Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD is an internationally respected sports nutritionist, weight coach, nutrition author, and workshop leader. She is a registered dietitian (RD) who specializes in nutrition for performance, health, and the nutritional management of eating disorders. She is board certified as a specialist in sports dietietics (CSSD) and a certified WellCoach.

Nancy’s private practice is located in Newton Highlands, MA, easily accessible from Route 9 and the MBTA Green Line “D”. She offers one-on-one nutrition consultations to both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes, coaching them on strategies to eat wisely, enhance energy, optimize performance, and manage weight. If nutrition is your missing link, give her a call at 617-795-1875.

The more renowned clients who have relied on Nancy’s sports nutrition expertise to gain a competitive edge have included members of the Boston Celtics (basketball) and Bruins (ice hockey), as well as many collegiate, elite and Olympic athletes from a variety of sports. She has been team nutritionist for the Boston Red Sox baseball team.

Nancy completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition from Simmons College in Boston, her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, and her graduate degree in nutrition with a focus on exercise physiology from Boston University. Prior to starting her private practice, she was Director of Nutrition Services at Sports Medicine Associates in Brookline, MA.

She is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association), the recipient of their Media Excellence Award, an active member of the Academy’s practice group of sports nutritionists (SCAN), and recipient of SCAN’s Honor Award for Excellence in Practice. Nancy is also a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and recipient of the Honor Award from ACSM’s New England Chapter. She was awarded the American Society of Nutrition’s Media Award for her nutrition science writing.

Nancy’s contributions to runners in the Boston area culminated in her receiving the Will Cloney Award. Nancy also holds the honor of having her photo and advice on the back of the Wheaties box for their 2004 Olympic series.

Clark is the nutrition columnist for New England Runner. She is a frequent contributor to Rowing News. Clark also writes a monthly nutrition column called The Athlete’s Kitchen which appears regularly in over 100 sports and health publications and websites, including SoccerToday.com and MomsTeam.com.

Nancy is the author of the best selling sports nutrition reference Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. Over 750,000 copies of this classic book have been enjoyed by health professionals and exercise enthusiasts alike. Her Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions and Food Guide for New Runners: Getting It Right From the Start help novice runners and walkers go the distance with energy to spare. And her Cyclist’s Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance (co-authored with Jenny Hegmann, MS, RD) helps both beginning and experienced cyclists optimize their performance. Food Guide for Women’s Soccer: Tips and Recipes from the Pros, co-authored with Gloria Averbuch in conjunction with Women’s Professional Soccer, helps soccer athletes have the winning edge.

Sports and nutrition are personal as well as professional interests. A member of The Greater Boston Track Club, Clark has competed at the 10 Kilometer, half marathon, and marathon distances. Clark routinely bike commutes and enjoys bike touring. She has led many extended bike tours, including a Trans america Trip and other tours through the Canadian and Colorado Rockies. She has trekked into the Himalayas and planned the high altitude menu for a successful expedition. She has personal experience with rowing (crew), yoga and HIIT. She and her husband live in the Boston area, as do her two children, now adults, who also live and work in Boston.

Links to podcasts and interviews with Nancy

Here's what a coach had to say after listening to Nancy speak at a clinic:

“I had never heard of Ms. Clark before her presentation. I left with not only a deep respect for who she is and what she does, but I also left understanding the part nutrition plays in the end result of all athletic events. If studies prove that the timing of the carbohydrate intake directly impacts the level of energy an athlete can carry into the late stages of an athletic contest, then you must believe that proper nutrition absolutely plays a part in the overall outcome of the game.

Ms. Clark said, ‘You can only compete at your best if you can train at your best.’ This is not new in terms of athletics. But where Clark is concerned, she is not just talking about training and conditioning but also the eating habits that surround the training.

I purchased a copy of her Sports Nutrition Guidebook and I could have listened to her for days.”