How to Reduce the Christmas Fat

This is the time of year when all that hard work done in the gym can come undone with all those Christmas festivities. But it doesn't have to be like that and you can still enjoy Christmas if you make a few alterations here and there. Below are my top 6 tips on keeping (fairly) healthy during this seasonal period.

1.) Don't allow Christmas to last too long:- enjoy yourself eat what you want (in moderation)but only for 3-4 days. Don't allow to stuff yourself for over a week, which can easily happen if you just sit there and eat on Christmas day and go through to the new year and beyond!

   2) Eat some nuts:- Walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts and almonds are all a great source of calcium, which helps build strong bones and teeth. The British Heart Foundation recommends we eat a handful a day and there's evidence that they can even reduce cholesterol. Just ensure they are the unsalted variety and don't have too many.

3) Get Dancing:- With the success of 'Strictly' there's never been a better time to go dancing. Ballroom, disco or salsa it doesn't matter what it is as long as you move that body. Depending on intensity and your weight you can burn over 400 calories dancing. If you're dancing you consume less booze and party food as well. Now the party season is here, why not take advantage and burn some extra calories on the dance floor.





4.) Don't overload the plate for your Christmas dinner-you want to leave room for pudding, and you will comfortably feel full not feel like an over-stuffed turkey!

5.) At parties and Christmas tea choose more natural foods such as sea food, lean meats and chicken/turkey rather then sausage rolls, spring rolls and pizza which are higher in carbohydrates and saturated fats and lower in good quality proteins.

6.) Stay Active- During the slump between Christmas and New Year's Day, why don't you keep active and go for a walk, jog or a bike ride to burn off some of that Christmas dinner, rather then sitting in front of the t.v. and going through yet another box of chocolates This will make it much easier to restart your fitness regime in the new year rather then having two weeks off and doing nothing.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

Lose Weight & Boost Your Testosterone

According to a study of nearly 900 over weight, middle aged men with boarderline diabetes, weight loss can reduce the prevalence of low testosterone levels by almost 50%. Because overweight men are more likely to have low levels of testoserone, researchers studied the effects of weight loss on the subjects testosterone levels. The study showed that with lifestyle changes, the prevalence of low testosterone levels decreased from about 20% to 11% and after one year to 46% The men in the lifestyle modification group lost an average of 7.8 kg during the one-year study. The increase in their testosterone levels correlated with their decreasing body weight and waistlines.

A Healthy Diet May Help Women's Mobility In Later Life

According to a study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and published in the Journal of Nutrition has linked how following a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of  developing  impaired mobility and physical function in women as they age.

The study looked at 54,762 women over a period of nearly 30 years from 1980 to 2008.  Every 4 years they got them to complete a questionnaire on their diet and every 4 years from 1992 to 2008 their physical function was also measured.

When the questionnaires were compared with the women's physical function, those who had followed a healthier diet over the years fared much better compared with those who had followed a poor diet.

Not really surprising the study showed that consuming a higher intake of fruit and vegetables, a lower intake of sugary drinks, salt, foods that contain trans fats, such as cakes and biscuits and a moderate intake of alcohol were each significantly associated with reduced rates of impaired mobility and physical function.

Researchers discovered that overall diet quality was more important than focusing on individual foods which have been found to help reduce the risk of developing impaired physical function, such as walnuts, oranges and romaine lettuce.

Kaitlin Hagan ScD MPH, the main author of the study said, "We think a lot about chronic diseases, cancer, heart disease and tend not to think of physical function.  Physical function is crucial as you age, it includes being able to get yourself dressed, walk around the block and could impact your ability to live independently."

The study concluded that further research had to be conducted in the future to better understand the dietary and lifestyle factors that impact on physical function and mobility.

Exercise Can Be Better Than Keyhole Surgery On Knee Injuries

A study published in the British Medical Journal has shown that patients with a meniscal tear at the knee joint can find a better improvement in reducing pain and improving knee function in middle-aged patients following an exercise programme rather than having key hole surgery at least in the short term. 

According to this study in the UK each year 150,000 knee operations are completed at a considerable expense to the NHS. 

The Meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee that cushions and stabilizes the knee joint, protecting the joint from wear and tear.  However all it takes is a good twist to cause an injury by tearing it.  In some cases a piece of the broken cartilage can break loose and catches in the knee joint, causing it to lock up!

Meniscal tears are one of the most frequently occurring cartilage injuries of the knee.  This type of injury is common in contact sports such as rugby as well as noncontact sports that involves jumping and changing direction quickly while running such as football.

Older athletes are at an increased risk of getting meniscal tears as the meniscus weakens with age.  It is believed that more than 40% of people 65 years and over have them.




The trial involved 140 adults and half were assigned a supervised 12 week exercise programme comprising of 2-3 sessions per week and the other half were given key hole knee surgery followed by simple exercises to be performed at home daily.  All patients were followed up on at 3 months and thigh muscle strength was assessed and self reported knee function was recorded after 2 years.

At the 3 month stage the exercise group showed an improved thigh strength over the key hole surgery group and at the 2 year stage there were no serious problems found such as deep vein thrombosis or infection in either group, meaning that both methods were equally safe among a population of this age.

The authors of this study concluded that, "Supervised exercise therapy showed positive effects over surgery in improving thigh muscle strength at least in the short term.  Our results should encourage clinicians and middle-aged patients with degenerative meniscal tear and no radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis to consider supervised structured exercise therapy as a treatment option."

Want to stay Young then Eat your Greens

According to a recent published study, eating plenty of foods high in a compound called Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) such as broccoli, cabbage and avocado maybe able to slow down the aging process among older people. 

Studies on older mice that were given the compound slowed down physical aging and gave the mice increased metabolism.  It helped strengthen their muscles and bones, improving liver and eye sight function and reducing body weight and increasing their physical activity levels.

Health in humans depends on our ability to be able to manufacture and use energy but as we age our cells' ability to produce energy decreases.  Although scientists are unsure why this occurs they suspect the steady decline in the body's energy supply is a key driver of the aging process.

In this study it showed that NMN helped in compensating for this loss of energy production.

Mice of different ages were given NMN but only the older mice showed noticeable improvements.  This is because in young mice they still produce plenty of  NMN on their own so don't need anymore.  However in older mice as their body's ability to produce NMN declines then getting this important compound from another source becomes much more important and the benefits show up.

Dr Shin-ichiro Imai, of the Washington University School of Medicine in the U.S. said, "We have shown a way to slow the physiologic decline that we see in aging mice.  This means older mice have metabolism and energy levels resembling that of younger mice.  Since human cells rely on this same energy production process, we are hopeful this will translate into a method to help people remain healthier as they age."

The study also discovered that those mice given NMN gained less weight with aging even when consuming more food probably due to the increase in their metabolism which in turn gave them more energy to perform physical activity.

Those behind these findings hope that this will path the way to clinical trials for a human study and a stepping stone to help slow down or even halt the aging process.

The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

5 Things to Do To Reach Your Level 10

We should all be seeking to self improve in order to become a better version of ourselves.  Life is always better if we are continuing to learn and improve ourselves and the environment around us.  Here are 5 tips that have helped me to continue to strive to reach my Level 10 and become the best possible version of myself:-

1.)- Have a plan and set goals- as an exercise instructor I'm used to setting fitness goals for my clients but I found early on that in order for me to get the most out of my life it was important to set my own goals, in order to progress and avoid stagnating.  Set yourself a short, medium and long term goal.  The timeframe for short should be 4-6 weeks, medium 12 weeks and long term 1 -5 years.  As you reach your short and medium term goals add new ones to help you keep focused.  Keep checking to ensure you're reaching those goals.  Setting yourself goals holds you accountable and you can see where you are heading and if you are on target or not.  My business started to improve only when I started setting myself goals as I could see if my business was moving forward rather then stalling.  Setting yourself goals will allow you to see where you're going right but more importantly where you're going wrong, so you have the chance to change it for the better.

2.) Take a Power Hour- Take some time out for yourself.  All work and no play makes you a dull boy/girl.  Choose some down time in order to help you refocus and come back fresher, stronger and faster.  Try some exercise, meditation, reading, shopping, sauna, massage, listening to some music or whatever will help you relax and unwind.




3.) Eat well- In order to perform at your ultimate best then what you eat is truly important. Ensure you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables of different varieties in order to get all the nutrients that your body needs to perform at it best.  Ensure all meals are balanced, which includes protein, carbs and micronutrients and that you eat every 2 - 4 hours, in order to keep your energy levels topped up and avoid an energy crash.  I always choose a Herbalife breakfast shake in order to get all the best nutrients my body needs first thing in the morning.

4.) Do things outside of  your comfort zone- Try something that isn't in your comfort zone.  If we always stay where we feel safe and secure then we stop growing and stagnate.  If we venture out of our comfort zone then this forces you to learn new things and forces you to grow and become a better person.  Doing something outside our comfort zone is where the true magic happens.

5.) Don't Be Afraid To Fail- A lot of people give up before they even begin due to the fear that they may fail.  They listen to that inner negative voice telling them that they shouldn't try something new or they will certainly fail.  Don't be afraid of failure because this is all part of the learning process.  It is rare that we succeed long term without experiencing some form of failure beforehand.  The foundation of success is built upon many failures and you will learn much more through failing then you ever would through success.  Nobody learns from success this is the end of the journey after many failures that came beforehand.  You enjoy success rather then learning from it.  When you read about an 'over night sensation' if you look deeper you will always find that the person has been around for many years, learning and crafting their talent, experiencing many failures along the way but each time learning from them until they reach a level of expertise that enables them to become successful. 

I hope these tips have been helpful and help you and others to start or continue your journey to become the best version of yourself possible and reach your Level 10.

Reach your Level 10 with Herbalife

I'm so excited to announce that I've just put some of my clients onto this competition to help them keep their focus and reach their own Level 10.

The competition is aimed for anyone who wants to achieve their best shape ever, which is their Level 10.

They will do this by following a nutritional program using Herbalife products, eating healthy balanced meals and exercising regularly.

New clients get a FREE consultation, which includes nutritional advice and a full body composition examination which uses state of the art technology to work out their total body fat %,  muscle mass and how hydrated they are among other things.





These results are than sent to off to the competition website with a present photo and 90 days later their new improved stats will be taken with another photo and these are sent off as well.

Winners will be chosen whose successfully lost the most total body weight, or lost the most body fat % or gained the most muscle.

There are cash prizes to be won and so you could be winning pounds by shedding the pounds!

You will have the opportunity to see me regularly to take your stats to check that you are on the right track and meet others that are in the competition as well to help support each other.

The present competition is now open so if you want to reach your own Level 10 than contact me now to start your journey.

Getting the Kids Active this Summer

The summer holidays are finally here and you've exhausted all your ideas already! So what can us parents do?  Kids need at least 1 hour of exercise a day in order to be fit and healthy.

This summer 'Change 4 Life' is teaming up with Disney in order to get kids more active.  They've designed fun games called '10 minute shake ups', to help keep your kids fit and amused this holiday.  Using characters based on famous Disney characters including ones from the latest movie, 'Finding Dory' you can ensure your little ones are getting the right amount of exercise needed to promote good health. 

On their website you can find fun games such as, 'Hank's Hopscotch' and 'Jumping with Destiny.'




Not only can your kids challenge themselves and each other using these games but there are some other great ideas and tips to help your little Nemos get the most out of this summer .

https://www.nhs.uk/10-minute-shake-up/shake-ups#yTi9yfaX7hIEIAxx.97

What the Ancients taught us about Exercising

The Ancient gladiators and Olympic athletes of Rome and Greece used a lot of the equipment and fitness routines that we use today to become fitter and stronger, in order to do their best in the arena and stadiums.   Below is a list of the many equipment, techniques and training routines that they used which may surprise you:-

1.) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)/Boxing/wrestling

Although these sports have been adapted and developed by the modern world the origins of these combat sports can be found in the ancient world. Both boxing and wrestling were Olympic sports.  Wresting was the first non track event added to the games in 708BC and Boxing came about around 8ooBC.   An ancient form of MMA called Pankration was  introduced to the Greek Olympic Games in 648BC and was an empty hand submission sport with hardly any rules.   The only things not acceptable were biting and eye gouging but anything else was allowed. The word Pankration means, 'all of might.'

2.) Periodization

During the time of the Roman Empire the most popular organization of training was based on the 'Tetrad' system, which was a four day cycle, founded by the Ancient Greeks.  This consisted of Day 1, which was using short, high intensity workouts for toning and preparing the body for the training to come. Day 2 consisted of high intensity, long and strenuous exercises, an all out test of the athlete's potential.  Day 3 was mainly resting the body, allowing it to recover and mend from the previous day's training.  Exercises on this day would be light to reflect this.  Day 4 would consist of medium intensity training.  After this day the cycle would start again.

3.) The importance of a warm up/cool down/ and rest

In ancient gladiator training Galen wrote about the importance of slowly building the intensity up and never to go straight into vigorous training if a young gladiator wanted to avoid risking injury,

" Intensity should be gradually increased, peaking at the end.  This should be of special concern in order to avoid injury to competitors."

According to Hippocrates, an ancient Greek doctor, a cool down was also important and the trainer after intense exercise shouldn't just lie on the floor afterwards but to 'cool down' by walking,

"Those who walk after exercising  will then have a stronger and more rested body."

Also rest was seen as important and a lot of doctors in ancient times preached about the importance of having rest in an athletes'/gladiator's routine to enable them to fully recover from intense training and get the best results and avoid overtraining.

4.) Using progressive overload to build muscle and stamina

Milo of Croton, an Ancient Greek athlete in 6th BC was training for the Olympics.  One of his ways of training was to take a newly born bull and hoist it over his shoulders and carrying it over a certain distance.  He would do this everyday.  As time passed, the bull would grow and get heavier but Milo would still hoist it over his shoulders and walk the same distance.  This enabled him to be able to walk into the Olympic stadium with a fully grown bull upon his shoulders.  This was the birth of progressive overload whereby you slowly increase the weight in order to gain in muscular strength and stamina.

5.) Nutrition

The idea that nutrition can give you the edge over your competitors has been around longer than the likes of, Herbalife, Weider, MET-Rex and USN.  Just like today there were debates, arguing over what diet was the best for gladiators.  Some followed an all-meat diet, while others followed an almost all-carbohydrate vegetarian one.  From the writings of Ancient Roman writers of the time, the use of barley was readily used as a stable food, being added to soups and porridge.  Apparently they ate so much of it, Pliny the Elder called them 'barley men.'  However when Galen worked as a gladiatorial doctor he observed that this diet did not toughen the flesh but made it flabby instead. 

The ancient Greeks discovered that meat helped athletes grow strong and it became a stable food in the diets of many Greek athletes.  Diogenes Laertius wrote how this came about,

"Pythagoras is said to have been the first to train athletes on a meat diet.  The first athlete he did this with was Eurymenes.  Formally, athletes had trained on dried figs, moist cheese and wheat."

Later on the Ancient Roman gladiators carried on this tradition and followed a high meat diet.  As meat was expensive  a lot of them would feast on the exotic animals that were killed in the arenas such as elephant and ostrich.

Also long before Lucozade sport came about gladiators used their own version of a 'sports drink' to replenish calcium levels made out of the charred ashes of plants to help build strong bones.....Yuck!
                                                      





6.) Functional Training

Long before fitness magazines were declaring functional training as the best new thing, ancient gladiators knew the importance of training the whole body as one unit and moving in different planes to be totally fit for their everyday lives.  They did running to build stamina and strength, used plyometric training, such as jumping upon high objects with or without holding weights and completing obstacle courses with swinging bags for speed, balance and agility.






7.) Using resistance equipment to build strength.

The ancients used halteraes, which were an ancient version of dumbells.  These were either made of metal or stone with holes bore out at the top for handles.  Like the dumbells of today they came in different weights to encourage progression.  Other equipment used were stones that could be used for lifting, throwing and just rolling, some of these weighed 100kg or more!  They also ran in full armour to help increase their strength and speed and used other natural materials for lifting such as logs and sandbags.

8.) Use of body weight exercises

The ancients knew of the benefits of using their own body weight to get great results.  They used a lot of the basic and effective exercises that are still used in many modern classes across the world today such as, push ups, lunges, sit ups, pull ups, star jumps, squats and dips.  To make push ups harder they would perform them on their knuckles, fingers, with one arm or leg.  They used a lot of static contraction exercises to help with strength and grip.  A gladiator would hang from a beam with straight arms and hold on as long as possible.


So as you can see a lot of the origins of the principles, systems and equipment we use today can be found way back in time and how the past can continue to help and enrich our futures in the world of health and fitness.

Bad Back?-Try Yoga

In 2013 a major systematic review of yoga for improving lower back pain was conducted in Essen, Germany.   It looked at a total of 967 chronic lower back pain patients over 10 scientific studies. 

There was strong evidence for both short-term and long-term effects of yoga on back -specific disability.  This major study concluded that yoga could be given as an additional therapy to patients with chronic lower back pain.

An analysis of eight randomised controlled trials, which involved 743 patients in total, showed yoga to have a medium to large effect on functional disability and pain.

Individual studies have shown yoga to be an effective exercise in helping improve lower back pain.  In a study of 313 patients with chronic lower back pain, yoga was given as a 12 week programme and included postures, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. 

At follow up reviews the group recorded better back function at 3,6 and 12 month reviews.

Also a study of 80 patients with chronic lower back pain, who attended a one week intense period of yoga found it to be superior compared to a physical exercise programme when measured as spinal flexibility. 

Yoga has also been shown to be good for war veterans with lower back pain, helping them improve their pain, energy levels and mental health, after completing a 10 week programme of yoga.

Seven Life Habits To Help You Live Longer

Back in April 2012, Lester Breslow, died at the ripe old age of 97. He was a distinguished public health doctor who in 1965 published the results of a study of 6,928 adults in California.

It showed that the length of life was dependent on seven life habits. The fewer an adult followed the shorter their life expectancy was.


The seven life habits were:

1. Moderate consumption of alcohol
2. No smoking
3. Regular exercise
4. Sleep for 7 - 8 hours per night
5. Maintain a healthy body weight (BMI 18-24)
6. Eating moderately and regularly
7. Eat breakfast regularly

This is a good check list to look at and decide if the lifestyle you are following needs improving if you want to stand the best chance of living longer and maintaining a good quality of life in your older years.

How many do you follow?

Lose the Weight and Boost your Testosterone

According to a study of nearly 900 over weight, middle aged men with boarderline diabetes, weight loss can reduce the prevalence of low testosterone levels by almost 50%.

Because overweight men are more likely to have low levels of testoserone, researchers studied the effects of weight loss on the subjects testosterone levels. The study showed that with lifestyle changes, the prevalence of low testosterone levels decreased from about 20% to 11% and after one year to 46%

The men in the lifestyle modification group lost an average of 7.8 kg during the one-year study. The increase in their testosterone levels correlated with their decreasing body weight and waistlines.

Take Your Training Outside

At last summer seems to be here (for the moment any way). While the sun's out why not take your training outside. Who wants to be working out in a gym or studio when you could be training in the great outdoors.

Studies have shown that the body and mind responds well outside where you can reconnect with nature.  Also you can get some sunlight that will provide a natural source of vitamin D for maintaining strong bones and can help with improving mood.





Exercising outside will enhance the experience and help lift your mood. Try taking a jog around the local park or take a family bike ride in the woods.

Use the local park benches and playground equipment for a resistance workout such as chin ups, triceps dips and push ups.

A lot of local parks now have dedicated outside gyms so you can do the same exercises as you would do indoors but gaining the extra benefits of training outside. Why not try out a local outdoor class such as boot camp or Tai Chi- the only limit is your imagination.

If you choose to train outside don't forget to wear sun protection, hat and carry water to keep you hydrated.

Come on get out of the house and start exercising outside before it starts raining again.

5 Ab Exercises to get a Flat Stomach

Summer is here and that beach holiday beckons.  In order to take that beach by storm and get that toned, flat stomach try these 5 exercises that focus on the core muscles and will get your stomach firm and toned in next to no time. 

All these are based on the plank, which is used as a move in Pilates and I use them a lot in my own classes and PT sessions. 

1).  Traditional Plank

• Ensure your body is laying face down on the mat.
• Tuck your toes under your feet and lift your body off the mat on your forearms, with your elbows under your shoulders.
• Ensure your body is parallel to the floor and you are in a straight line from head to toes.
• Draw your belly button towards your spine and keep breathing.
• Hold for between 10-60 secs.
• Easier versions, place one knee or both knees on mat.

2).  Plank Push Ups

• Start in plank position and then place one hand under your shoulder and lift your body up, followed by the other then reverse it.
• Repeat.
• Breath out on the lift and in as you lower your body.
• Try 6 to start and build it up to 15-20 reps.

3). Walk the Plank

• In long arm plank move one hand and leg to one side, followed by the other arm and leg and then back again.
• Maintain a strong core and avoid excessive rocking.
• Easier version- on knees.
• To make it harder, add a push up each time.
• Try 6 then build up.

4). Side Plank Dips

• Turn to your side with hips facing the ceiling and mat, with feet together.
• Place hand on hip and the lower elbow under shoulder.
• Slowly and with control lower your hips towards the mat.  Just before hips touch the mat slowly lift back to start position and repeat.
• Endure you keep core strong by drawing belly button to spine and hold.
• Keep your shoulder, hips, knees and ankles in line.
• Breath out on lift and in on the lowering phase.

5). Spider Lunges

• From long arm plank you place one leg on the outside of arm.
• Keep a flat back.
• Try to get your knee in line with your shoulder.
• Bring leg back to original position and repeat on other side.
• Easier version - on knee.
• Try 8 to start and build up to 20.

Try doing these exercises in a mini circuit and rest for 30 secs before repeating.

Whose Up For A Challenge?

It's the start of another week and therefore the start of another 5 Day Eat Clean Challenge.  Really looking forward to helping a new group of people this week in eating more regularly, eating healthier and learning new skills to help improve their lives for the better.



Each day I will set them a challenge for the day ahead to help them become healthier and learn better behaviours in order to gain more energy and feel fitter in their daily lives.

This is suitable for anyone who wants to lead a healthier lifestyle and start eating better and more regularly in order to help maintain energy levels throughout the day without experiencing an energy crash.

I send them helpful nutritional advice and motivational tips to inspire them and help improve their behaviours for the better.

They start the day off with a nutritious protein shake, which contains all the nutrients the body needs to start the day.

Participants are encouraged to post their healthy snacks and meals throughout the day and are helped in choosing the right types of food, in the right portion sizes and at the right time.   All this is done on 'Whats App' meaning anyone in the country can join in.  People can choose to be in their own friends and family groups or being with others they may not know, to encourage new friendships.

All this for only £10!

Get in touch if you're interested in getting set up for the next one.


Mob:- 07764 791982
email:- jasonduckherbalife@gmail.com

Sun's Out Guns Out

So the sun has finally made an appearance and those vest and muscle tops are being pulled out of the wardrobe for a summer airing but wait a moment, over the winter your arms have turned to match sticks!

Don't panic help is at hand. Here's my top 5 tips to getting those arms looking fuller and meaner in next to no time.

1.) Don't just concentrate on the biceps- remember the triceps make up a large part of the arm and so when training ensure you don't neglect this important part of the arm.  Well developed triceps will make the arms look fuller and bigger.

2.) Mix it up- if you've always done standing bicep curls, followed by hammer curls, followed by incline seated curls then STOP.  The body adapts very quickly and so in order to stress the muscles out and encourage them to grow, you need to keep changing it up.  Change the order of the exercises, reps, sets, try a completely new exercise in order to 'keep the body guessing' and keeping them in a state of perpetual growth.

3.) Allow 48 hours rest between arm workouts- allow at least 48 hours to elapse before working those same muscles again, as it will take this long for the muscles to rebuild and recover.  If you do it before this you're only making them smaller!

4.) Have the right nutrition- it's no good working hard in the gym and then going home and eating a Big Mac with large fries.  Nutrition is so important and if you're not getting this right you can kiss those guns good-bye.  Aim to eat every 2-4 hours in order to keep your metabolism revved up and burning body fat and giving the nutrients the body needs to pack on the muscle.  Eat plenty of protein rich foods such as fish, chicken, beef , pulses and tofu along with some carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, potatoes and wholemeal bread and an array of colourful vegetables to get plenty of micronutrients that the body will need to help grow and repair.  It's important to have some protein after a workout as the muscles need it to help grow bigger.  The quicker you can get it into the muscles the better as less of the protein will be able to be absorbed by the muscles as time goes by. The best form of protein is whey, as it's the preferred form of protein the body needs, so choose a protein shake that has whey protein in it.  Herbalife's Rebuild Strength is perfect as it contains this important protein and can be easily mixed with water when needed after a workout.

5.) Get plenty of rest and sleep- you've only got enough energy stored in your muscles and liver for about 1-1.5 hours.  Unless you take on more nutrients then the body will quickly use up its reserves and will start stripping down muscle for an energy source instead.  So instead of building muscles you'll be tearing them down. During sleep the body repairs the muscles that have been broken down during the training session and  hormones responsible for growth such as testosterone and HGH are released during sleep and so if you're not sleeping for between 6-8 hours you'll be missing out.

So follow these top tips and you'll be putting that muscle top on in next to no time!