Question: I’ve been low on energy lately. Which high energy foods can I eat to give me a boost?

Answer: Though many experts would give carbohydrates the nod, the reality is that they fuel your training and contribute less to how energetic you feel than other nutrients.

If your overall energy is low, take a closer look at your meal frequency and protein, iron and Vitamin B12 intake. If you’re eating four meals a day or three meals and a snack, divide your food intake into 6-8 smaller meals or 3-4 small meals and 3-4 medium snacks.

Larger and less frequent meals can wreak havoc with the concentration of digested carbohydrates (a.k.a. blood sugar) circulating in the body, and plummeting blood sugar levels can make you feel weak.

If you’re eating too little protein at each meal, it’s possible that brain levels of serotonin, a calming hormone, may increase to the point you feel weak.

Aim to get around 30-40 grams of protein at each meal. As for iron and B12, iron is the blood-building mineral common to red meat that helps deliver oxygen to tissues.

If you rarely eat lean beef, you could be falling short on iron, which can make you feel noticeably weaker. B12, which is also found in red meat, plays a significant role in energy levels by helping the body metabolize food into energy. [source: M&F]