New 5:2 is ace but I need more energy for tennis
I HAVE been following your 5:2 diet and have been successful with weight loss, but I struggle with a lack of energy after my daily tennis match.
I’d love to take up running but worry about a drop in my blood sugar on fast days that may make me feel faint. What snacks would you recommend to boost my energy levels?
I WOULD recommend a small handful of nuts, such as walnuts or almonds. They are high in fibre and healthy fats and will give you a decent amount of slow-releasing energy. A small handful of walnuts (14 halves) adds up to nearly 200 calories, but you should easily burn that and more with an hour of tennis. Perhaps try some full-fat Greek yogurt with a handful of berries. Again, the mixture of fat and protein will satisfy hunger and cost you only 150 calories, providing you stick to 100g of yogurt. A boiled egg is a good savoury option – lots of protein and only about 80 calories.
I AM a 55-year-old man troubled by two prime health concerns for most of my life: insomnia and brittle bones. Few medications seem to work and I don’t want to take sleeping pills. I read that a magnesium supplement could cure both of these ills. Is that true? How much should I take?
LOW levels of magnesium can lead to brittle bones as it is vital for bone mineral absorption, and there is some evidence in studies that it can contribute to insomnia. Before opting for supplements, try boosting your diet with magnesium-rich food such as pumpkin seeds, spinach, almonds, cashews, and oily fish.
High quantities of magnesium supplements taken over a year or so can worsen brittle bones and no supplements that I am aware of have yet been proven to improve sleep.
It may be advisable to also increase your intake of calcium, and Vitamin D which aids calcium absorption. You’ll find calcium in milk, cheese and yogurt, and Vitamin D in mackerel, salmon and eggs.