Diet: For Matt Duchene, it meant getting rid of gluten, dropping 10 pounds and adding more quickness and energy.

Exercise: For Duchene, it meant not just going through the motions, but learning more what the motions could do for his body.

The result of Duchene's new diet and exercise regimen: 28 points in his first 25 games, after a 2011-12 season in which he had only 28 points in 58 games. The Avalanche center is too busy to write a diet and exercise book, but if he did it might become a best seller. His NHL career is back on the right track, and Duchene said it's largely because of new eating and workout habits that started soon after his frustrating, injury-filled season.

"Getting leaner was a step I needed to take, but I couldn't figure out why I was having a hard time doing it. And what we figured out was my body has a really high intolerance to wheat and gluten," Duchene said. "You learn in school from the food guys that you're supposed to have a certain serving every day of wheat and grains, and it's not true. You shouldn't eat what's not great for you.