steady food intake keeps your energy levels consistently higher. Also, when you graze, you never become overly hungry, so you don’t get the urge to overeat. This makes weight control easier. You also tend to choose higher-quality foods if you never let

of your staple foods this winter by adding them to soup, stir frys, casseroles and chilli. Other excellent quercitin sources include grapes, tea and berries.Stay EnergisedGloomy winter days can drain away your energy, leaving you curled up on the couch

Here's a quick guide to the different types of sports drinkEnergy drinks with electrolytes: the most common, all-round energy drinks. Electrolytes (sodium and potassium) replace the salts lost in sweat and help to reduce cramping, among other things

.7g Carbs 26gProtein 6.7g(Per serving)The HealthyWaxy spuds, like these new potatoes, are lower GI than floury baking potatoes. That means they provide a steadier release of energy, keeping you ready to run all day. Asparagus is a rich – and rare

You can indulge in this tasty dose of comfort food without undoing all your hard work, thanks to Mark Bittman, author of The Food Matters Cookbook (£21.88, Simon & Schuster). Bittman, who has a marathon PB of 4:26, gets his guilt-free mac ’n’ cheese fix by swapping high-fat butte...

The chef : Pastry chef and five-time marathoner Gesine Bullock-Prado recently completed her third cookbook Bake It Like You Mean It (£18.99, Stewart, Tabori & Chang) – and then signed up for a half marathon. ‘By the time I finish any baking book, my weight takes a hefty surge, an...

this to more popular sweets like Jelly Babies as it is a bit softer. I carry it in my shorts pocket in a little plastic freezer bag, and just break a little lump off when needed. I guess it's just pure sugar really. – HethThere are a variety of special energy

to retain, rather than excrete, fluid when you stop exercising.Snack attackWhip up your own energy bars with this simple recipe. Each bar is virtually fat-free, easy to digest and supplies 30g of carbohydrate - enough to fuel 30-60 minutes of hard running

Lucozade Sport£10.80 for 12 bottles Carbs per 500ml: 32g“Contains all the major nutrients you need,” says coach Chris Husbands. “Better for longer events – half-marathon and above. Raspberry is actually nicer than standard orange.”Contact: lucozadeshop.comDrinks | Gels | Bars | S...

and the finish. They feel lightheaded, fuzzy and utterly without energy. In short, they would much prefer to just potter off home for a nice bath and a lie down than cover the many miles that remain."When running, you burn through your main source of stored