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Eating foods rich in Omega 3's (DHA or fish oil), such as tunafish or salmon, twice a week, is good  because they heart-healthy and may protect the brain against concussion, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark.

Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, pastas, oatmeal, are the foundation of any athlete's diet, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, because they are the fuel for exercise.

All athletes regardless of the sport they play should think of food as fuel, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, fueling up before sports and refueling after, and, most of all, ensuring that they make time to eat.

Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark says injured athletes need to eat intuitively and listen to their body in monitoring their food intake, eat protein-rich foods important for healing, and avoid overeating, but, at the same time, she says, it is not a time to restrict calories the body needs to recover from a sports injury.

Athletes should space meals out on a timeline approximately every four hours, starting with a bigger breakfast, and avoid an eating "crescendo" in which they consume most of their calories at dinner, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark.

When an athlete is traveling, they need to plan ahead to meet their nutritional needs, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD. She recommends bringing cereal, granola bars, trail mix and even peanut butter sandwiches to avoid the hunger that can lead to poor nutritional choices on the road.