caffeine and alcohol, which contribute to dehydration.You don’t know what to eat Simple: stick to tried-and-tested foods, avoiding seafood and spicy food. Aim for slightly more carbohydrate and slightly less fat than usual on the day before the race, but it

You don’t need a magic potion if you want to shift some weight, fight colds, boost your endurance, defend yourself against major illnesses or run faster and better. All you need is food. Over the years, we’ve brought you some great nuggets

When it comes to food, we usually end up following the USA’s lead even if the trends that make it across the Atlantic aren’t that healthy. Just think McDonalds, Krispy Kreme doughnuts or get-thin-quick diets such as Atkins and South Beach

GETTY IMAGESThere are many reasons to eat seasonal and local food, from the environmental benefits of reducing the miles your food has travelled, to the simple fact that it is often cheaper to buy local food. It could even have an impact on your

refuelling strategies for both types of morning exercisers:Early risersChoose high-carbohydrate foods that are low in fat and moderate in protein. Aim for about 400-800 calories, which will fuel your training without making you feel sluggish. Drink about half

-buster is great for motivation. I always start my runs with a walk until I feel mentally prepared to pick up the pace, and if I don't feel like it, I just walk and enjoy it for what it is." 2. FAT IS YOUR FRIEND "Certain 'diet' foods backfire because they leave

."NUTRITIONPass on the extra carbsBread, bagels, pasta, potatoes and pancakes - you just can't get enough, right? Wrong, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark's Food Guide for New Runners (£12.95, Meyer & Meyer Sport). Running two or three miles

am still terrified of gaining weight. If I eat 2,000 calories a day of the right foods, am I likely to gain weight? Should I eat more or less, or exercise mor or less?" – AmandaYour best answersYou're not over it – and you're not aloneAmanda, you

? Unfortunately for athletes, scientific research into the effects of dietary supplements has thus far proven inconclusive, regardless of what their manufacturers want you to believe. Why, then, do ever-hopeful runners dash to their local chemist and health food

away from healthy whole-grain foods. "The way you can judge how healthy a carbohydrate food is, is to look at the amount of fibre it has,"says Dr Arthur Agatston, author of The South Beach Diet. "The more fibre, the more slowly it'll be digested