When it comes to a healthy body and mind, Connor Carrick is a true student of the game.

The 25-year-old defenceman, who signed a two-year free agent contract with the New Jersey Devils this July, dropped by NHLPA.com to share some of the healthy eating tips he’s embraced.

Top healthy maintenance tips

1. Veggie time

“For myself, No. 1 would be vegetable intake. I am consistent with my colours – greens lead the way – and I will try to get in everything from sweet potatoes to beets. It’s just trying to eat a good vegetable diet. Vegetable sources of fuel are pretty widely accepted as being positive.”

2. The pros of protein

“For myself, I do really well when I have a higher protein and fat content. That just works for me and my system. So I recommend to anyone that’s starting out on this journey to use, as best you can, the grass-fed meats. I eat organic chicken, pasture-raised pork and also eat wild seafood.”        

3. Casting a wide net

“I stay away from the high mercury fish. If it’s a really special night, like a big sushi night, I typically stay away from swordfish and tuna.” 

4. Portion size

“Number four for me would be amount, based on the energy requirements for a day. I will definitely eat differently on an off-day or a lighter practice day versus game day, in which I expect to play 20-plus minutes, the pre-game skate and all of that.”   

5. Spacing out meals

“I do some fasting. A couple of days, I’ll go 16 hours without food. It takes a little bit of time to work up to that. Functional medicine therapists and doctors I’ve worked with have recommended that I go at least 12 hours from my last meal to my next, 16 being a good goal. Now I will try to do that mostly on my off days. It’s not so much of an effort… it just comes together naturally. Say that I eat a steak dinner at 11 at night after a game, I might not be hungry until the next day until dinner time. I try to not let my rules get in the way of how I’m feeling. At the same time, I know, generally, when I follow the rules that I set out for myself, I know how I’m going to feel. As long as I’m consistent with it, I feel good.”