutritionists who pass this test may then refer to themselves as a CNS, which is a protected title.

Registered Dietitians (aka RDs) are required to earn a Bachelors degree from an ACEND-approved program. Dietetic students are then required to apply for an ACEND-approved internship and complete at least 1200 hours of supervised practice in dietetics. Upon successful completion of this internship dietetic students must pass the CDR registration examination. After passing this exam these professionals can put the letters RD next to their name. Once this credential is achieved, RDs are required to complete continuing education credits needed to maintain registration. In 2024 all RDs will be required to earn a Masters degree as well.


I also want to be clear that not all dietitians are sports dietitians. For athletes it's even more important to make sure you are working with a sports dietitian with the credentials CSSD. CSSD stands for Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. Initial certification requires documentation of 2,000 hours of sports dietetics experience as an RD within the past five years. These professionals are also required to complete continuing education hours. Sports dietitians are the experts when is comes to performance nutrition and providing nutrition recommendations to athletes.


Unfortunately, not all athletes realize how vital nutrition is to their sport. Training and nutrition go hand in hand and you cannot perform optimally without BOTH.

Want to gain muscle mass? Cut fat mass? Reduce fatigue? Increase performance during training? Reduce the likelihood of injury? Increase recovery time? All of these goals can be achieved with a combination of strategies and nutrition will always be a key component.

Athletic programs at every level of competition will best serve their athletes when employing the services of a sports dietitian. Dietitians make recommendations that are EVIDENCED BASED and BACKED BY SCIENCE! SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK...I cannot stress how important this is. Sports dietitians are credible practitioners who stay ahead of the curve on applied performance nutrition strategies. RDs help to enhance performance, aid in recovery, and can make sound recommendations in regards to food and dietary supplements.


Sports dietitians work with athletes at all levels, from high school to college, and all the way up to the professional level. Some sports dietitians may specialize in a particular sport or sports but are generally knowledgeable in all types of activity. I encourage all coaches, trainers, and athletes to utilize the services of a sports dietitian. Hopefully this answered any questions you may have had on this topic! Thanks for reading!

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