DECIDING what and when to eat prior to training and competition is like wading through a minefield of unnecessarily complicated and conflicting advice. According to where you source your information, carbs are in or out of preparatory nutrition and meal timings for peak results vary from one to four hours before you start. What remains a constant is the aim of pre-training or precompetition food: to optimise energy supplies for your chosen event. Here, with the help of Jon Williams, a leading sports nutritionist who is the official advisor to the Welsh Rugby Football Union, we explore the latest science to find out how you really should eat to compete.
Pre-event or competition meals, says Jon Williams (left), should provide a relevant balance of carbs and proteins
Are carbs still the gold standard?