There are no prerequisites for the Nutrition Certification. But we always encourage preparing for a career in nutrition by familiarizing yourself with the many nutrition courses NASM has to offer. 

·         Chapter 1: Introduction to Performance Nutrition

Learn to differentiate performance nutrition from general nutrition strategies, and understand the profession of a Sports Nutrition Coach, the skills needed, and the populations they work with.

·         Chapter 2: Scope of Practice

Understand a Sports Nutrition Coach's scope of practice and professional expectations, and be able to determine when to refer athletes to another professional.

·         Chapter 3: Evidence-Informed Practice

Differentiate evidence-informed practice from evidence-based practice and determine high-quality sources of information.

·         Chapter 4: Understanding the Spectrum of Athletes and Performance

Learn to identify where athletes exist within the spectrum of athlete types, and understand needs based on physiological, sociological, cultural, and ethical factors.

110 Infographics

14 Videos

53 Knowledge Checks

1 Printable Handout

·         Chapter 5: Essentials of Metabolism

Explain aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, and be able to describe energy balance and related concepts.

·         Chapter 6: Energetics of Performance

Understand the difference between energy balance and energy availability, and determine fueling requirements for optimal performance.

18 Infographics

11 Videos

16 Knowledge Checks

·         Chapter 12: Periodization and Nutrient Timing

Describe appropriate periodization and nutrient-timing strategies to optimize adaptations to training, enhance recovery, and to ensure optimal performance.

·         Chapter 13: Body Composition

Explain the relationship between body composition, athlete type, and performance, and describe methods for assessing body composition.

·         Chapter 14: Recovery

Identify the three R’s of recovery and their relevance to performance nutrition, and explain the importance of recuperation for athletes.

·         Chapter 15: Supporting the Ill/Injured Athlete

Explain the various levels of appropriate support for illness and injury based on severity and determine when client referral is necessary.

·         Chapter 16: Supplementation

Assess the athlete’s need for supplementation using a thorough decision-making process.

·         Chapter 17: Performance Nutrition Assessment and Evaluation

Identify pre-appointment data gathering methods to determine athlete’s baseline status and select appropriate nutritional assessment methods specific to an athlete based on pre-appointment data.

·         Chapter 18: Fueling for the Work Required

Determine appropriate dietary and supplement strategies to optimize fuel supply, fuel stores, and fuel utilization.

·         Chapter 19: Coaching Process/Approach

Identify barriers to behavior change, specialist diets, and their influence on adaptations to training, recovery, and athletic performance, and apply appropriate levels of coaching.

Chapter 20: Programming

Evaluate all findings from an athlete's needs analysis and design a nutrition intervention which addresses optimal health and performance goals.

  After the completion of the course, you will take an online final exam from the comfort of your own home, or wherever you prefer to take tests. The test is 100, multiple-choice questions. You are allowed to go back and reference the course while taking the exam. The exam is timed and cannot exceed 90 minutes. To pass, you need a score of 70% or higher and you have up to 3 attempts to pass.

 The short answer, no. The longer answer is that while it may sound similar, a Nutritionist is very different from a Nutrition Coach. A Nutritionist is limited in what they can offer their clients. In contrast, as a Nutrition Coach, you’ll stay plugged in to current trends and diets to help clients work through their individual needs.

When you sign up to become a Nutrition Coach through NASM, you learn how to navigate nutrition needs through three unique yet equally important modules:

• Nutrition Science: From proteins to fats, energy balance to counting macros, get a comprehensive look at the scope of your practice as a nutrition leader.

• Behavior Change: Learn how to use motivation and communication to enhance the psychology behind how we eat.

• Nutrition Coaching: Put everything together to create a personalized course of action for your clients. Whether it’s weight loss or weight gain, bulking up or maintaining where they’re at, you now have the keys to nutritional success.

 NASM-CNC is approved for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by the following organizations:

1.9 CEUs

15 CEUs

3.0 CECs

10 CIMSPA Endorsed CPD Points

10 Learning Hours

 A Nutrition Coach works with a more general clientele to develop strategies that address issues like obesity, body composition, aging, and lifestyle approaches to disease management. A Sports Nutrition Coach digs a little deeper, working specifically with athletes to educate and provide coaching around performance nutrition within sports.

While these two roles differ in the audience they serve, they do work hand in hand to provide a well-rounded understanding of nutrition.

To that end, our CNC course sets down an effective foundation in nutrition to build from, helping through a fundamental understanding of how to serve clients’ nutrition needs. From there, our CSNC program takes what you learn throughout CNC and builds upon it to target a specific client base to focus on strategies that impact performance and recovery.

 Absolutely! You can complete the NASM Nutrition Certification while also working full-time. The study material is 100% online and self-paced, and can be accessed on a computer, or a mobile device such as a phone or tablet.

You can start anytime! Once you begin, you have one year to complete the course and take the final exam, which is more than enough time. On average, if you are studying 8-10 hours a week the course will likely take about 10 weeks to complete but can be completed in as few as 4 weeks.

 Renewal of the Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) is required every two years through completion of the CNC Renewal Exam. The CNC Renewal Exam will offer three exam attempts and will have an enrollment duration of 365 days. The CNC Renewal Exam will recertify the credential for another two years from the new completion date.