Diet

Your new exercise programme will be far more effective if it is combined with a new approach to healthy eating.

However, it’s not advisable to begin regular exercise at the same time as you start a diet. This will put a potentially dangerous strain on your body as you might not be providing the correct amount of calories to support your exercising.

It’s far better to look at your whole diet and try and improve the nature and quality of what you eat and drink. Try to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables while reducing the amount of fatty foods in your diet.

The important thing is to maintain a good level of calorie intake as the exercise you do will burn off a certain amount in any case.

As your training regime progresses, you will burn more and more calories. That’s why it is important to ensure you are eating enough to fuel your exercise.

While your diet should be a harmonious balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates it is carbohydrates that provide most of your energy. Ensure your diet contains a good mix of carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, potatoes, breakfast cereals and bread.

Eat a carbohydrate snack two to three hours before a run to top up your energy stores.

It’s also important to ensure you stay hydrated. That means drinking to prevent thirst rather than because of it. If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated and your performance will be affected.

Practice drinking while training as this can be a tricky experience if you try it for the first time on event day.

Start your recovery as soon as a training session has finished. Rehydrate and follow this up with a high carbohydrate meal, ideally within two hours of stopping.