CCN study plan

Map every assessment tool in Domain 1 (anthropometrics, biochemical panels, clinical signs, dietary intake methods, and functional/body-composition measures) into a single comparison table with the parameter each tool captures and its main limitation

Explain how to select and interpret anthropometric indices such as BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and skinfold-derived body fat estimates, including which populations make each index misleading

Interpret a standard nutrition-focused biochemical panel (albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, CRP, ferritin, B12, folate, 25-OH vitamin D, HbA1c) and state how inflammation shifts each marker

Differentiate the major dietary intake methods (24-hour recall, food frequency questionnaire, food record, weighed intake) by accuracy, respondent burden, and recall bias

Identify physical signs of micronutrient deficiency on exam-style descriptions (e.g., koilonychia, angular stomatitis, Bitot spots, glossitis) and link each to the deficient nutrient

Apply the nutrition care process sequence (assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring/evaluation) to three written case vignettes and write a PES-format nutrition diagnosis statement for each

Calculate energy and protein needs for a healthy adult, an obese adult, and a stressed or critically ill adult using at least two predictive equations each and explain the divergence between results

Compute nitrogen balance and interpret its direction and magnitude in a catabolic versus anabolic scenario

Distinguish malnutrition screening tools (MUST, NRS-2002, MST, MNA) by setting, scoring, and cutoff, and choose the correct tool for a given care setting

Interpret indirect calorimetry outputs, including respiratory quotient and substrate oxidation, and state when measured rather than predicted energy expenditure is preferred

Trace carbohydrate digestion, absorption, and glycemic regulation from lumen to portal circulation, naming the transporters and enzymes at each step

Explain insulin and glucagon signaling cascades and how hepatic glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, and lipogenesis are switched on or off by hormonal state

Describe fatty acid oxidation, ketogenesis, and lipoprotein trafficking (chylomicron, VLDL, LDL, HDL) including the apolipoproteins and receptors that govern each particle

Map amino acid transamination, deamination, the urea cycle, and the fate of carbon skeletons into glucogenic versus ketogenic pathways

Explain how the fed, fasted, and prolonged-starvation states redistribute macronutrient flux and what happens to protein sparing over time

Describe the pathways and cofactor roles of the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate, B12) and predict the biochemical consequence of each deficiency

Explain one-carbon metabolism and the folate-B12-methionine cycle, including why folate supplementation can mask B12 deficiency neuropathy

Detail vitamin D synthesis, hydroxylation, and nuclear receptor action, and link each step to a clinical measurement or deficiency sign

Explain the roles of vitamins A, E, and K in vision, antioxidant defense, and coagulation respectively, and name the biochemical marker used to assess each

Describe mineral regulation for iron, calcium, and zinc, including the transport proteins, storage forms, and regulatory hormones involved

Translate a patient's readiness-to-change stage into specific counseling strategies and write sample dialogue for precontemplation, contemplation, and action stages

Apply motivational interviewing techniques (open questions, affirmations, reflective listening, summarizing) to a written counseling transcript and annotate each technique used

Design a SMART behavior-change goal for three different patients and justify the specificity against each patient's stated barrier

Describe the evidence-based dietary patterns (Mediterranean, DASH, plant-based, low-carbohydrate) by macronutrient composition, target population, and outcome evidence

Explain the role of sleep, physical activity, and stress in weight and metabolic outcomes, and state the recommended activity volume for adults

Explain how lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol, sleep debt, physical inactivity, chronic stress) impair tissue repair and recovery, and identify the physiological mechanism behind each

Describe the phases of wound healing (hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, remodeling) and list the nutrients required at each phase

Identify the nutrient substrates and cofactors needed for collagen synthesis, immune cell function, and epithelial regeneration

Apply lifestyle-modification recommendations to a wound-recovery or post-surgical scenario and justify each recommendation with a mechanism

Evaluate the evidence for exercise and dietary interventions in improving recovery outcomes, and state the strength of that evidence

Classify dietary supplements by regulatory category and explain how the regulatory framework differs from that for drugs, including labeling and adverse-event reporting requirements

Describe the evidence base for the most commonly used supplements (multivitamin, omega-3, vitamin D, probiotics, protein powder, creatine) and state which populations have demonstrated benefit

Identify supplement-drug interactions and contraindications, including the mechanisms behind each interaction

Evaluate supplement quality, third-party testing, and dose-form considerations, and explain how to choose a product for a specific patient

Apply the risk-benefit framework to a supplement request in a case scenario and write a defensible recommendation

Synthesize all five domains into a one-page concept map showing how assessment findings drive lifestyle, supplementation, and regenerative recommendations

Complete a full-length timed practice exam under test conditions and score it by domain to identify residual weak areas

Re-review the three lowest-scoring domain areas using the week 1-7 deliverables as reference

Write a one-page summary sheet of the highest-yield calculations, cutoffs, and pathway landmarks for final review

State a test-day time-allocation strategy and a plan for handling calculation and multi-step questions