A: It’s a three-step process.
First, you need to build a bridge with the contacts that you already have. What sports have you worked with? What people do you know? What sport does your child or your niece or nephew play? And work that. Build a bridge and start connecting in the sports medicine, strength conditioning, and athletic training space to work on partnership or collaboration opportunities.
Second, get yourself in the right room. It’s all about knowing the right people. You can be a genius in sports nutrition, but if you don’t know the right people, you’ll likely not be able to advance to where you want to go. That might be attending conferences, networking events, and even getting into the right Facebook groups. Getting in the right room is key.
Third, build a growth plan. It is important to have short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals and to check in on whether they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-driven). Creating a plan with measurable steps will help give you a road map to get you where you want to go.

A: The best part of the sports nutrition world is that it is growing and that will continue. While so many young and aspiring sports dietitians think only about working with college and professional sports and athletes, I would argue there are LOTS more growing opportunities in three different areas:

1. High School Sports – High school sports is a mecca land of opportunity. There are hundreds of thousands of athletes all over the country that play school sports, as well as club and select sports. Whether in private practice, or working with a local school in your area, this is a huge opportunity to work with teams, food service, and individual athletes.
   One of my personal career goals, through my RD Internship, is to create opportunities for sports dietitians to work with school districts and individual schools. High schools are by far the most underserved population group in sports nutrition. Check out this interview I did with Shark Tank’s Kevin Harringon and American Entrepreneur on this topic.
2. Fitness Nutrition – While sports nutrition assumes working with athletes, have you looked around at how many recreational athletes there are? From gyms to running clubs, to triathletes, fitness nutrition is a huge opportunity for budding sports dietitians that want to get experience working with active people.
   Consider volunteering to give a talk at your local gym, running club, or similar and then
   Provide an opportunity for attendees to purchase additional services. Be sure to bring your business card, contact information, or have a QR code available for attendees to scan.
3. E-sports – The emergence of specialized nutrition products and plans for e-sports athletes is a new and growing field. As e-sports has gained immense popularity worldwide, there is a growing recognition of the importance of nutrition in enhancing the performance and well-being of esports athletes. Nutrition plays a crucial role in optimizing cognitive function, sustained energy levels, and overall health, factors that are vital for success in the demanding and competitive e-sports environment. Career opportunities in esports nutrition include roles such as esports nutritionists or dietitians who design personalized nutrition plans for players, focusing on energy management, cognitive enhancement, and recovery strategies.

A: My bachelor’s degree is actually in speech communications as I had no idea what I wanted to do, but was always good at memorizing, giving presentations, and being front and center on a stage. I figured you could do that in any field, so I pursued that career path. However, I always had a personal love for exercise and nutrition, so I took a nutrition class, became a group exercise instructor (called aerobics then), a personal trainer, and made my minor in college exercise physiology. As I took those classes, my love for fitness and nutrition grew and I learned about an exercise and sports nutrition graduate program at Texas Woman’s University, just up the road from TCU in Denton, TX. I went to a meeting and walked out knowing I wanted to be a sports dietitian, but oh the path that was ahead.

The goal of becoming a sports dietitian meant finishing my communications degree while taking two nutrition electives, then starting three more years of school to take all the necessary undergraduate nutrition courses (let’s not forget chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology to start!) to be a registered dietitian, all the hours a masters degree in exercise and sports nutrition (basically a double masters with the hours), and a full-time, non-paid 1000 hour, accredited dietetic internship. All this to sit for an exam to become a registered dietitian with an emphasis in sports nutrition.

Little did I know that as hard as it was, that journey would launch my career faster than I could blink my eyes. I worked as a dietitian for Lifetime Fitness as I finished graduate school and then got recommended for a job at a sports medicine facility, which was a part of a major hospital system to be the sports dietitian at my alma mater, TCU. From there, the opportunities came. My roommate worked with a strength coach that was working with one of the top young PGA Tour players in the country, the TCU Baseball athletic trainer recommended me to the Texas Rangers MLB team, I was recommended to work with a high school runner whose dad was the assistant head athletic trainer for the Dallas Cowboys, and opportunity after opportunity came. I would say my consistent “YES!”, and my faith that anything can happen, is what opened door after door. I was able to stand on stages to talk about sports nutrition and utilize my first passion and love for communications, and that opened the door for me to work with brands and do nutrition media. My motto was, “I’m going to say YES to everything so that one day I can say NO to what I want.”

So, with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in exercise and sports nutrition, I was able to marry my two passions together to provide quality, science-based nutrition information to consumers and athletes everywhere through speaking, media, writing, and consulting. Eighteen plus years later, with my own business doing what I love, I would say it’s the career of my dreams and I would have it no other way, the good, the bad, the hard…all of it was totally worth it.

A: For me, the sports I loved working with the most are the ones that worked with me the most. The more time I spent with a team, the more I knew them, the more they knew me, and ultimately the more I could help. I learned very quickly that presence was everything, and the more I could be present with teams I worked with, the more impact I could have. I also learned that the more you are around a sport, the more you know about how that sport operates, what their schedule is like, what the obstacles and challenges are, what the players like, etc. I think one key to successfully working with teams is knowing a lot about that team.

Of all the teams I have worked with, the Dallas Cowboys is the team where I was the most involved day in and day out. Because I was with those players almost every day, lived at training camp with them, traveled periodically with them, went to the team hotel, etc., I knew how everything operated, and that made me more impactful working with the team at large as well as each individual player. The more present I was, the more I knew, so the more of an expert I was with that team and those players.

A: It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the science. Staying current with the latest research and developments in sports nutrition requires a proactive approach due to the dynamic nature of the field. There are a few strategies that can help make it easier:

• Subscribe to reputable journals: Journals such as the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Sports Medicine, and the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics regularly publish research in sports nutrition. Subscribing to these journals or accessing them through academic institutions can provide you with up-to-date information.
• Follow professional organizations: Joining and following professional organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), and the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) can give you access to conferences, webinars, and publications that discuss the latest research in sports nutrition.
• Attend conferences and workshops: Conferences and workshops are excellent opportunities to hear about the latest research directly from experts in the field. CPSDA and SHPN annual conferences are sports nutrition specific and will provide updates to the science and trends we are seeing in the industry. Other events like the ISSN Annual Conference, ACSM Annual Meeting, and AND's Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) often feature presentations and discussions on sports nutrition.
• Engage with online platforms: Social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and ResearchGate can be valuable for staying updated. Follow researchers, practitioners, and organizations in sports nutrition to get real-time updates on new studies, trends, and discussions in the field. Sports nutrition organizations like CPSDA also provide monthly research updates to make it easier for busy professionals to stay abreast of the latest science.
• Read blogs and reputable websites: Several reputable blogs and websites focus on sports nutrition and regularly publish articles summarizing and discussing the latest research findings. Examples include Precision Nutrition, Examine.com, Healthline.com, and the Sports Dietitians Australia website.
• Participate in online courses and webinars: Many organizations, institutions, and sports dietitians offer online courses and webinars on sports nutrition topics. These can be a convenient way to learn about the latest research findings and practical applications from experts in the field. Check out our mastermind and on demand courses, The Sports Nutrition Playbook for Professionals.
• Network with peers: Engage with other professionals in the sports nutrition field through networking events, online forums, and professional groups. Sharing insights and discussing research findings with peers can help you stay informed about emerging trends and developments. And online, follow listserv topics and conversations to hear discussions on sports nutrition science and the application of it to athletes and teams.
• Consult with experts: Collaborating with registered dietitians, sports nutritionists, and researchers who specialize in sports nutrition can provide valuable insights and help you stay updated on the latest research and developments in the field. I find a lot of value from connecting and communicating with strength coaches and athletic trainers as well.

A: Sports nutrition is interesting in that you have to know the science to work with athletes and understand all the nitty gritty details to benefit health, performance, and recovery, but the real skill is knowing what level to apply the science at with specific athletes or sports. Many times what’s ideal and what’s realistic are not the same, and as a sports dietitian you have to balance the two to create the best scenario possible. The key is the application of the science.

For example, if I am working one-on-one with a type A endurance athlete, I might teach him/her how to calculate hydration down to mL/kg of body weight. Many of these athletes are interested in the fine-tuned details to enhance performance. On the other hand, if I am working with a football team of 80 guys, I am likely going to teach them to weigh pre and post-exercise and drink 16 oz of fluid, or a “bottle”, for every pound lost, then watch their urine color and keep hydrating until it’s pale yellow to clear. In both cases, I am applying the science, but at a level that is understandable and applicable to that specific athlete.

How do you learn this? Experience. Working with various athletes of various types of sports will help you learn HOW to apply the science. You can also learn from sports dietitians and mentors who have been at their craft for longer than you. Their experiences can help you get there faster and become more skilled at applying nitty gritty science to the world of sports.

Subscribe to reputable journals: Journals such as the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Sports Medicine, and the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics regularly publish research in sports nutrition. Subscribing to these journals or accessing them through academic institutions can provide you with up-to-date information.

Follow professional organizations: Joining and following professional organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), and the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) can give you access to conferences, webinars, and publications that discuss the latest research in sports nutrition.

Attend conferences and workshops: Conferences and workshops are excellent opportunities to hear about the latest research directly from experts in the field. CPSDA and SHPN annual conferences are sports nutrition specific and will provide updates to the science and trends we are seeing in the industry. Other events like the ISSN Annual Conference, ACSM Annual Meeting, and AND's Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) often feature presentations and discussions on sports nutrition.

Engage with online platforms: Social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and ResearchGate can be valuable for staying updated. Follow researchers, practitioners, and organizations in sports nutrition to get real-time updates on new studies, trends, and discussions in the field. Sports nutrition organizations like CPSDA also provide monthly research updates to make it easier for busy professionals to stay abreast of the latest science.

Read blogs and reputable websites: Several reputable blogs and websites focus on sports nutrition and regularly publish articles summarizing and discussing the latest research findings. Examples include Precision Nutrition, Examine.com, Healthline,com, and the Sports Dietitians Australia website.

Participate in online courses and webinars: Many organizations, institutions, and sports dietitians offer online courses and webinars on sports nutrition topics. These can be a convenient way to learn about the latest research findings and practical applications from experts in the field. Check out our mastermind and on demand courses, The Sports Nutrition Playbook for Professionals.

Network with peers: Engage with other professionals in the sports nutrition field through networking events, online forums, and professional groups. Sharing insights and discussing research findings with peers can help you stay informed about emerging trends and developments. And online, follow listserv topics and conversations to hear discussions on sports nutrition science and the application of it to athletes and teams.

Consult with experts: Collaborating with registered dietitians, sports nutritionists, and researchers who specialize in sports nutrition can provide valuable insights and help you stay updated on the latest research and developments in the field. I find a lot of value from connecting and communicating with strength coaches and athletic trainers as well.

A: One of the top questions I get asked is, “How do I become a CSSD?” So, let’s start with the basic requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

• Initial Certification
  • Current Registered Dietitian status with CDR
  • Maintenance of the RD status, for a minimum of two years from the original RD examination date
  • Documentation of 2,000 hours of sports dietetics practice experience as an RD within the past five years
• Recertification
  • Current Registered Dietitian status with CDR
  • Maintenance of the RD status, for a minimum of two years from the original RD examination date
  • Documentation of 1,500 hours of sports dietetics practice experience as an RD within the past five years

3 categories of experiences count towards obtaining CSSD hours:

• Specialty Practice Hours
• Professional Experiences
• Education

Note that the categories of Professional Experiences and Education (combined) can only account for a total of 500 hours for initial certification or recertification.

So, how do you get those specialty practice hours if you don’t actually work in sports nutrition? To start, the good news is there are a variety of ways to accumulate hours even if you don’t work specifically for a team. I have created a guide with all the details as to what counts:

Steps to Becoming a CSSD

From speaking at local gyms and your nephew’s soccer teams to seeing fitness clients, you can start accumulating hours today! There are also a variety of opportunities you can apply for like the CPSDA and Gatorade Sports Nutrition Immersion Program (SNIP), the My Sports Dietitian Internship Program, and I have The Sports Nutrition Playbook RD Internship that is one year in length. My program offers you the education via an on demand course that provides 40 CPEs, group coaching, and the ability to work virtually with high schools in my sports nutrition program.

The key is to start! Start anywhere you can and be sure to track your hours in a spreadsheet so they are easy to access when time to take the CSSD Exam.