Ronny Terry is a Swindon-based personal trainer. He has previously worked as Performance Analyst with Swindon Town FC and on obesity initiatives with the NHS. Tweet your questions to @SWITCHFITUK or visit www.switchfituk.co.uk

‘What about supplements?’ is the question I get asked the most this time of year with new clients keen to do everything possible to get in to shape as fast as you can say ‘new year’s resolution’.

With young men in vests pouring out bags of white powder, these days it’s hard to distinguish between the gym changing room and a rock star’s birthday party.

Pills, powders, capsules and soft gels fill the shelves of health food shops and even some mainstream supermarkets, promising to burn fat, add muscle, increase strength, improve endurance and so forth.

It’s easy to be influenced by the super-human beings plastered over the packaging but there are more important things to consider before heading to the supplement shop.

A well-balanced diet and intelligently programmed training schedule are the two biggest factors for success.

Whether training for weight-loss, bulking up, marathon running or team sports, what you eat and how you train are the areas requiring most effort if you want to succeed.

If you are overweight with a bad diet, swallowing a few fat-burners is about as useful as spitting on a bush fire. Glugging down six protein shakes per day won’t have you looking like the Incredible Hulk if you are not creating a stimulus for growth in the weights room.

Protein shakes can be used to great effect to top up protein levels and to improve recovery after intense fitness sessions, and creatine has been proven to increase performance in sports and activities requiring short bursts of intense effort. Pre-workout mixes may provide an energy buzz, but users often become reliant on them and if you’re training in the evening then don’t expect to sleep well.

Intelligently used, supplements may give you a small advantage, but without good nutrition and a smart training plan they are a poor investment.