On your marks…

If you regularly find yourself running out of steam halfway through a workout, it might just be worth taking a look at what you ate in the preceding hours. "Studies show that performance during moderate to high intensity exercise was improved after consuming a moderately high-carbohydrate and low-fat meal three hours before exercise," says Holland & Barrett's nutritionist Kate Butler. "Whether to eat high GI or low GI carbohydrates pre-exercise has historically been a controversial topic. However, many experts recommend a low GI meal to support sustained energy release and post-exercise recovery. Pre-workout foods might include wholemeal pasta with cheese and vegetables, chicken with brown rice and salad or wholegrain cereal with milk or yoghurt."