It’s important to rehydrate quickly after a good night’s sleep. It also presents an opportunity to pop a couple of pills. ‘A quality multivitamin and fish oil tablets will promote a healthy immune system and good general health,’ says Mark Roberts, director of the Personal Space gym in London.

MF recommends
Wellman Multivitamin wellman.co.uk

This is your first opportunity to get vital quality protein on board. ‘To create an environment in which your muscles will grow you need a protein-rich breakfast,’ says Simon Harling, director of fitness company Elite Fitness. ‘You can get that by making protein pancakes or eating your cereal alongside a protein shake.’

MF recommends
EAS 100% Whey Protein eas-uk.info

‘For the best results you need to eat small, frequent meals throughout the day,’ says Roberts. ‘Try to include protein in every snack to keep your supplies of amino acids topped up, and avoid simple carbs, such as white bread and white rice so your energy levels don’t crash.’

MF recommends
Maximuscle Promax Meal bars maximuscle.com

There are steps you can take to ensure that your workout is a high-quality session. ‘Beta-alanine acts as a buffer against the acidic burn that you feel during your workout, improving your explosive performance,’ says Harling. Take beta-alanine 20-30 minutes before your workout alongside a carbohydrate sports drink. ‘Take on 10-15g of branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs) before your workout as well to help with recovery afterwards,’ says Roberts.

MF recommends
Sci-MX BCAA Nanostack capsules sci-mx.co.uk
USN NitroX Voltage usn.co.uk
Powerade sports drink poweradegb.com

To stay hydrated and keep your stomach settled during intense exercise, drink water in small regular sips. If you can stomach it, then 10-15g of fast-acting whey protein during a workout can also be beneficial.

MF recommends
Reflex Whey Refresh reflex-nutrition.com

Research suggests that you should take on quickly-digested protein such as whey immediately after your workout. A shake is fastest way to do this. Use water rather than milk. ‘Remember to add some carbohydrate or eat a banana alongside it to help your body absorb the protein,’ says Harling. ‘Your blood sugar levels will be low so it’s a good time to eat carbs.’ This is also the time to take another 10-15g of BCAAs as well as glutamine, an amino acid that speeds up the muscle recovery process.

MF recommends
Maximuscle Progain Extreme maximuscle.com
MP Max L-Glutamine myprotein.co.uk

Eat your evening meal two to three hours after your workout to keep the flow of amino acids going to your muscles. This meal should contain good-quality lean protein, carbs and vegetables. This is a good time to take a zinc and magnesium complex. ‘A lot of us are zinc deficient because we don’t eat enough seeds, nuts and pulses,’ says Harling. ‘ZMA really helps to preserve energy levels and recover from exercise.’

MF recommends
MET-Rx ZMA capsules metrx.co.uk

Don’t eat lots of protein before bed. ‘A large, high-protein snack can divert energy and liver function away from muscle recovery and towards digestion,’ Roberts says. A slow-acting protein such as casein may drip-feed amino acids during the night, but the research is inconclusive. ‘It’s more important to get the protein on board earlier in the day,’ says Roberts.

MF recommends
Reflex Micellar Casein reflex-nutrition.com