Diet and exercise are probably the most important pillars for any athlete and the Boston Bruins are reportedly not playing around with their prospects. Jonathan Morello, Dean Letourneau, and Matt Poitras discussed at length what it's like trying to beef up for the pros and what their daily schedules looks like in terms of eating and dieting.
Morello, for instance, has a target set for 4,500 calories per day and admits that he can't just have three large meals to cut it. He has to eat once he wakes up, try to eat every three hours, and make sure he's full and satiated before bed.
Bruins' nutritionist Julie Nicoletti mentioned this week that minding their eating habits is a full-blown job for these prospects.
Nicoletti also let us in on the typical off-season day of eating:
First breakfast: oatmeal with fruit and peanut butterPost-workout snack: protein shake, banana with peanut butter, fruitSecond breakfast: eggs, avocado, turkey bacon, fruit, potatoesLunch: burrito bowl with double chicken, rice, beans, vegetablesMid-afternoon snack: yogurt, fruitFirst dinner: meatballsSecond dinner: salmon, vegetables, pastaPre-bed snack: protein shake
Whether big or small, the Bruins are trying to get their prospects on the right path of eating healthy and eating a lot. Matthew Poitras gained close to 10 pounds since last year, primarily due to the fact that he was able to eat a lot more while rehabbing a shoulder injury and not losing so many calories on the ice.
"I've never really been able to put on a lot of weight," Poitras said. "So it was a little bit hard. But it also helped where I was really only working out and I wasn't skating for three months. So I wasn't burning as many calories. Easier to keep on the weight when I put it on with muscle."
Then you have the Bruins' first round pick in this year's draft, Dean Letourneau, who stands in at 6'7" and weighs in around 215 pounds. His goal is to check in around 235 pounds over the next few years, but it all starts with his diet that consists of constant meals throughout the day ranging from eggs and toast to quesadillas and yogurt to steaks at night.
They aren't called "the big, bad Bruins" for nothing. It's clear that the organization really prides themselves on setting guys up for success, starting even before they reach the NHL level. Helping these prospects to put the right things into their bodies and provide them with the ideal foods to help maximize their growth and performance is certainly allowing these kids to put their best foot forward.
Source for the article: The NHL prospect diet: 4,500 calories per day, 7 meals and a big grocery bill � �it's a job'
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17 JUILLET | 185 ANSWERS NHL prospects reveal insane bulking diet, including 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners Did the Maple Leafs miss the boat on not drafting Dean Letourneau in the first round? | ||
Yes, they shouldn't have traded so far down | 28 | 15.1 % |
Tough to say right now, Danford was a solid choice | 118 | 63.8 % |
I'm glad they went after Danford! Kid is solid! | 39 | 21.1 % |
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