Fitness Nutrition Specialist at Fit Singapore

FiT Student Blog

As a student who is currently studying nutrition in school, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the correlation between fitness and nutrition. How to adhere to a diet during the fat loss phase? How much protein to consume during a bulking phase? Therefore, I decided to attend Fitness Nutrition Specialist Course organised by FIT Singapore, conducted by Ee Ling from FIT Malaysia.

Nutrition has a broad spectrum. There is clinical nutrition, general nutrition etc and this course particularly focuses on nutrition for fitness and how a trainer can apply the knowledge learnt directly to their clients. Nutrition is the key to any fitness goals. One may be pushing their limits in the gym but if their nutrition is not right, achieving their fitness goals may be difficult. Regardless whether it’s fat loss, muscle gain or to improve general health, nutrition definitely plays a significant role in helping us to achieve these goals.

An overview of the course

On the first day, Ee Ling introduced the 3 different types of macronutrients and their functions in the human body. Timing, portion and types of each macronutrient were also covered in the course, alongside popular topics in the fitness industry such as fitness supplements and popular diets. Additionally, Ee Ling gave the class some nutrition coaching cues, helping their clients to achieve their goals through adjusting their nutrition. During group discussions were given the task to evaluate the macronutrients of one person’s diet via case studies and share with the rest of the class. Through this exercise, we learnt how to adjust the total calorie intake and macronutrients according to our clients fitness goals. For example, if we learned that one of our team-mates’ diet was lacking in protein and his goal is to gain muscle mass, what would we recommend to him as some sustainable changes? Changing his foods selection or adding supplements. I believe this exercise forced us to think out of the box and placed trainers in a real-life situation with coaching clients’ nutrition.

On the second day the class went to Cold Storage and explored the different types of foods readily available on the selves. We compared food labels and found alternative choices which allowed us to include a variety of food and nutrients in our diets. Interestingly, we compared two different yogurts of the same brand, one is labelled as the ‘low fat’ and the other was the original version. To our surprise, the ‘low fat’ option has a higher sugar content. Therefore, I found this experience beneficial as we better understand the food that we are consuming and be more highly intuitive of our food selections. Trainers were also more mindful of a plethora variety of food products and with this, better equipped in coaching their clients’ nutrition.

After attending this 2-day course, I will use the knowledge acquired in my daily life and training. As a fitness enthusiast, I would always think of ways to optimise my performance in the gym. With the knowledge that I attained, I know how to properly plan my meal timings for optimal performance in the gym and this course has also given me a big picture of macronutrients, which I can use to plan my meals (Glycemic index, essential amino acids etc).

In my opinion, trainers who attend this course will be better equip to educate their clients on the importance of good nutrition. Trainers can suggest a number of strategies to improve their eating habits and teach them the varied benefits of the different macronutrients. Also, trainers can inform clients about evidence-based supplements so they are aware of the different kinds of supplements and their purpose. The fitness supplement market is a multi-billion industry and there are many kinds of supplements in the market, sometimes making this process rather overwhelming. Are all the supplements effective? Or are we just throwing money down the drain? All the knowledge gained for this course I feel is paramount for trainers to educate their clients and help them achieve optimal results.


Ee-ling will be back at Fit Singapore to teach the *NEW* Fat Loss Coach Course on 20th & 21st November 2018, learn more and sign up online here