NSCA-CPT Nutrition and Weight Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the BEST pre-workout meal timing recommendation for a client performing an afternoon training session?
- 5–6 hours before, high-fat meal
- 3–4 hours before, balanced mixed meal (Correct answer)
- 30 minutes before, high-protein meal
- Immediately before, large carbohydrate meal
Correct answer: 3–4 hours before, balanced mixed meal
A balanced mixed meal 3–4 hours before exercise allows adequate digestion while providing sustained energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Question 2: Which condition is characterized by chronically low energy availability resulting in hormonal disruption and decreased bone density in female athletes?
- Anorexia athletica
- Female Athlete Triad (Correct answer)
- Bulimia nervosa
- Iron-deficiency anemia
Correct answer: Female Athlete Triad
The Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome involving low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density.
Question 3: A personal trainer notices a client rapidly losing weight, appears fatigued, and has poor recovery. What is the MOST likely nutritional issue?
- Excessive carbohydrate intake
- Insufficient caloric intake (Correct answer)
- Too much dietary fat
- Excessive water consumption
Correct answer: Insufficient caloric intake
Rapid weight loss combined with fatigue and poor recovery strongly suggests insufficient total caloric intake to support training demands.
Question 4: What is the recommended carbohydrate intake (g/kg/day) for an athlete training 1–3 hours per day at moderate-to-high intensity?
- 1–3 g/kg/day
- 3–5 g/kg/day
- 6–10 g/kg/day (Correct answer)
- 11–14 g/kg/day
Correct answer: 6–10 g/kg/day
Athletes training 1–3 hours daily at moderate-to-high intensity require 6–10 g/kg/day of carbohydrate to sustain performance and glycogen stores.
Question 5: Which of the following ergogenic aids is classified by the NSCA as having the strongest evidence for improving high-intensity exercise performance?
- HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate)
- Creatine monohydrate (Correct answer)
- Branched-chain amino acids
- Glutamine
Correct answer: Creatine monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate has the most robust evidence base for enhancing high-intensity, short-duration exercise performance by replenishing PCr stores.
Question 6: How much water should a client drink during exercise to prevent dehydration, per NSCA general guidelines?
- 1–2 oz every 30 minutes
- 3–8 oz every 10–20 minutes (Correct answer)
- 16–20 oz every hour
- Drink only when thirsty
Correct answer: 3–8 oz every 10–20 minutes
The NSCA recommends drinking 3–8 oz of fluid every 10–20 minutes during exercise to maintain hydration and performance.
NSCA-CPT Nutrition and Weight Management 2
What is the BEST pre-workout meal timing recommendation for a client performing an afternoon training session?