FSHP Academy
Sports Nutrition — all lessons

Module 1: Foundations of Sports Nutrition

Energy systems and metabolism for nutritionMacronutrients and athletic performanceMicronutrients and hydration essentials

Module 2: Nutrition for Training & Competition

Pre-, intra- and post-workout nutrition strategiesFuelling for endurance vs strength/power sportsCompetition-day meal planning

Module 3: Body Composition & Weight Management

Balancing muscle gain and fat lossSafe weight-cutting practices for athletesNutrition for injury prevention and recoveryEnergy availability and RED-S

Module 4: Supplements & Ergogenic Aids

Evidence-based supplements (creatine, caffeine and others)Avoiding banned substances and doping risks

Module 5: Practical Applications

Creating individualised nutrition plansSports nutrition case studies

Creating individualised nutrition plans

A step-by-step process for building individual athlete nutrition plans — assessment, needs calculation, food-based planning, cultural fit, monitoring and referral.

Professional Evidence: Established consensus 3 min read Reviewed 2026-10-31 Status: draft

Learning objectives

  • Conduct a structured nutrition assessment within scope
  • Calculate energy and macronutrient targets from training load
  • Translate targets into culturally appropriate meals
  • Monitor, adjust and refer appropriately

Before this lesson

Why this matters

Population guidelines become useful only when turned into an individual plan someone can actually follow.

A step-by-step process

  1. Assess: goals, sport, training schedule, body mass/composition, current diet (24-h recall or food diary), preferences, culture, budget, cooking skills, health conditions, supplements.
  2. Calculate: energy needs; carbohydrate by training load; protein ~1.2–2.0 g/kg; fat to complete energy [thomas2016] [jager2017].
  3. Periodise: high, moderate and low days.
  4. Translate to food: meal times around training; familiar foods; regional options.
  5. Educate: portion guides, snack lists, hydration.
  6. Monitor: training quality, body mass trends, wellbeing, illness, menstrual function.
  7. Review and adjust every 2–4 weeks.
  8. Refer when medical or psychological needs exceed scope.

Translating targets — example (68 kg vegetarian cricketer, training day)

MealExample
BreakfastMoong dal chilla, curd, fruit
Pre-trainingBanana, peanut chikki
Post-trainingPaneer roll, milk
LunchRice, rajma, vegetables, salad
SnackSprouts chaat, buttermilk
DinnerRotis, tofu/paneer curry, dal, vegetables

Use national nutrient references (e.g., ICMR-NIN) for micronutrients [icmr2020].

Common mistakes and misconceptions

Case study

A 16-year-old swimmer trains twice daily. After assessment, the coach works with a dietitian to add a pre-dawn snack and a post-school meal. Energy, mood and training times improve, and the family receives a simple shopping list.

Further learning: video lessons

Video links are only marked “verified” after a human has watched them. Unverified entries open a YouTube search for that channel and topic rather than a guessed link.

Practical demo needs verification — opens a YouTube search

Building an athlete meal plan

sports dietitians (search)

You will understand: from targets to meals

Why: Practical process.
Technical needs verification — opens a YouTube search

Vegetarian sports nutrition

sports nutrition educators (search)

You will understand: meeting needs on vegetarian diets

Why: Relevant for many athletes in India.

Knowledge check

Knowledge check · 0/5

1. The first step in building a nutrition plan is…

Answer B. Assessment guides everything else.

2. Why translate grams into meals?

Answer B. Food-based guidance is easier to follow.

3. Which client should be referred to a registered dietitian?

Answer B. Medical nutrition therapy and eating disorders need specialists.

4. A useful monitoring marker for an endurance athlete is…

Answer B. Multiple markers give a fuller picture.

5. Cultural and religious practices (e.g., vegetarianism, fasting) should be…

Answer B. Plans must fit the person’s life.

Short-answer & application questions

  1. Build a full-day plan for a 68 kg vegetarian cricketer on a training day.
  2. Adapt a plan for an athlete observing a religious fast.
  3. Create a monitoring checklist for weekly reviews.

Key takeaways

  • Start with assessment: goals, training load, current intake, preferences, culture, budget and health status.
  • Calculate targets per kg of body mass and periodise across the training week.
  • Translate numbers into familiar foods and simple meal structures.
  • Monitor outcomes (performance, body composition, wellbeing) and refer complex cases.

Connected topics

sports nutrition

Sports nutrition case studies

lifestyle nutrition

Weight-loss diet planning

personal training

Role and scope of practice for personal trainers

This is the canonical lesson for: Lifestyle Nutrition → Supplements & Practical Applications

References

  1. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM (2016). American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3):543–568. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852 Position stand check pending
  2. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8 Position stand check pending
  3. ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition (2020). Nutrient Requirements for Indians: Recommended Dietary Allowances and Estimated Average Requirements. ICMR-NIN, Hyderabad. Guideline check pending

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis or treatment.