NASM WEIGHT LOSS SPECIALIST QUESTIONS
What is self-efficacy? - Answers :An individual's' belief in their capabilities to carry out a
specific task in order to achieve a desired outcome
Jose is recommended to cut out regular soda consumption. Replacing it with water is
ideal, but swapping in diet/zero-calorie soft drinks is also allowed. What behavioral
intervention does this strategy reflect? - Answers :Restriction
In which ways can resistance training increase TDEE? - Answers :Energy expended
during training session, increase in RMR during recovery, and possible improvement in
NEAT
What role do genes play in the obesity epidemic? - Answers :A combination of genes
can determine a person's susceptibility to becoming obese in the modern-day food
environment.
Why is adopting new eating habits more effective than advising the client to stop certain
behaviors? - Answers :New eating habits will prevent poor dietary behaviors.
Alternate day fasting is superior to daily calorie restriction for which outcome? - Answers
:Weight loss
Gina is a 51-year-old woman who has been working with you for the past 2 weeks.
During a training session, she says that lately she has been snacking a great deal at
night after dinner. She asks you for advice. What would be the most appropriate
response as a coach? - Answers :Ask Gina to review her reasons for snacking and her
earlier intake. Is she snacking because she is hungry, bored, or stressed? Did she eat
enough at dinner?
Which movement pattern does research suggest is predictive of the risk of
musculoskeletal injuries in individuals who practice physical exertion? - Answers
:Squatting
Which of the following statements best describes the role of a WLS in a fitness setting?
- Answers :The WLS is a fitness specialist and a coach to clients who are seeking
significant weight loss.
Where appropriate, which type of exercise should be prioritize? - Answers :Multi-joint
exercises
Which of the following is true regarding resistance training and weight loss? - Answers
:Resistance training may maintain or reduce the loss of FFM during weight loss.
,What may help to better regulate energy intake? - Answers :High energy
expenditure/high physical activity
What is calorie density? - Answers :The amount of calories per weight or volume of food
What is the asymmetric model of set point theory? - Answers :The body's signals to
resist an energy deficit are stronger than to resist an energy surplus.
Which item represents the processes of your body and cells maintaining their living
functions? - Answers :Metabolism
Which blood pressure result would indicate Stage 2 Hypertension and require medical
monitoring? - Answers :Systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and diastolic blood
pressure ≥ 90 mmHg
The cells that store fatty acids are known as what type of cell? - Answers :Adipocyte
A healthy diet pattern suggests a saturated fat intake of what percent of calories? -
Answers :Less than 10% of calories
Farrah started doing aerobic training 5 days per week. She hasn't experienced any
change in body weight. What is most likely true? - Answers :She has compensated for
the exercise by being less active outside of the exercise and/or eating more.
Rises in obesity often parallel this phenomena in different countries. - Answers
:Industrialization
Aside from a physical and a fitness assessment, what other type of assessment should
a WLS perform prior to program design for a client? - Answers :A lifestyle assessment
What is the purpose of asking a client why they did not choose a lower number when
using the rulers? - Answers :It lets the client talk about the positive reasons why they
are motivated to reach their goals.
Angela is on a weight loss plan and needs to consume fewer calories to be in a caloric
deficit? What is one recommended strategy? - Answers :Replace simple carbohydrate
foods such as rice and pasta with whole vegetables.
In which cases is it likely a good idea to avoid taking body weight measurements? -
Answers :With clients who report negative emotion, stress, or feelings of stigma based
on body composition evaluation
How is uptake of cortisol into tissue affected by obesity? - Answers :Uptake is
increased.
, Bill is a client you have been working with over the past 6 weeks. At your recent
session, he expressed feeling frustrated that he has hit a plateau and seems unable to
lose any more weight. He asks you to give him a meal plan with macronutrient targets to
follow. What would be the appropriate response to Bill? - Answers :Express
understanding of his frustration and explain that it is not within your scope of practice to
provide a meal plan but that you can review factors in his diet that may be contributing
to a plateau.
Which of the following happens to NEAT with weight loss? - Answers :It decreases
more than expected based on the weight loss alone.
Which of the following represents the largest portion of energy expenditure in most
people? - Answers :RMR
What is integrated training? - Answers :A strategy that combines all forms of exercise in
a systematic and progressive fashion.
What term describes the feeling of fullness that persists after eating a meal? - Answers
:Satiety
The rates of youth obesity have increased how much since the 1970s? - Answers :4-
fold
What is happening to the rates of obesity around the world? - Answers :They are
increasing.
Why might it be problematic to use the "1 lb. fat = 3,500 kcal rule" to set weight loss
targets? - Answers :The rule often overestimates the amount of weight loss that will
occur.
Being able to relate to another person's feelings or emotions by "putting yourself in
someone else's shoes," refers to which term? - Answers :Empathy
What mechanism drives the blunting of the reward system among people with obesity? -
Answers :Downregulation of dopamine receptors
What are the two primary, modifiable factors that play a key role in weight
management? - Answers :Physical activity and diet
A long-term client has indicated that every morning on arriving to work he goes to the
breakroom for coffee and is often tempted by donuts that co-workers routinely bring in.
Enjoying the taste of the donuts every morning would be an example of which of the
following? - Answers :Reward
How does caffeine increase alertness in the brain? - Answers :Blocks the action of
adenosine
What is self-efficacy? - Answers :An individual's' belief in their capabilities to carry out a
specific task in order to achieve a desired outcome
Jose is recommended to cut out regular soda consumption. Replacing it with water is
ideal, but swapping in diet/zero-calorie soft drinks is also allowed. What behavioral
intervention does this strategy reflect? - Answers :Restriction
In which ways can resistance training increase TDEE? - Answers :Energy expended
during training session, increase in RMR during recovery, and possible improvement in
NEAT
What role do genes play in the obesity epidemic? - Answers :A combination of genes
can determine a person's susceptibility to becoming obese in the modern-day food
environment.
Why is adopting new eating habits more effective than advising the client to stop certain
behaviors? - Answers :New eating habits will prevent poor dietary behaviors.
Alternate day fasting is superior to daily calorie restriction for which outcome? - Answers
:Weight loss
Gina is a 51-year-old woman who has been working with you for the past 2 weeks.
During a training session, she says that lately she has been snacking a great deal at
night after dinner. She asks you for advice. What would be the most appropriate
response as a coach? - Answers :Ask Gina to review her reasons for snacking and her
earlier intake. Is she snacking because she is hungry, bored, or stressed? Did she eat
enough at dinner?
Which movement pattern does research suggest is predictive of the risk of
musculoskeletal injuries in individuals who practice physical exertion? - Answers
:Squatting
Which of the following statements best describes the role of a WLS in a fitness setting?
- Answers :The WLS is a fitness specialist and a coach to clients who are seeking
significant weight loss.
Where appropriate, which type of exercise should be prioritize? - Answers :Multi-joint
exercises
Which of the following is true regarding resistance training and weight loss? - Answers
:Resistance training may maintain or reduce the loss of FFM during weight loss.
,What may help to better regulate energy intake? - Answers :High energy
expenditure/high physical activity
What is calorie density? - Answers :The amount of calories per weight or volume of food
What is the asymmetric model of set point theory? - Answers :The body's signals to
resist an energy deficit are stronger than to resist an energy surplus.
Which item represents the processes of your body and cells maintaining their living
functions? - Answers :Metabolism
Which blood pressure result would indicate Stage 2 Hypertension and require medical
monitoring? - Answers :Systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and diastolic blood
pressure ≥ 90 mmHg
The cells that store fatty acids are known as what type of cell? - Answers :Adipocyte
A healthy diet pattern suggests a saturated fat intake of what percent of calories? -
Answers :Less than 10% of calories
Farrah started doing aerobic training 5 days per week. She hasn't experienced any
change in body weight. What is most likely true? - Answers :She has compensated for
the exercise by being less active outside of the exercise and/or eating more.
Rises in obesity often parallel this phenomena in different countries. - Answers
:Industrialization
Aside from a physical and a fitness assessment, what other type of assessment should
a WLS perform prior to program design for a client? - Answers :A lifestyle assessment
What is the purpose of asking a client why they did not choose a lower number when
using the rulers? - Answers :It lets the client talk about the positive reasons why they
are motivated to reach their goals.
Angela is on a weight loss plan and needs to consume fewer calories to be in a caloric
deficit? What is one recommended strategy? - Answers :Replace simple carbohydrate
foods such as rice and pasta with whole vegetables.
In which cases is it likely a good idea to avoid taking body weight measurements? -
Answers :With clients who report negative emotion, stress, or feelings of stigma based
on body composition evaluation
How is uptake of cortisol into tissue affected by obesity? - Answers :Uptake is
increased.
, Bill is a client you have been working with over the past 6 weeks. At your recent
session, he expressed feeling frustrated that he has hit a plateau and seems unable to
lose any more weight. He asks you to give him a meal plan with macronutrient targets to
follow. What would be the appropriate response to Bill? - Answers :Express
understanding of his frustration and explain that it is not within your scope of practice to
provide a meal plan but that you can review factors in his diet that may be contributing
to a plateau.
Which of the following happens to NEAT with weight loss? - Answers :It decreases
more than expected based on the weight loss alone.
Which of the following represents the largest portion of energy expenditure in most
people? - Answers :RMR
What is integrated training? - Answers :A strategy that combines all forms of exercise in
a systematic and progressive fashion.
What term describes the feeling of fullness that persists after eating a meal? - Answers
:Satiety
The rates of youth obesity have increased how much since the 1970s? - Answers :4-
fold
What is happening to the rates of obesity around the world? - Answers :They are
increasing.
Why might it be problematic to use the "1 lb. fat = 3,500 kcal rule" to set weight loss
targets? - Answers :The rule often overestimates the amount of weight loss that will
occur.
Being able to relate to another person's feelings or emotions by "putting yourself in
someone else's shoes," refers to which term? - Answers :Empathy
What mechanism drives the blunting of the reward system among people with obesity? -
Answers :Downregulation of dopamine receptors
What are the two primary, modifiable factors that play a key role in weight
management? - Answers :Physical activity and diet
A long-term client has indicated that every morning on arriving to work he goes to the
breakroom for coffee and is often tempted by donuts that co-workers routinely bring in.
Enjoying the taste of the donuts every morning would be an example of which of the
following? - Answers :Reward
How does caffeine increase alertness in the brain? - Answers :Blocks the action of
adenosine
