MODULE & LECTURE
DESCRIPTIONS
Module 1 | Introduction to Evidence-Based Learning
& Practice
This module has been designed to partner with the Fundamentals of Nutrition
(Module 2) to provide the underpinning knowledge and thought processes
that are required to move past simple knowledge acquisition and onto
wisdom and knowledge synthesis.
The term evidence-based does not mean solely relying on academic research;
being an evidence-based practitioner means understanding the research and
then being able to contextualise it in your practice by combining it
appropriately with experience.
Lecture 1.1 – Welcome Lecture & Introduction to MNU
The underlying principles of MNU
o Wisdom, Confidence & Integrity
Understanding the course structure and the benefits of MNU
Being part of an evidence-based community & the support you will
receive
o Student Support Group, The Mac-Nutrition Mentoring Lab,
Help Hub, MNU tutors & the MNU team
Lecture 1.2 - Understanding a Truly Evidence-Based Approach
Defining evidence-based practice & exploring its pros and cons
The art of critical thinking to evaluate research, experience and
application
The balance between “too” evidence-based and non-evidence-
based
Being aware of personal biases and identifying research biases
Lecture 1.3 - Research Methods - What Do We Really Need to
Understand?
An introduction to scientific research – why is research important?
Introducing research methods & the hierarchy of study design
Understanding different methodology and how this impacts the
strength of research
An introduction to understanding basic statistics
Limitations for research in practice
Strategies for keeping up-to date with nutrition research
Lecture 1.4 - Biochemistry - Key to Understanding the Practical
Elements of Nutrition
An introduction to biochemistry and its importance within
nutrition
Understanding how energy is created and the use of ATP within
the body
An introduction to Calories and energy balance
The mechanisms behind regulating pH in the body
Understanding the foundations of cell structure
Lecture 1.5 - What is Health & What Role Does Nutrition Play?
What role does nutrition support play in the six facets of health
A closer look at different lifestyles & dietary habits and their effect
on health
The role of genetics in health
Differences between nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics
Module 2 | Fundamentals of Nutrition
Having a sound underpinning of physiology and biochemistry is crucial
when looking to learn more advanced theory.
This module will teach you the fundamentals required to understand more
advanced concepts. Similarly, it will highlight key areas of
misunderstanding that may undermine future understanding. On other
courses, often only the WHAT is taught, however, the information in this
module will help you to understand the WHY’s of future topics; this level of
understanding is so important when trying to disseminate knowledge to
others.
Lecture 2.1 - Mastering the Basics of the Digestive & Endocrine Systems
Overview of the digestive system
An introduction to appetite hormones
The role and function of the digestive organs and digestive enzymes
Overview of the endocrine system
The role of and function of the endocrine glands and hormones
Evaluating the relationship between hormones and fat loss
Lecture 2.2 - Understanding Energy Systems & Energy Balance
An overview of the three energy systems
The relevance of energy systems to nutrition clients
An understanding of energy balance and its dynamic nature
The core components of energy intake
o Energy ingested vs energy absorbed
The core components of energy expenditure
o Basal Metabolic Rate
o Thermic Effect of Food
o Non-Exercise Activity Expenditure & the concept of NENAT
o Exercise Energy Expenditure
The crossover between energy systems and energy balance
o Substrate utilisation, respiratory exchange ratio and changes
in body composition
Lecture 2.3 - Nutritional Myths - Gluten, Organic, Sweeteners & Much
More
The evolution of nutritional myths
Common and contemporary health-related myths & misconceptions
o Vegan & vegetarian diets
o The impact of gluten on health and weight loss
o Consumption of artificial sweeteners in relation to cancer risk,
gut health & weight loss
o The health effects of eating organic foods
o The evidence behind fasted cardio for fat loss
o Continuous blood glucose monitors and personalised
nutrition in theory and practice
Lecture 2.4 - Is There an Optimal Diet for Human Health?
A critical approach to the concept of “optimal" & corrective diets
Observing the characteristics of ancestral health & the blue zones
The problems with modern dietary patterns and the typical Western
diet
The benefits of Calorie restriction and weight loss for health
Non-diet approaches to improve health
Practical considerations when eating to optimise health
Lecture 2.5 - The Fundamentals of Protein - Biochemistry & Metabolism
The chemical structure of protein
The different types of protein and amino acids
Protein digestion, absorption and metabolism
The key functions of protein
Health and performance benefits of protein
Protein requirements for different populations
Identifying myths relating to protein
Lecture 2.6 - The Fundamentals of Carbohydrate - Biochemistry &
Metabolism
The chemical structure of carbohydrate
The different types of carbohydrate
Carbohydrate digestion, absorption and metabolism
Exploring the physiological importance of carbohydrate
Carbohydrate requirements for different populations
Health and performance benefits of carbohydrate
Lecture 2.7 - The Fundamentals of Fat - Biochemistry & Metabolism
The chemical structure of fat
The different types of fat
Understanding how fat is metabolised
The key functions of fat
Health and performance benefits of fat
Fat requirements for different populations
o Guidelines vs client-specific recommendations
Exploring the negativity around dietary fat in the media
Lecture 2.8 - The Role & Function of Vitamins & Minerals
An overview of micronutrients
The function and requirements of various vitamins and minerals
Understanding how micronutrient status can be measured
Common micronutrient deficiencies
Antioxidants – are they beneficial or detrimental to performance?
Practical advice for clients regarding micronutrient intake
Food vs supplementation for maintaining micronutrient status
Lecture 2.9 - Meal Timing & Frequency in Health & Performance
Goal-specific considerations for meal frequency and timing
The effect of meal frequency on health and weight loss
The effect of meal timing on health and weight loss
Nutritional considerations for shift workers
Challenging societal assumptions about breakfast consumption
The implications of erratic eating patterns
Lecture 2.10 - The Fundamentals of Hydration for Health & Performance
The function of water in the human body
The regulation of daily fluid balance
Calculating sweat rates during exercise
The factors that can affect sweat rates
The impact of dehydration on health, weight loss and performance
Methods of measuring hydration status
Practical hydration strategies and the hydration beverage index
Module 3 | Principles of Nutrition Support &
Advanced Nutritional Theory
Module 3 builds upon the teachings in modules 1 and 2 and starts to
conceptualise the theory into real life with a key focus on fat loss, muscle
gain and the pursuit of optimal health.
This module will bring to life advanced concepts and techniques going into
extreme detail with regards to the physiological, psychological, behavioural
and social elements involved in achieving these goals. This module will
allow you to become autonomous in tailoring various nutritional techniques
and interventions to a wide variety of situations. The lectures will also be
taught from a hugely practical standpoint allowing you to apply up-to-date
theory almost immediately with yourself, and your clients.
Lecture 3.1 - Hormonal & Biochemical Effects of Dietary Protein
Evaluating methods to measure protein balance
o Nitrogen balance vs The IAAO method
Muscle protein synthesis, mTOR and the anabolic response
Protein requirements for health, recovery from injury & muscle gain
The effect of protein on appetite and satiety
The benefit of high protein diets on muscle retention during weight
loss
The optimal source and dose of protein for muscle gain and sports
performance
Lecture 3.2 - Hormonal & Biochemical Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate
Advanced carbohydrate metabolism and the insulin hypothesis
De novo lipogenesis during carbohydrate overfeeding
Sugar intake
o Addiction – physiological or behavioural
o The contribution to obesity and dietary compensation
Hormonal effects of carbohydrate
o Insulin, thyroid and leptin
Periodisation of carbohydrate intake for health and performance
o When are low carbohydrate diets useful?
Lecture 3.3 - Hormonal & Biochemical Effects of Dietary Fat
Exploring misconceptions about dietary fat
How much and what type of fat should we be consuming?
o Is there an optimal Omega 3: Omega 6 ratio?
An overview of the health effects of consuming saturated fat
The effects of dairy fat on health
Omega 3 fish oils for health, weight loss and performance
Ketogenic diets and when they might be useful
The impact of the ketogenic diet on sports performance
Lecture 3.4 – Conceptualising Energy Balance & Macronutrient Theory
Estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using predictive equations
Using Metabolic Equivalents (METs) and Physical Activity Level
(PAL) to estimate client’s Daily Energy Expenditure (DEE)
o The art of choosing an appropriate PAL
Client-specific needs analysis for macronutrient breakdown
Caloric and macronutrient periodisation
Translating macronutrients to food
o Considerations for Macro/Calorie tracking
Lecture 3.5 - Fat Loss Part 1 - Adherence - The Single Most Important
Factor
Why creating a Calorie deficit is essential for fat loss
The hierarchy of fat loss and body composition
The reason that diets ‘fail’ and what to focus on for fat loss
What do we mean by adherence?
How to monitor adherence & reduce misreporting
Exploring physiological and psychosocial factors that affect
adherence
Lecture 3.6 - Fat Loss Part 2 - Client Specific & Multiphasic Approaches
to Dieting
Dieting considerations for the compassionate practitioner
Flexible vs rigid dieting and the concept of Unconditional
Permission to Eat
Approaches to dieting – tracking vs non-tracking
The concepts of intuitive & mindful eating, ‘clean’ eating & IIFYM
Multiphasic dieting - coaching to LIVE vs coaching to Diet
Lecture 3.7 - Fat Loss Part 3 - Rates of Weight Loss, Diet Breaks &
Metabolic Adaptation
Fast vs slow rates of weight loss
Considerations for an appropriate rate of weight loss
Maintaining lean body mass when dieting
Hormonal, metabolic and physical changes associated with dieting
o Minimising adaptive thermogenesis
The implementation of diet breaks, refeeds and reverse dieting
Lecture 3.8 - Evidence-Based Body Composition Assessment &
Interpretation
Compartment models of measuring body composition
An introduction to methods used to determine body composition
o Skinfolds, Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA),
Bioelectrical Impedance (Tanita scales), Infrared, Ultrasound,
Hydrostatic weighing, Air displacement Plethysmography
The strengths and limitations of body composition methods
The role of anthropometric measurements in practice
Lecture 3.9 - Advanced Muscle Gain Techniques
The hierarchy of nutritional factors that affect muscle hypertrophy
Considerations for energy intake during periods of muscle gain
Protein frequency and timing - optimal feeding strategies
o Refractory period, leucine threshold & the anabolic window
The role of carbohydrate and fat to optimise muscle gain
Practical considerations for maximal muscle gain
Lecture 3.10 - Evidence-Based Supplementation for Health &
Performance
An introduction to the supplement industry
Evidence-based supplementation to benefit health
o Vitamin D, Fish Oils and Individual Vitamin & Minerals
Evidence-based supplementation to benefit sports performance
o Caffeine, Creatine, Beta-Alanine, Sodium Bicarbonate
Module 4 | Practical Nutrition Support
Theoretical knowledge of nutrition is only half of the equation when it comes
to getting results in the real world with real people.
To get amazing results with every client, human behaviour and psychology
also need to be carefully considered; as well as giving consideration to the
method of nutrition coaching, whether that be online or face-to-face. This
module has been designed to help translate the knowledge gained in
modules 1-3 into practice, including every detail you need to know to
successfully and confidently work with clients to get consistently amazing
results. We will take you through the consultation process, choosing the
most appropriate nutrition strategies, motivational interviewing techniques
and unique psychological skills that can be used to maximise client
adherence.
Lecture 4.1 - Appropriate Use of Food Diaries in Practice
The different types of food diaries
The pros and cons of using food diaries in practice
Considerations for under & over-reporting energy intake
Improving the accuracy of food diaries
Using nutritional analysis to provide client feedback
Implementing food diaries into a service – why and when?
Lecture 4.2 - Consultation Process - Beyond Theory & Science
The benefits and considerations of using a pre-consultation form
How to create a professional environment for consultations
Key components of a successful initial consultation
Building rapport and initiating behaviour change
Types of questioning – getting the best information out of your client
Using reflective practice to improve consultation skills
Lecture 4.3 - Approaches to Client Nutrition Strategies & Programming
Selecting the appropriate nutrition strategies specific to the client
The benefits and limitations of using meal plans
The pros and cons of ‘tracking’ methods
Exploring the different types of tracking methods and when to use
them
The pros and cons of ‘non-tracking’ methods
Exploring the different types of non-tracking methods and when to
use them
Reference to personality profiling
Lecture 4.4 - Effective Client Monitoring
An introduction to monitoring physical changes
o Body weight, body composition & blood testing
Considerations around measuring scale weight
Using verbal techniques to monitor health factors
o Hunger, sleep, libido, energy levels, dietary habits, hydration
Monitoring physical activity and exercise
The importance of client support to improve adherence and client
buy-in
Lecture 4.5 - Theoretical & Practical Behaviour Change
Understanding human behaviour & the relevance of behaviour
change in nutrition
Behaviour change theories
o The theory of planned behaviour
o The transtheoretical model of behaviour change
o Self-determination theory
o Goal theory
Motivational Interviewing – theory, principles and implementation
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy within nutritional settings
Supporting the formation of habits with efficacious messages and
methods
Using behaviour change theories in practice
Lecture 4.6 - Delivering Corporate Nutrition Programmes & Other Group
Education Settings
Why workplace wellness is a growing market for nutritionists
The benefits of offering a workplace wellness service
Different types of nutrition services to offer & what to charge
How to market your corporate nutrition service
The importance of gaining social proof
Lecture 4.7 - Delivering Online Nutrition Counselling via 1-2- & Group
Coaching Programmes
An introduction to different online models
The key differences between face-to-face and online nutrition
counselling with 1-2-1 clients
Introducing the motivation implementation differential
How to structure a group coaching programme
o Building on a self-determination theory foundation
Building and scaling your online offering
Module 5 | Nutritional Considerations for Clinical
Populations
As the world’s population becomes an increasingly unhealthy one, the
impact that nutrition can have on some of the most prevalent health-related
diseases is evident.
Module 5 will teach the pathology, symptoms and nutritional considerations
of common clinical conditions that you will come across on a daily basis. In
addition to the theory, this module has been designed to provide
information and practical tools on evidence-based nutrition protocols and
advanced approaches used in supporting clinical populations with their
nutrition, all within an appropriate scope of practice. Special reference will
be made to client situations when referring out is the only option a
practitioner with integrity should take.
Lecture 5.1 - An Evidence-Based Approach to IBS & Gut Health
Scope of practice within the clinical area of gut health
Understanding IBS & the potential causes & triggers
o The influence of caffeine, alcohol, gluten & FODMAPS
o Stress and anxiety
o Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
Primary dietary management of IBS and alternative treatments
Exploring a client-focused & symptom-dependent approach
Lecture 5.2 - Key Considerations Before, During & Post Pregnancy
Understanding the importance of nutrition, before, during and after
pregnancy
Foods to avoid or limit during pregnancy
Guidance around supplements for preconception, pregnancy and
post-pregnancy
The difference between appropriate and harmful weight gain during
pregnancy
Practical tips to use with clients
Lecture 5.3 - Working with the Clinically Obese Population
An introduction to obesity and the global prevalence
o Understanding the multifaceted disease
The implications and health consequences of obesity
Methods of assessment & treatment
Dietary interventions for an obese client
Common eating disorders in those with obesity
An introduction to bariatrics
o Understanding scope of practice
Lecture 5.4 - Nutrition Considerations for the Elderly - Maximising
Quality of Life
Defining the ageing population and the elderly
Nutritional considerations for sarcopenia, osteoporosis & low bone
mineral density
Practical ways to help reduce age-induced weight loss & maximise
immunity
Reducing cognitive decline & age-related diseases
Practical recommendations for working with elderly clients
Lecture 5.5 - Understanding the Signs, Symptoms & Implications for
Diabetes
Understanding what Diabetes Mellitus is
The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
o Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes & current diagnosis criteria
Clinical management of diabetes
Management of Type 2 diabetes
o Nutritional manipulations and macronutrient composition of
diets that may support diabetes
o The impact of weight loss & exercise
Considerations around scope of practice
Lecture 5.6 - Understanding the Signs, Symptoms & Implications for
PCOS
What is PCOS?
o Understanding the prevalence, symptoms, and diagnosis
Nutritional considerations to help improve PCOS
The link with insulin resistance
o Nutritional considerations for improving insulin sensitivity
Evidence-based supplements to consider for PCOS
Weight loss-specific considerations for PCOS clients
o A focus on metabolism and appetite
Lecture 5.7 - Cardiovascular Disease – Is There Really a Great Cholesterol
Con?
An introduction to CVD and possible risk factors
An overview of blood markers and the relationship between
markers and CVD risk
o Cholesterol, Lipoproteins & Triglycerides
Nutritional manipulations for improving blood lipid profiles and
CVD risk factors
The effect of weight loss on CVD risk
Considerations for statin therapy
Supporting CVD whilst remaining within scope of practice
Lecture 5.8 - Eating Disorders - What is Our Role?
Defining the different types of eating disorders
o Anorexia Nervosa
o Bulimia Nervosa
o Binge Eating Disorder
o ARFID, EDDM & OSFED
Predisposing factors associated with the development of eating
disorders
The adverse health effects of semi-starvation
Specific considerations for binge eating disorder
Understanding your role as a practitioner and the importance of
scope of practice within eating disorders
Module 6 | Performance Nutrition Programming
Successfully working with athletes relies on knowing the most up-to-date
sports nutrition research out there.
This final module aims to not only break down advanced concepts into easy-
to-understand theory, but also teaches you how to implement cutting-edge,
sport-specific nutrition programmes to a wide variety of disciplines. The
difference in physiological demands between strength, power and
endurance sports will influence the nutrition requirements that need to be
taken. Therefore, the different fuelling and recovery strategies, dietary
periodisation, competition protocols, and nutritional approaches to
maximise training adaptations required, makes this module a fascinating
and highly applied ending to MNU.
Lecture 6.1 - Considerations for Prepping Bodybuilders
Identifying a starting point in a bodybuilding diet
Multi-approach dieting when leading up to a competition
Examining the relevance of nutrient timing and frequency in
bodybuilding
Supplementation to aid bodybuilding
‘Peak Week’ strategies
Considerations for post-competition nutrition and mental health
Lecture 6.2 - Performance Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
Introduction to endurance sports & nutrition hierarchy of
importance
Strategies to maximise endurance training adaptations
An overview of energy availability and RED-S
Carbohydrate periodisation and fat adaption
Optimising nutritional strategies for pre, during & post-endurance
events
Supplements to aid endurance training & competition
Lecture 6.3 - Performance Nutrition for Team Sports
Nutritional hierarchy of importance for team sports
Specific macronutrient considerations for team sports
Advanced nutrition strategies for concurrent training
Acute fuelling strategies to improve performance
Optimising recovery and maximising training adaptations
Periodising nutrition across a competitive team sport season
Creating supplementation protocols for training and matches
Lecture 6.4 - Evidence-based Strategies for Making Weight
Introduction to weight-making sports
Maximising power to weight ratio
o Nutritional considerations for strength, power and speed
Acute weight-making considerations
o Safely manipulating water, glycogen storage & diet
Practical post-weigh in strategies to optimise performance
