Can You Get In Hockey Shape TOO FAST?

Does losing 8 pounds in one week mean that you are in shape?

Just one week ago, NHLer Kyle Wellwood was being blasted by his head coach for being out of shape.

Now, thanks to a renewed focus on proper nutrition, Wellwood has shed those pesky pounds fast and his coach, Alain Vigneault, is happy.

But is what Wellwood has done in one week healthy?

Wellwood has been put on what can quite simply be termed a classic low-carb diet.

His former favorites like pasta and subs are now off the table - being replaced by only lean meat and vegetables.

But should hockey players, who are skating and training upwards of 3 hours a day, be eliminating all high-energy carbohydrates from their diet?

Losing weight is one thing - but eating for performance is something completely different.

Hockey nutrition is simple.

Stick to the basics.

Focus on eating real foods.

--> Lean protein, like chicken, fish, and lean red meat
--> Fruits and vegetables
--> Healthy fats, like olive oil, avocado and egg yolks

AND...

--> Whole-grain carbohydrates, like oats, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta

Hockey players need high-energy carbohydrates in order to fuel their best performance. Without them, they will run out of energy quickly and will be unable to recover effectively between practices and games.

So while eliminating carbs has allowed Wellwood to shed some extra pounds quickly, you can be sure that he will be adding these foods back into his diet once the season begins.

Or else he won’t be playing at the highest level for long.


Just some food for thought,

~ Coach Kim