I recently sat down with Asymina Kantorowicz from Narcity Canada to delve into my decade-long journey as the dietitian for hockey players, especially for players in the Vancouver Canucks. She was on a mission to uncover the dietary secrets behind what NHL players eat on game day, and get a hint of players’ favorite pregame meals.

Here are some of the insights that may interest you as a young athlete:

It’s a common belief that elite hockey players effortlessly optimize their nutrition for peak performance. In reality, many players actively collaborate with sport dietitians, especially during the off-season, to bolster their strength and power. Players also use sport nutrition when they are injured to ensure a speedy recovery and return to play. In this competitive sport, if you aren’t getting faster and stronger, you’re getting left behind.

Navigating Dietary Changes

One of the biggest dietary challenges that NHL and WHL hockey players face are the long travel days, often spending consecutive days and weeks on the road. Optimizing recovery and performance can be tricky if your sport nutrition is not on point. To optimize muscle mass and recovery, they need to eat often, eat clean, have the right fuel and hydration. This is especially challenging when players are eating on buses, planes, restaurants and in hotels.

Read all the details in the full article here: Here’s what NHL players eat on game day and what they’re not supposed to touch.