Kevin Neeld — Hockey Training, Sports Performance, & Sports Science

Sports Nutrition Tip: Be Prepared for Change

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Today I’m excited to feature the first of what will be an ongoing series of sports nutrition tips from Brian St. Pierre.

Brian currently works for the world-renowned  Precision Nutrition team, and has consulted with a wide range of professional and amateur athletes.

In addition to his work with Precision Nutrition, Brian authored Ultimate Hockey Nutrition and the Ultimate Hockey Transformation Nutrition Manual, the two best nutrition resources for hockey players, parents, and coaches available today.

In short, Brian knows his stuff and we’re very fortunate to have him as a guest contributor!

Enjoy his first tip below.

Tip #1: Be Prepared for Change

Your mindset at the beginning of a lifestyle change might just be your most powerful asset. How you view this process will ultimately shape the success you have, and joy you get out of growing and changing.

It is all about viewing this as a process. You will not immediately become a nutrition superstar. Just like you don’t immediately become a running, accounting, or engineering superstar. It truly is a process.

This process is not about:

  1. a quick fix;
  2. finding the “secret”; or
  3. “perfecting” your nutrition.

To truly change, you need to be open and prepared to change. To embrace it, no matter how difficult or easy it might seem.

Many of us suffer from the “I know, I know” syndrome? We hear advice that we have heard many times before, and we nod our heads along. But do we really follow this advice consistently?

Being consistent and persistent are the keys to success. No perfection necessary, just progress. Shooting for perfection, or expecting perfection from yourself, is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. It is neither necessary nor helpful.

In fact, expecting perfection leads to an “all or none” mindset. Eating something you aren’t supposed to, or not having time for your 60 minute training session is okay. It’s when these bumps in the road are viewed as “failures” and we let all hell break loose that we get into trouble.

So what if you can’t train for 60 minutes? Train for the 20 or 30 minutes you do have. So you ate a few pieces of candy? It is not a dietary disaster. Simply acknowledge it, move on, and make your next meal solid.

The point is, change is hard. And we often either don’t follow through consistently, or we beat ourselves up for any perceived failures.

Neither approach is going to get us where we want to go. So just don’t do it. Remember that this is a process. It takes time. But it can absolutely be done.

They key is to focus on progress. That slow and steady march toward your goals. Do that, and you will be there before you know it.

-Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS, CISSN, PN1

Brian is a Registered Dietitian and received his Bachelor’s in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Maine, where he also received his Master’s in Food Science and Human Nutrition. He is a Certified Sports Nutritionist as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Brian worked for three years at Cressey Performance as the head Sports Nutritionist and as a Strength and Conditioning Coach, working with hundreds of athletes and recreational exercisers of all types. During this time, he also authored the High Performance Handbook Nutrition Guide, Show and Go Nutrition Guide, Ultimate Hockey Nutrition and dozens of articles for publication.

Nowadays, he works closely with Dr. John Berardi as a full-time coach and a nutrition educator at Precision Nutrition. In particular, working closely with our elite athletes and fitness professionals. As part of the Precision Nutrition mission, he helps to deliver life-changing, research-driven nutrition coaching for everyone.

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“Kevin Neeld is one of the top 5-6 strength and conditioning coaches in the ice hockey world.”
– Mike Boyle, Head S&C Coach, US Women’s Olympic Team

“…if you want to be the best, Kevin is the one you have to train with”
– Brijesh Patel, Head S&C Coach, Quinnipiac University

Kevin Neeld

Kevin Neeld Knows Hockey

Kevin has rapidly established himself as a leader in the field of physical preparation and sports science for ice hockey. He is currently the Head Performance Coach for the Boston Bruins, where he oversees all aspects of designing and implementing the team’s performance training program, as well as monitoring the players’ performance, workload and recovery. Prior to Boston, Kevin spent 2 years as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the San Jose Sharks after serving as the Director of Performance at Endeavor Sports Performance in Pitman, NJ. He also spent 5 years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with USA Hockey’s Women’s Olympic Hockey Team, and has been an invited speaker at conferences hosted by the NHL, NSCA, and USA Hockey.