I know some people eat a banana before a workout. I myself go with a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter.
I agree that trying a sports drink before working out may help. Listen to your body…sweating and feeling flushed and out of breath is one thing and rather normal. Getting pale and faint is something completely different.
I should have been more explicit: I didn’t mean it in the sense of insulin resistance or diabetes. In addition to its psychological benefits, repeated or prolonged cold exposure may increase metabolism which could help with weightloss, energy and exercise.