With the mountains of conflicting advice that are thrown at us in various publications it can be difficult to know what is best. There are a few simple tips and guidelines to help you make the most of your diet/exercise routine so that it enhances your quality of life and does not become a burden. Which will apply to you depends on the type of exercise routine and diet suits you.

If you are doing exercise that involves a lot of 'muscular effort' such as working out with weights you should make sure that you eat plenty of protein, particularly from lean meats such as Chicken and Turkey, soya protein is also good as are nuts and pulses as well as red meat in moderation. When you exercise in this way, the muscles suffer many small tears and need a good source of protein to help repair and strengthen them.

If you are intending to do an intense workout, or undertake any heavy exercise you need to make sure you eat appropriately. You cannot do demanding exercises on either an empty or a full stomach. You should make sure you have eaten at least an hour before you start and not more than three hours. If your intend to lose weight, then you want to use more calories that you take in with your meals but it is not advisable that your body relies only on fat reserves for energy. This will make you feel weak and tired and is not healthy at all. If you plan a concentrated exercise session, plan a suitable healthy meal to support your body.

Proper hydration is critical. It is only of recent times that we have realized just how important. Fluid should be an important part of your normal everyday diet, water is ideal but you may want to consider special hydrating sports drinks if you will be working out intensely and sweating a lot. When we sweat, we lose minerals and salts as well as water, and we have to replace these in our bodies. Without the correct salt and mineral balance your body won’t be able to use the water and you will suffer potentially serious side effects.

Set yourself a schedule, not a punishing one, but one that you can keep to easily and that fits in with your lifestyle. Both meals and exercise should be included in the plan so that you make sure you eat an appropriate time before or after a workout session. You must not underestimate how important it is to your new regime that you set everything so that your normal life continues without too many changes or self imposed pressures. If you don't , you won't be able to stick to it and that is a huge disappointment.

On a very practical basis if you have not done any exercise for a long time, or you intend to dramatically increase your levels of exercise please consult your Doctor first. It only takes a short time to get a quick check up to make sure your plan is suitable for your current state of health. Your Doctor is also an invaluable source of information and guidance on both healthy eating and healthy exercise.