Boost your energy

Eating the right foods will give you the energy you need if you want to exercise, go out with your friends or if you just need a boost to get up off the sofa!

If you're into sport, then eating well will also mean you'll be able to train and compete better, and for longer.

Eating well will also help your mind stay sharp.

Energy should come from foods high in carbohydrate, such as bread, pasta, potatoes and breakfast cereals. If you're particularly active, try to eat regularly and have a selection of healthy foods available at all times so you don't get so easily tempted to have an unhealthy snack.

Four top tips to keep up your energy levels

1. Don't skip breakfast

By the morning, your body has been without food for many hours, so no wonder it needs refuelling. Your body is a bit like a mobile phone: it needs recharging regularly.

Eating breakfast will help stop your stores of energy - your blood sugar - from dipping during the morning.

It will help boost your energy and set you up for the day ahead. Good choices include:

• a bowl of breakfast cereal (try to choose one that is high in fibre, but low in fat, sugar and salt) with semi-skimmed milk and a glass of fruit juice
• boiled egg and toast and a banana
• porridge made with semi-skimmed milk and topped with fresh or dried fruit
• banana smoothie

2. Eat regularly

Try to make sure you eat three meals every day and top up with healthy snacks such as:

• fruit - choose fresh, dried, frozen or canned
• flavoured yoghurt or milk
• pot of rice pudding or custard
• cereal bar
• fruit buns, fruit loaf or malt loaf

3. Eat foods rich in iron

We need lots of iron, and girls need even more than boys. Iron helps the body make haemoglobin, the red pigment in our blood, which carries oxygen around the body.
These are all good sources of iron:

• red meat such as beef and lamb
• breakfast cereals
• wholegrain bread
• green vegetables such as green cabbage, broccoli and dark salad leaves
• dried fruit such as apricots or raisins
• nuts and seeds such as cashews or almonds
• lentils, peas and beans, including baked beans

Click here for advice on how to be an iron lady on www.food.gov.uk

4. Keep well hydrated

When you're really rushing about, whether you're shopping, exercising or clubbing, you've probably noticed that this can make you sweat.

When you sweat you lose fluids so you could become dehydrated.

If you're into sport this means you could start to lose your winning edge and you may even have to stop your training session or competition altogether.

By the time you feel thirsty, it's too late, you're already dehydrated. To avoid this, remember to drink plenty before, during and after any activity such as a game or training session.

And remember everyone needs 1.2 litres (6 to 8 glasses) every day (in climates such as the UK) to avoid dehydration. But if you're very active or the weather is hot, you need to drink even more.

Best drinks include:

• water
• semi-skimmed milk
• diluted fruit juice
• diluted fruit squash

It's not usually necessary to drink sports drinks just because you're active. Fruit juice mixed with water, well diluted fruit squashes or juice drinks will hydrate you and give you some energy.

Click here for more on drinks