The Athlete Family – Details, episodes & analysis

In our first episode of the Athlete Family Podcast, hosts Sylvie Vilaca and Isabelle Dimambro introduce the foundation of their Preparation Hierarchy:

Load Awareness.

Drawing from their experience inside the GRP high-performance environment — and from real life as parents navigating busy schedules — they break down why so many young athletes feel underprepared heading into practices, tournaments, and heavy competition weekends.

This episode covers:

• What "load awareness" actually means
• How to map out a realistic weekly schedule
• The difference between practice days, game days, and rest days
• Why carbohydrate timing matters on competition days
• Why fiber timing can hurt performance if done wrong
• How families can label Red, Orange, and Green days
• Practical meal prep strategies for busy households

More than nutrition advice, this episode is about family leadership — aligning the home environment with the demands of sport so athletes feel confident, fueled, and ready.

Because performance doesn't start at the rink.
It starts with awareness at home.

Sylvie Vilaca - Performance Nutritionist & High-Performance Coach at GRP

Sylvie works directly with youth, junior, and professional athletes inside the GRP high-performance environment. She specializes in fueling development, performance longevity, and building sustainable habits that extend beyond the gym.

Isabelle "Izzy" Dimambro - Nutritionist & Athlete Development Associate at GRP

Isabelle combines her athletic background with her academic training in nutrition to apply evidence-based strategies that help individuals fuel properly, recover effectively, and build sustainable habits that optimize performance.

Gary Roberts Performance hosts this podcast. If you're looking to take your game to the next level, GRP offers comprehensive training programs for elite hockey players.

👉 Click the link below to Book a Call with a GR Coach.
IG: @garyrobertshpt
#TheHockeyLabPodcast #HockeyNutrition #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyTraining #AthleteFuel

Game day doesn't start at puck drop — it starts days before, in your kitchen and your gear bag.

In Part 2 of our Preparation Hierarchy series, we break down the Environmental Setup pillar with a full walkthrough of what game day and tournament day nutrition actually looks like in practice. We're talking real examples, real meals, and real timing — from your morning breakfast through post-game recovery.

We cover what to eat and when, why you want to keep things simple and familiar on competition days, how to spot if you're a salty sweater (hint: check your equipment), and how to build a mobile fuel station that keeps you performing through back-to-back games.

Whether you're prepping for a single evening game or a full tournament weekend, this episode gives you a practical framework you can actually use — and a challenge to start with just one thing.

In this episode:

• Load Awareness recap and how it connects to game day planning
• The performance food rules: carbs, protein, fat, and fiber explained
• Hydration — why it starts 24 hours before game time
• A full sample evening game day meal plan
• A full sample tournament day (two games) meal plan
• Recovery: refuel, rebuild, rehydrate
• What to avoid — fast food, skipped meals, and saving calories for dinner
• A note for parents: you need fuel too

Sylvie Vilaca - Performance Nutritionist & High-Performance Coach at GRP

Sylvie works directly with youth, junior, and professional athletes inside the GRP high-performance environment. She specializes in fueling development, performance longevity, and building sustainable habits that extend beyond the gym.

Isabelle "Izzy" Dimambro - Nutritionist & Athlete Development Associate at GRP

Isabelle combines her athletic background with her academic training in nutrition to apply evidence-based strategies that help individuals fuel properly, recover effectively, and build sustainable habits that optimize performance.

Gary Roberts Performance hosts this podcast. If you're looking to take your game to the next level, GRP offers comprehensive training programs for elite hockey players.

👉 Click the link below to Book a Call with a GR Coach.
IG: @garyrobertshpt
#TheHockeyLabPodcast #HockeyNutrition #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyTraining #AthleteFuel

Nutrition doesn't start at dinnertime — it starts the week before, when you actually have time to plan.

In this episode of the Athlete Family Podcast, we break down the first pillar of family performance nutrition: Load Awareness. Before any meal prep happens, you need to understand what you're actually fueling for — your athlete's practices, games, and tournaments, but also your own work schedule, commutes, and the mental load that comes with running a household.

We walk through what load awareness actually looks like in practice, how to find small prep windows throughout the week, and why planning on Friday for the following week beats scrambling on Sunday every time. Sylvie shares exactly how she preps for a travel week with two toddlers — what she made, when she made it, and how simple grab-and-go options can keep the whole family fueled without a full day in the kitchen.

Whether you're heading into a tournament weekend or just trying to survive a busy school and practice week, this episode gives you the foundation to stop making last-minute food decisions.

In this episode:

• What load awareness means — and why it's the first pillar
• Athlete stress vs. family stress: understanding the full picture
• The hidden parent load and why your fuel matters too
• How to find prep windows that actually fit your schedule
• Slow cooker, sheet pan, and grab-and-go strategies for busy nights
• What to order when you're on the road and fast food is the only option
• Why the Uber Eats math almost never works in your favor
• A challenge to start with just one prep window this week

The Hosts

Sylvie Vilaca — Performance Nutritionist & High-Performance Coach at GRP Sylvie works directly with youth, junior, and professional athletes inside the GRP high-performance environment. She specializes in fueling development, performance longevity, and building sustainable habits that extend beyond the gym.

Isabelle "Izzy" Dimambro — Nutritionist & Athlete Development Associate at GRP Isabelle combines her athletic background with her academic training in nutrition to apply evidence-based strategies that help individuals fuel properly, recover effectively, and build sustainable habits that optimize performance.

Gary Roberts Performance hosts this podcast. If you're looking to take your game — and your family's performance — to the next level, GRP offers comprehensive training programs for elite hockey players.

👉 Click the link below to Book a Call with a GRP Coach. IG: @garyrobertshpt #AthleteFamilyPodcast #FamilyNutrition #HockeyFamily #AthleteFuel #PerformanceNutrition #HockeyMom #HockeyDad #YouthAthlete #GaryRobertsPerformance