Keep in mind I am intentionally leaving other aspects out such as protein and fat as I want to gear the article strictly towards the most applicable game-related material.

People generally overlook hydration in physical performance. This includes health, muscle building, fat loss, injury prevention, and energy levels both on and off the ice. Beyond this, research has shown even slight levels of dehydration can not only negatively affect performance but also create rises in the stress hormone cortisol.

Cortisol is also catabolic to muscle tissue, which means it breaks muscle tissue down. The above carbohydrate strategy would also not work very well because for every 1g of carbohydrate you want to store in the muscle cell in the form of glycogen you are also going to need an average of g of water to go with it.

Water is that important. Hydration needs to be a seven days per week effort in order to be done properly. This is simply a guide representing what you should be taking in on a daily basis, training or non-training day.

To dial things in even further, your pee should be clear or slightly yellow throughout the whole day. Essentially, we want to avoid junk food because it does nothing but slow you down on the ice and reduce the rate at which you recover. Beyond this, we want to avoid high intakes of fat and fiber as they both slow down the rate at which we digest food and therefore result in reduced rates of recovery when eaten post-game, and increased rates of GI distress when eaten pre-game.

An example lunch option would be some wild salmon, vegetables, side salad with extra virgin olive oil, plus a fruit of your choice. Smaller individuals stick to the low-end of the recommendations while larger individuals should stick to the high-end.

While breakfast and lunch are important on game days, when we talk about the four phases of game day nutrition we are focusing on the hour window before, during and after the hockey game. The research behind game day nutrition can become extremely complicated, but the main objectives are simple:.

To accomplish these with the highest degree of effectiveness we approach the game in 4 different phases:. Phase 1: hours prior to the game Phase 2: minutes prior to the game Phase 3: During the game Phase 4: Post-game.

To top off your glycogen stores and have readily available glucose circulating around waiting the be burned off as energy during the game, it is ideal to have a ratio of carbohydrates to protein in the form of a solid, whole food meal approximately hours before the game. The carbohydrate source should come in the form of a low glycemic index choice such as sweet potato, brown rice, oats, brown pasta, or quinoa — and the protein should ideally be an animal source such as meat or egg whites.

I give the range of hours pre-game because you know your body better than I ever will. A good example of a phase 1 meal would be 6 oz of chicken breast with 1 cup of cooked brown rice.

If you want more example meals check out our best hockey pre-game meals article. Here at the minutes pre-game mark ideally closer to 45 minutes you would have a combination of liquid protein and carbohydrates. We use liquid in this phase as it absorbs much faster through the G.

tract allowing you to be fueled for the game. A combination of g whey protein isolate with g carbohydrate powder would be ideal here.

If you were able to get your Phase 1 pre-game meal in, you could use Phase 2 for performance-enhancing supplementation such as caffeine , neural stimulants, creatine or beta-alanine or all of the above. They do not just work through a physical anaerobic energy component, but they also work to bring the brain up to another level of performance.

You could say they allow the brain to fire at a higher RPM. For example, some people go nuts on 1 cup of coffee whereas others could go to sleep after it.

I recommend always starting at the lowest possible dose, and only working your way up as needed. Keeping our 4 main objectives outlined above at the forefront of our decision making, it is of the utmost importance to consume a high glycemic carbohydrate source combined with either free form amino acids or whey protein isolate plus some electrolytes.

Liquid nutrition causes the least amount of gastric distress and, due to the explosiveness of hockey, you are at a great susceptibility to having gastric distress.

Going any higher than this it has shown in the research that it is going to delay gastric clearance which means it is going to sit in your gut longer and take longer to get to your muscles. So, if your drink has 40g of total powder in it, your water content should be a minimum ml.

Carbohydrates are there to keep glucose and energy levels high throughout the whole game. Neurotransmitters in the brain are what your body uses to communicate back and forth and give signals to what is happening in the body.

This can help you to go harder, longer; and since it is neurotransmitter related you are also going to be mentally sharper as well which is super important as all hockey performance begins with the sharpness of your mind and reaction time.

The electrolytes are in the drink to drive maximal hydration and optimal muscle pH levels. Some good sources of iron include lean meats, beans, and fortified cereals. Players can easily get Vitamin D through sunlight exposure, but it can also be found in fortified dairy products and fatty fish.

Calcium is important for bone health and can be found in dairy products milk , fortified foods, and leafy green vegetables. Vitamin and Calcium supplements are other options to get these micronutrients.

Nutrition strategies in ice hockey involve planning and following appropriate dietary habits to improve athletic performance, promote health, and support recovery for players. Mainly, these strategies can be categoried into four types:.

Hockey players should take their pre-game meal hours before the game. The meal should include carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

A turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread, grilled chicken with brown rice and veggies, or spaghetti with tomato sauce and a salad are all good pre-game food alternatives. Snacking before the game can also help maintain energy levels during the game. Good pre-game snack options include fruit, granola bars, or yogurt.

Post-game food is essential for recovery and should be consumed within 30 minutes following the game. Post-game meals should include carbohydrates and protein to replenish energy stores and assist muscle healing.

A turkey wrap with vegetables, a grilled chicken salad with fruit, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a banana are all good post-game alternatives.

It is also critical to rehydrate after the game by drinking water or sports drinks. Hockey athletes should ideally be consuming anywhere from oz of water every mins during exercise.

To perform at their best, players must maintain adequate hydration levels. The suggested fluid intake before a game is oz, oz every minutes during the game, and oz for every pound of body weight dropped after the game.

Common dehydration symptoms include weariness, disorientation, and impaired performance. It is true that a balanced diet can provide essential nutrients.

However, some hockey athletes take additional supplements like vitamins, minerals, etc with their diet. One key thing to remember is that always take supplements under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner or a qualified nutritionist.

Creatine, caffeine, and beta-alanine are some of the most regularly used supplements in ice hockey. Proper nutrition is crucial for ice hockey players to stay healthy and energized on the ice.

Equally important is selecting the right hockey helmet for head protection. Our guide to buying a hockey helmet can help you make the right choice. Hockey players need proper nutrition because it assists with overall performance, muscle recovery and repair, and energy for physical activity.

Give the body the ideal balance of nutrients, with a focus on carbohydrates. Think of a peace sign. Protein-rich foods like chicken, red meat, pig, fish, or eggs should be used to fill the triangle at the bottom of the peace sign.

The remaining categories should include fruit or vegetables, and carbohydrates pasta, rice, bread, or cereal. Protein is important for hockey players as it helps to build and repair muscles after intense physical activity.

It also provides energy to the body and helps to keep players feeling full and satisfied. Adequate protein intake can also help prevent muscle breakdown during off-ice training and competition.

Hockey players need vitamins and minerals to support their overall health and performance. Magnesium, fluoride, and vitamin D are a few examples of vitamins that should be prioritized.

You can take supplements or eat foods to gain these nutrients. Fats are important for hockey players as they provide a source of energy, support brain function, and aid in hormone production.

Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, for example, can only be acquired from the diet since the body cannot create them. Hockey players should aim to consume healthy fats like those found in nuts, seeds, and fatty fish to support their overall health and performance.

An excellent diet for physical activity and performance can be one that is well-balanced and high in carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals. This means you need to choose carbohydrate-rich foods that are low in protein, fibre and fat. It is recommended to consume g of carbohydrates per hour of exercises.

This can be achieved by consuming fruit, sports bars and drinks, diluted fruit juice, granola bars, cold cereal, pretzels, or crackers, all of which can be easily packed in your hockey bag. Hydration : Dehydration can impair mental and physical performance.

Most players will need to ml of liquids for every hour of exercise to account for fluids lost with sweat. Also, a player may already be dehydrated before becoming thirsty! Although it seems like a lot of liquid to drink, it can easily be reached by taking 4 large sips of water or sports drink every 20 minutes.

Nutrition: Your priority here is to replenish your energy stores and repair any muscle and tissue damage. After your game, it is important to eat a meal or snack within 30 minutes of your game and again hours after that. All meals and snacks should have a ratio of carbohydrates to protein.

This translates to For example, a 70 kg athlete will need 70 to grams of carbohydrates and 14 to 28 grams of protein within 30 minutes and again hours after. Some post-game meals and snacks include:.

Hydration : After a game, drink To get this number, weigh yourself before and after a practice or game to determine your weight lost and then multiply it by Although we believe our children are the next NHL superstars, nutrient requirements for young players are different.

First, our children are a lot smaller than adult professional or competitive athletes, which means that their energy and nutrient needs are lower as well. Second, the game as well as the season is shorter in length.

A professional hockey game can take up to 3 hours in total whereas a game in the minor league can be as short as 40 minutes. And most youth players do not play the 82 games a professional player does. This is not to say that proper nutrition is not important, but rather that the best strategy for our children is to follow a healthy, balanced diet without having to calculate exact nutrient needs.

Children playing hockey should eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, which include grains, quality protein, fruit, vegetables and dairy products.