ONLINE SPORTS NUTRITIONIST
If you want to Reach your full potential on the ice, I can help.
I’m Melissa Boufounos — a hockey player, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, and performance nutrition coach who helps hockey players become dominant three-period performers.
Through practical, performance-focused nutrition coaching, I help athletes fuel with confidence, recover with purpose, and perform consistently from puck drop to final buzzer.
Because the truth is, talent and training are only part of the equation.
Many hockey players work incredibly hard but still struggle with inconsistent energy, slow recovery, recurring injuries, or fading late in games.
Often, the missing piece isn’t more training — it’s learning how to properly fuel the body that is doing all the work.
I know this because I lived it.
As an athlete, I was often one of the top players on every team I played on. I was dedicated, competitive, and willing to put in the work. But I didn’t have the nutrition knowledge or support I needed.
I under-fuelled, followed nutrition advice that wasn’t designed for high-performance athletes, and ignored what my body was trying to tell me.
Over time, those choices contributed to injuries, setbacks, and ultimately stepping away from hockey before reaching the potential I knew I had.
Everything changed when I learned how to properly fuel for performance.
My energy improved. My recovery improved. I felt stronger, more confident, and more capable as an athlete.
Now, my mission is to make sure nutrition is never the reason a hockey player is held back.
Why Should You Take My Advice?
I’m not just a nutrition professional who studied the game from the outside — I’ve lived it.
I spent 17 years as a competitive hockey player before stepping away from the sport in 2015 due to post-concussion syndrome. I also competed in obstacle course racing from 2013–2020 and continue to stay active through sport.
My athletic background gives me a unique understanding of what hockey players experience: demanding schedules, pressure to perform, the desire to improve, and the challenge of balancing training, competition, school, and life.
I combine that lived experience with my background as a Certified Holistic Nutritionist specializing in sports nutrition, along with my education in broadcast and sports journalism.
I’ve been recognized four times as one of OptiMYz Magazine’s Top 100 Health Experts in Canada and have been featured as a nutrition expert in outlets including Forbes Health, U.S. News, MindBodyGreen, Today’s Parent, and Fortune.
But the part I’m most proud of is being able to take complicated nutrition information and turn it into practical strategies athletes and families can actually use.
Most hockey players think they have a training problem. Often, they have a fuelling problem.
Hockey players are constantly looking for ways to improve.
More training. More skills sessions. More recovery tools. More supplements.
But even the best training program cannot overcome an athlete who doesn’t have the energy to perform, recover, adapt, and grow.
Nutrition is one of the biggest performance tools athletes can control, yet many players are still getting their information from unreliable sources, restrictive diet culture, or advice that was never designed for hockey.
I believe athletes should never have to choose between performance and health.
My approach is about replacing confusion and restriction with practical fuelling strategies that help players build strength, recover faster, and perform consistently throughout their careers.
Nutrition should be part of every hockey player’s game plan.
Whether you’re a developing player working toward the next level or an established athlete looking to optimize performance, the goal is the same:
Fuel better. Recover better. Perform better.
My performance nutrition coaching programs and team workshops help hockey players develop the habits and confidence they need to become consistent performers — from puck drop to final buzzer.
About Melissa
Education and Credentials:
CHN: Melissa has been a Certified Holistic Nutritionist since 2015. This designation from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition requires over 280 hours of in-class instruction, 250 clinical hours, and 50 practicum hours.
Precision Nutrition Level 2 Masterclass
Precision Nutrition Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification
Sports Journalism diploma from Centennial College
Broadcast Journalism diploma from Seneca College
Athletic Accomplishments:
Drafted to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2011
Represented Greece at ISBHF World Ball Hockey Championships in 2013
Member of gold-medal-winning Canadian National Ball Hockey Championships team in 2014
2nd place age group podium finish at Spartan Race Super 2018
3rd place age group podium finish at Savage Race Pro 2018
6th place elite finish (1st in age group) at DeadEnd Race Sub Zero 2018
Keeping mandatory completion band at NORAMs 2019 (3K course)
Two Spartan Trifectas (2014, 2015)
What About When I’m Not Talking Nutrition?
I love what I do, and I’m honoured that my clients, family, and friends describe me as approachable, relatable, and someone who truly walks the talk.
I love a good documentary or historical film based on real events. You’ll usually find me listening to podcasts, watching Jeopardy, or diving into true crime.
Outside of work, I’m happiest being outdoors. I love camping, hiking, and exploring new places with my family. In the summer, you’ll find me playing tennis or spending time near the water.
If you hit shuffle on my playlist, you’ll get everything from country and classic rock to post-hardcore and 90s pop — I promise it makes sense in my head.
And yes — I’ll always be a proud chocoholic and self-proclaimed Carb Queen. Ain’t nobody got time for Keto.
One of my favourite personal achievements was participating in the Sears Great Canadian Relay Run to End Kids Cancer for three years. As part of The Canadian Mudd Queens, I helped raise more than $70,000 for the cause.