Remember that scene from HBO's 24/7 depicting Sidney Crosby's pre-game rituals?

Between taping his stick, stretching, and a light soccer kick-around with the boys, he'd whip up a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich at 5 pm, sharp.

Crosby's sandwich can’t be assembled in just any order, or with any bread that’s at hand. It has to be the exact same brands, and it has to be prepared in the same order each time.

(Peanut butter first? Jelly first? Who knows.)

Still, one has gots to wonder:

How healthy is Sid's snack? Low in protein and healthy fats, containing gluten and added sugars, offering little nutritional value...

Were you to ask a mainstream nutritionist for his take on #87's pre-game meal, he'd tell you never to eat that before a hockey game.

Chicken salad or fresh salmon with baked taters would be healthier, no doubt.

Here's the truth, though...

From what I hear, Crosby trains like an animal off the ice.

Never skips workouts.

Always brings an A+ effort.

And, continually strives to improve his performance.

You can afford a little leeway with your diet when you're that committed to getting and staying in shape. So you need not worry about gaining fat or losing a step on the ice when indulging in foods others would deem unhealthy for an athlete.

Thus, Sid can have his proverbial PB&J sammie and eat it, too.

Not saying this is an excuse to wolf down junk food like your average American does. I would never recommend that.

Shoot for making the right nutritional choice 90% of the time. Do that and you can't go wrong. Then, it's up to you if you want to replicate Sid's nutrient-poor snack before a hockey game, or devour another piece of that delish blueberry pie when celebrating a big win out with the boys.

To build muscle and shred fat while enjoying your beloved pre-game peanut butter and jelly sandwich, go to:

http://www.NextLevelHockeyTraining.com

Yunus Barisik