NASM WEIGHT LOSS SPECIALIST FINAL PAPER 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS TAGGED A+
✔✔What is the righting reflex? - ✔✔Wanting to "make things right" when a problem is
identified
✔✔What is an example of a non-quantified energy restriction method? - ✔✔Limiting
portion sizes
✔✔Which type of self-esteem refers to how someone feels about their relationships with
others, including peers and significant others? - ✔✔Social self-esteem
✔✔As obesity increases, what happens to the liver with regard to hepatic glucose
output? - ✔✔Increases
✔✔Cortisol is produced by which gland? - ✔✔Adrenal gland
✔✔Why are psychological factors important for weight loss? - ✔✔Psychological factors
can affect how a person with obesity thinks, feels, and acts when in situations that may
lead to unhealthy behaviors.
✔✔Mindy is engaged in a cardiorespiratory training program. Which of the following is a
step she can take to ensure her total TDEE increases and that she does not
compensate for the exercise? - ✔✔Wear a pedometer or accelerometer outside of (but
not during) exercise sessions and try to maintain or increase steps relative to baseline.
✔✔Which activity is beyond a Weight Loss Specialist's scope of practice? -
✔✔Diagnose a psychological disorder
✔✔Which assessment advises to avoid participating in physical activity if someone
currently has a cold or fever and to wait until symptoms subside? - ✔✔Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire
✔✔If a client answers "Yes" to any of the 7 initial questions on the PAR-Q+, which
action should the Weight Loss Specialist take? - ✔✔Administer the next two pages of
questions to identify if there is a medical concern that could be contraindicated by
exercise.
✔✔Angela is recommended to limit her snacking frequency to 2 snacks per day. Special
attention to be paid during busy work times and when preparing snacks for the family.
What behavioral intervention does this strategy reflect? - ✔✔Restriction
,✔✔A client wants to begin a new eating plan before the holidays begin so they don't
gain weight. What strategy would you recommend to the client to help them adhere with
the new eating plan? - ✔✔Dietary self-monitoring
✔✔An approach to diet that is characterized by all-or-nothing thinking or that labels
foods as "bad" can be described as an example of what? - ✔✔Rigid dietary restraint
✔✔What percent of current food intake occurs outside the home? - ✔✔0.6
✔✔Anti-depressants are used among what percent of U.S. individuals aged 12 or
older? - ✔✔0.13
✔✔When working with an obese client, which of the following may cause circumference
measurement errors? - ✔✔The inability to identify anatomical landmarks
✔✔Vanessa is 5'10" and weighs 195 pounds. Her movement assessment revealed
several deviations from optimal patterns. What should the Weight Loss Specialist tell
her about the findings? - ✔✔That these assessments are used to identify whenever a
movement differs from an ideal pattern and helps inform programming decisions
✔✔Which of the following is a common characteristic of people who have successfully
maintained their weight loss in the long-term? - ✔✔High levels of physical activity
✔✔After reviewing the answers provided on the Sleep Questionnaire, it appears that a
new weight loss client has trouble falling and staying asleep and may only get a few
hours of sleep per night on average. What should the Weight Loss Specialist do with
this information?
Select one: - ✔✔Confirm the answers with the client and suggest they follow-up with
their physician about how to improve their overall sleep experience.
✔✔As a Nutrition Coach, you'll do the following: - ✔✔Have an actionable, proven
method for helping clients reach their personal health and wellness goals with your
professional guidance.
Leverage nutrition education to increase client success, reduce turnover, and maximize
adherence.
Work with face-to-face or online clients.
✔✔By successfully completing this chapter, the Nutrition Coach will have the ability to
do the following: - ✔✔Describe the role of a Nutrition Coach.
Identify professional expectations for Nutrition Coaches.
Define scope of practice for the nutrition professional.
Differentiate among related nutrition professions and the expectations and limitations of
each.
Determine when to refer clients to another professional.
, ✔✔Scope of Practice - ✔✔The actions, procedures, and processes that a professional
is allowed to undertake in keeping with the terms of the professional's license or
credential.
✔✔Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) - ✔✔This term is used interchangeably with a
Registered Dietitian (RD) and it is also a legally protected designation.
✔✔Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) - ✔✔The CDR acts as the credentialing
arm of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for the purpose of establishing and
enforcing certification standards for registered dieticians and other licensed nutritional
professionals and issues credentials to those who successfully meet said standards.
The CDR also provides a professional code of ethics and recertification standards.
✔✔Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) - ✔✔A licensed healthcare professional or
certified allied health professional who works with those who have diabetes - 1000
contact hours in diabetes education is required for certification.
✔✔Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) - ✔✔An advanced nursing degree
requiring 2 more years of college beyond an RN - many then choose a specialty or
primary focus of care.
✔✔Physician Assistant (PA) - ✔✔A licensed healthcare professional who works under
the supervision of a doctor or other medical professional, typically requires a 4-year
degree plus a post-graduate program.
✔✔Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) - ✔✔A pharmacist with an advanced degree who
works in conjunction with a medical doctor to prepare and/or dispense prescription
drugs or compounds.
✔✔Licensed - ✔✔Licensing is typically provided on a state or federal level. Common
prerequisites of licensing include formal education/training, a predetermined number of
supervised contact hours, and successful completion of a standardized test. Most
healthcare providers require licensure.
✔✔Certified - ✔✔Certification is granted to a person who has participated in an
educational course (either live or online) and successfully completed a standardized
test: written, practical, or both.
✔✔Nutritionist - ✔✔A generic term for someone who provides nutrition counseling -
certification and licensing parameters are vague.
✔✔The healthcare system incorporates the following disciplines: - ✔✔Hospitals,
emergency clinics, and trauma centers
Ambulatory care centers, including personal physicians and specialists
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS TAGGED A+
✔✔What is the righting reflex? - ✔✔Wanting to "make things right" when a problem is
identified
✔✔What is an example of a non-quantified energy restriction method? - ✔✔Limiting
portion sizes
✔✔Which type of self-esteem refers to how someone feels about their relationships with
others, including peers and significant others? - ✔✔Social self-esteem
✔✔As obesity increases, what happens to the liver with regard to hepatic glucose
output? - ✔✔Increases
✔✔Cortisol is produced by which gland? - ✔✔Adrenal gland
✔✔Why are psychological factors important for weight loss? - ✔✔Psychological factors
can affect how a person with obesity thinks, feels, and acts when in situations that may
lead to unhealthy behaviors.
✔✔Mindy is engaged in a cardiorespiratory training program. Which of the following is a
step she can take to ensure her total TDEE increases and that she does not
compensate for the exercise? - ✔✔Wear a pedometer or accelerometer outside of (but
not during) exercise sessions and try to maintain or increase steps relative to baseline.
✔✔Which activity is beyond a Weight Loss Specialist's scope of practice? -
✔✔Diagnose a psychological disorder
✔✔Which assessment advises to avoid participating in physical activity if someone
currently has a cold or fever and to wait until symptoms subside? - ✔✔Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire
✔✔If a client answers "Yes" to any of the 7 initial questions on the PAR-Q+, which
action should the Weight Loss Specialist take? - ✔✔Administer the next two pages of
questions to identify if there is a medical concern that could be contraindicated by
exercise.
✔✔Angela is recommended to limit her snacking frequency to 2 snacks per day. Special
attention to be paid during busy work times and when preparing snacks for the family.
What behavioral intervention does this strategy reflect? - ✔✔Restriction
,✔✔A client wants to begin a new eating plan before the holidays begin so they don't
gain weight. What strategy would you recommend to the client to help them adhere with
the new eating plan? - ✔✔Dietary self-monitoring
✔✔An approach to diet that is characterized by all-or-nothing thinking or that labels
foods as "bad" can be described as an example of what? - ✔✔Rigid dietary restraint
✔✔What percent of current food intake occurs outside the home? - ✔✔0.6
✔✔Anti-depressants are used among what percent of U.S. individuals aged 12 or
older? - ✔✔0.13
✔✔When working with an obese client, which of the following may cause circumference
measurement errors? - ✔✔The inability to identify anatomical landmarks
✔✔Vanessa is 5'10" and weighs 195 pounds. Her movement assessment revealed
several deviations from optimal patterns. What should the Weight Loss Specialist tell
her about the findings? - ✔✔That these assessments are used to identify whenever a
movement differs from an ideal pattern and helps inform programming decisions
✔✔Which of the following is a common characteristic of people who have successfully
maintained their weight loss in the long-term? - ✔✔High levels of physical activity
✔✔After reviewing the answers provided on the Sleep Questionnaire, it appears that a
new weight loss client has trouble falling and staying asleep and may only get a few
hours of sleep per night on average. What should the Weight Loss Specialist do with
this information?
Select one: - ✔✔Confirm the answers with the client and suggest they follow-up with
their physician about how to improve their overall sleep experience.
✔✔As a Nutrition Coach, you'll do the following: - ✔✔Have an actionable, proven
method for helping clients reach their personal health and wellness goals with your
professional guidance.
Leverage nutrition education to increase client success, reduce turnover, and maximize
adherence.
Work with face-to-face or online clients.
✔✔By successfully completing this chapter, the Nutrition Coach will have the ability to
do the following: - ✔✔Describe the role of a Nutrition Coach.
Identify professional expectations for Nutrition Coaches.
Define scope of practice for the nutrition professional.
Differentiate among related nutrition professions and the expectations and limitations of
each.
Determine when to refer clients to another professional.
, ✔✔Scope of Practice - ✔✔The actions, procedures, and processes that a professional
is allowed to undertake in keeping with the terms of the professional's license or
credential.
✔✔Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) - ✔✔This term is used interchangeably with a
Registered Dietitian (RD) and it is also a legally protected designation.
✔✔Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) - ✔✔The CDR acts as the credentialing
arm of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for the purpose of establishing and
enforcing certification standards for registered dieticians and other licensed nutritional
professionals and issues credentials to those who successfully meet said standards.
The CDR also provides a professional code of ethics and recertification standards.
✔✔Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) - ✔✔A licensed healthcare professional or
certified allied health professional who works with those who have diabetes - 1000
contact hours in diabetes education is required for certification.
✔✔Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) - ✔✔An advanced nursing degree
requiring 2 more years of college beyond an RN - many then choose a specialty or
primary focus of care.
✔✔Physician Assistant (PA) - ✔✔A licensed healthcare professional who works under
the supervision of a doctor or other medical professional, typically requires a 4-year
degree plus a post-graduate program.
✔✔Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) - ✔✔A pharmacist with an advanced degree who
works in conjunction with a medical doctor to prepare and/or dispense prescription
drugs or compounds.
✔✔Licensed - ✔✔Licensing is typically provided on a state or federal level. Common
prerequisites of licensing include formal education/training, a predetermined number of
supervised contact hours, and successful completion of a standardized test. Most
healthcare providers require licensure.
✔✔Certified - ✔✔Certification is granted to a person who has participated in an
educational course (either live or online) and successfully completed a standardized
test: written, practical, or both.
✔✔Nutritionist - ✔✔A generic term for someone who provides nutrition counseling -
certification and licensing parameters are vague.
✔✔The healthcare system incorporates the following disciplines: - ✔✔Hospitals,
emergency clinics, and trauma centers
Ambulatory care centers, including personal physicians and specialists
