years, governments have preached low-fat, carb-heavy diets. "This wasn't only misguided - it was wrong," Friel says.As your body becomes more lean and conditioned, you become better at burning fat. You need ample amounts of healthy fat, which, contrary

in calories to low-fat milk", but then putting a small knob of butter on top as food for the eyes.12. CornflourStir a little cornflour into your soups and the starch will instantly thicken watery affairs into hearty, healthy broths. As a bonus, cornflour

: protein, omega-3 fats, iron and zinc may be deficient if meat, poultry, fish and eggs are excluded. Add calcium to that list if milk and dairy foods are excluded. To ensure you're including enough of these vital nutrients, try the following

and follow these tips for effective refuelling in the build-up to your next race.The problem: You avoid fatty foodsMany triathletes are body conscious and try to eliminate fat from their diets. If you avoid foods such as red meat and dairy products, you

jacket potato or bowl of pasta, once seen as a healthy choice, became foods likely to increase your weight.Health warningA number of low-carbohydrate diets have emerged and become very popular, though the total avoidance of carbohydrate is still largely

. Wait two to four hours after eating a full meal before you begin training. Your meal should be low in fat, contain carbohydrates (such as pasta, potato or bread), a small amount of protein (meat, fish or pulses) and plenty of vegetables or salad. Avoid

in their running programmes.Since extra body fat equals dead weight in a race, you must trim extra pounds to maximize performance. You don’t need to cut down to the levels of élite runners (8 per cent for men, 12 per cent for women). Instead, settle on an ideal

, but these essential fats deliver benefits, so don't avoid them. Try salmon pâté or guacamole on a couple of oatcakes after a run." Ian Marber, the Food DoctorLose the tension"Avoid wasting energy during a race by unnecessarily tensing muscles, especially

can never utilise fat quickly enough to provide all the energy you'll need in races, but the more fat you burn, the less of your precious carbohydrates you'll need to use.Also, you will improve the circulatory abilities of the exercising muscles

as theirs, try to make sure they eat a familiar, low-fat breakfast on Sunday morning, and that if nothing else, they have their race number and Championchip when they leave the house – without them, they won't be able to run and record a time. Viewing points