Revised and updated to keep pace with the growing changes in the field, the Fourth Edition of Practical Applications in Sports Nutrition provides students and practitioners with the latest sports nutrition information and dietary practices, and prepares them to assist athletes and fitness enthusiasts in achieving their personal performance goals. Early chapters provide an introduction to sports nutrition and give a thorough explanation of macronutrients, micronutrients, and water and their relation to athletic performance. Later chapters focus on the practical and applied aspects of sports nutrition including behavior change through consultations and weight management. Chapter 15 targets the unique nutrition requirements of special populations such as athletes who are pregnant, vegetarian, or have chronic diseases. The text concludes with a chapter dedicated to helping readers discover the pathway to becoming a sports dietitian through education and experience. New to the Fourth Edition: • New discussion of sports nutritionists as evidence-based practitioners • Current MyPlate food group recommendations • Revised discussion of the relationship between current body weight and carbohydrate intake, as well as the types and the amounts of carbohydrates that should be consumed during exercise • New Food For Thought callouts identify related material in Sports Nutrition Workbook and Assessments • Updated statistics, guidelines, and regulations found throughout the text, including obesity statistics, carbohydrate intake and vitamin needs.