Do Calories Matter Before Playing Goal?
- Calories measure energy value from food and directly impact goaltender performance on the ice.
- Food has both a nutritional value (vitamins, minerals, nutrients) and a separate energy value measured in calories — both matter for goalie performance.
- Calories consumed are either used immediately by the body or stored for later use, making pre-game nutrition timing important.
- Understanding calorie basics is the foundation of eating for performance, not just for weight loss or dieting.
- Jamie Phillips recommends scientifically backed nutrition programming tailored specifically to athlete performance needs.
InGoal is pleased to welcome Jamie Phillips, as he shares his knowledge in nutrition and training with InGoal Members. Also look for him on the InGoal Radio Podcast where he joined us for a feature interview.
Jamie is a former professional goaltender who played in Europe, the ECHL and AHL after an NCAA career at Michigan Tech where he now serves as goaltending coach. He has completed both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. Phillips began Phillips Sports Performance with one goal in mind, to help athletes perform at their best each and every day through scientifically backed programming in both nutrition and off ice training. He can be reached via DM on his Instagram page @phillipssportsperformance
We hear a lot about calories and counting them these days, most often when it comes to dieting and weight loss, but do they really matter when it comes time to stop pucks?
The answer is yes. Calories can affect athletic performance, but before we explain how — and how much you should pay attention to them before a game or practice — let’s start by better understanding what calories really are.
When eating for performance, it is critical to understand that what we consume has both a nutritional value and an energy value.
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