Nutrition and Weight Management
Nutrition and Weight Management
This domain tests energy nutrients, hydration, energy balance, body-composition concepts, and safe weight-management messages. Expect calculations and interpretation of nutrition claims.
Core rules
- Carbohydrate and protein provide about 4 kcal/g; fat about 9 kcal/g; alcohol about 7 kcal/g. Water has no calories.
- Energy balance: weight changes when intake and expenditure differ over time. A deficit of about 500 kcal/day is often used to estimate roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) fat loss per week, but real change varies.
- Carbohydrate is the main fuel for high-intensity exercise. General athlete guidance often uses 5–7 g/kg/day for moderate training, increasing with duration/intensity; individual needs vary.
- Protein needs rise with training but are usually met by balanced diets; excess protein is not automatically muscle.
- Hydration: drink before, during, and after activity; weigh-in/weigh-out can guide replacement. Rapid weight loss, dehydration, and extreme cut diets are unsafe.
Worked example
A 60 kg student athlete trains 90 minutes daily. Using 5–7 g/kg/day, carbohydrate needs are about 300–420 g/day. At 4 kcal/g, that is 1,200–1,680 kcal from carbohydrate. The teacher does not prescribe a diet; the student logs meals and identifies a lack of breakfast and low fluid intake. The plan adds a balanced breakfast and water bottle, then reviews energy balance, rather than recommending supplements.
Traps
Do not equate low-fat with low-calorie. Do not use BMI as a direct measure of body fat or fitness. Do not promise a fixed weekly loss for everyone. Do not recommend dehydration for weight-class sports. Refer suspected disordered eating to qualified professionals.