NASM WEIGHT LOSS SPECIALIS EXAM SCRIPT 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS TAGGED A+
✔✔Aside from a physical and a fitness assessment, what other type of assessment
should a WLS perform prior to program design for a client? - ✔✔A lifestyle assessment
✔✔What is the purpose of asking a client why they did not choose a lower number
when using the rulers? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔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? -
✔✔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? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔RMR
✔✔What is integrated training? - ✔✔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? -
✔✔Satiety
✔✔The rates of youth obesity have increased how much since the 1970s? - ✔✔4-fold
✔✔What is happening to the rates of obesity around the world? - ✔✔They are
increasing.
,✔✔Why might it be problematic to use the "1 lb. fat = 3,500 kcal rule" to set weight loss
targets? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔Empathy
✔✔What mechanism drives the blunting of the reward system among people with
obesity? - ✔✔Downregulation of dopamine receptors
✔✔What are the two primary, modifiable factors that play a key role in weight
management? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔Reward
✔✔How does caffeine increase alertness in the brain? - ✔✔Blocks the action of
adenosine
✔✔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. Going to the breakroom every morning would be an example of which of the
following? - ✔✔Cue
✔✔Which of the following describes the purpose of the Goal Setting Worksheet? -
✔✔Clients can brainstorm and identify goals, potential barriers, and support.
✔✔Conformity, compliance, and obedience make up which of the following constructs?
- ✔✔Social influence
✔✔Which of these is an example of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)? -
✔✔Fidgeting
✔✔Which of the following is an example of a specific goal? - ✔✔Accumulate 150
minutes of aerobic exercise each week.
✔✔Stacey is a 43-year-old client who has been working with you, a WLS, for a week.
During a training session, she reports that she is having a difficult time adhering to
dietary changes such as eating more vegetables and avoiding snacking on candy
during the day. Keeping in mind your role as a WLS and a coach and your professional
scope of practice, what would be the most appropriate response to Stacey's concerns? -
, ✔✔Express understanding for Stacey's frustration and then ask her what she thinks
may be contributing to her habit of snacking on candy and not eating more vegetables.
✔✔If a client has no exercise history, then what should a fitness professional
recommend? - ✔✔Gradually introduce the client to exercise and progress the workload
over time.
✔✔What term is used to describe muscles on each side of a joint having altered length-
tension relationships. - ✔✔Muscle imbalance
✔✔How does decision fatigue affect an individual's decision making? - ✔✔They have a
tendency to choose the simplest option rather than the best option.
✔✔The majority of calories in the average U.S. diet are contributed by what class of
foods? - ✔✔Ultraprocessed foods
✔✔Vanessa is recommended to avoid/limit consuming meals at airports on the days
she travels. What behavioral intervention does this strategy reflect? - ✔✔Restriction
✔✔Michael started a resistance training program without a change in diet. Which of the
following is most likely to happen? - ✔✔Michael experiences an increase in FFM and a
loss in fat. Body weight remains stable.
✔✔What is the recommended intake for sodium? - ✔✔Less than 2300mg per day
✔✔Which of the following is true regarding the impact of cardiorespiratory training on
FFM? - ✔✔Studies show mixed results, with some showing better maintenance of FFM
while others do not.
✔✔What percentage of TDEE does TEPA make up? - ✔✔15 to 50% depending on
activity levels
✔✔The behavioral dimension of body image would cause which of the following to
happen? - ✔✔A client decides to increase their exercise intensity and make healthier
food choices due to having poor body image.
✔✔Steve is a former football player with a BMI of 41 kg/m2. During the overhead squat
assessment, he indicates some pain in his knees but says he can push through the
pain. What should the Weight Loss Specialist do? - ✔✔Consider modifying the
assessment with a reduced squat depth to see if that minimizes pain.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS TAGGED A+
✔✔Aside from a physical and a fitness assessment, what other type of assessment
should a WLS perform prior to program design for a client? - ✔✔A lifestyle assessment
✔✔What is the purpose of asking a client why they did not choose a lower number
when using the rulers? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔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? -
✔✔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? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔RMR
✔✔What is integrated training? - ✔✔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? -
✔✔Satiety
✔✔The rates of youth obesity have increased how much since the 1970s? - ✔✔4-fold
✔✔What is happening to the rates of obesity around the world? - ✔✔They are
increasing.
,✔✔Why might it be problematic to use the "1 lb. fat = 3,500 kcal rule" to set weight loss
targets? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔Empathy
✔✔What mechanism drives the blunting of the reward system among people with
obesity? - ✔✔Downregulation of dopamine receptors
✔✔What are the two primary, modifiable factors that play a key role in weight
management? - ✔✔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? - ✔✔Reward
✔✔How does caffeine increase alertness in the brain? - ✔✔Blocks the action of
adenosine
✔✔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. Going to the breakroom every morning would be an example of which of the
following? - ✔✔Cue
✔✔Which of the following describes the purpose of the Goal Setting Worksheet? -
✔✔Clients can brainstorm and identify goals, potential barriers, and support.
✔✔Conformity, compliance, and obedience make up which of the following constructs?
- ✔✔Social influence
✔✔Which of these is an example of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)? -
✔✔Fidgeting
✔✔Which of the following is an example of a specific goal? - ✔✔Accumulate 150
minutes of aerobic exercise each week.
✔✔Stacey is a 43-year-old client who has been working with you, a WLS, for a week.
During a training session, she reports that she is having a difficult time adhering to
dietary changes such as eating more vegetables and avoiding snacking on candy
during the day. Keeping in mind your role as a WLS and a coach and your professional
scope of practice, what would be the most appropriate response to Stacey's concerns? -
, ✔✔Express understanding for Stacey's frustration and then ask her what she thinks
may be contributing to her habit of snacking on candy and not eating more vegetables.
✔✔If a client has no exercise history, then what should a fitness professional
recommend? - ✔✔Gradually introduce the client to exercise and progress the workload
over time.
✔✔What term is used to describe muscles on each side of a joint having altered length-
tension relationships. - ✔✔Muscle imbalance
✔✔How does decision fatigue affect an individual's decision making? - ✔✔They have a
tendency to choose the simplest option rather than the best option.
✔✔The majority of calories in the average U.S. diet are contributed by what class of
foods? - ✔✔Ultraprocessed foods
✔✔Vanessa is recommended to avoid/limit consuming meals at airports on the days
she travels. What behavioral intervention does this strategy reflect? - ✔✔Restriction
✔✔Michael started a resistance training program without a change in diet. Which of the
following is most likely to happen? - ✔✔Michael experiences an increase in FFM and a
loss in fat. Body weight remains stable.
✔✔What is the recommended intake for sodium? - ✔✔Less than 2300mg per day
✔✔Which of the following is true regarding the impact of cardiorespiratory training on
FFM? - ✔✔Studies show mixed results, with some showing better maintenance of FFM
while others do not.
✔✔What percentage of TDEE does TEPA make up? - ✔✔15 to 50% depending on
activity levels
✔✔The behavioral dimension of body image would cause which of the following to
happen? - ✔✔A client decides to increase their exercise intensity and make healthier
food choices due to having poor body image.
✔✔Steve is a former football player with a BMI of 41 kg/m2. During the overhead squat
assessment, he indicates some pain in his knees but says he can push through the
pain. What should the Weight Loss Specialist do? - ✔✔Consider modifying the
assessment with a reduced squat depth to see if that minimizes pain.
