When you’re focused on improving your physique it’s easy to overdo it by hitting the gym every day. You start to think “if I workout more, I’ll see even more improvement”. Well, it’s important to workout regularly but it’s also important to give your body time to rest so that it can recover and so that you don’t get burnt out. I’ve never done more than three weights sessions a week. Not once a day, THREE PER WEEK! I work out for 45 minutes but that’s 45 minutes of continual intense activity. No hanging around by the water cooler or checking my phone. Make your sessions count and hit it hard for the time you’re at the gym, then chill out for the rest of the week.

The amount of cardio you do is partly dependent on what you want to achieve with your body. If you’re already quite lean and are looking to build muscle then you may only want to do cardio twice or even once a week. However if you’re trying to get leaner and shed fat then three times a week is a good balance. Personally I will aim for three HIIT cardio sessions of 15-20 minutes after I do weights when I’m looking to cut back.

The general rule of thumb is 2g of protein per day per kg of body weight for someone who regularly lifts weights. So if you weight 85kg then 170-180kg is a fair maintenance level. But you may want to flex that up or down a little depending on your body composition and goals.

Yes! When it comes to protein shakes you have nothing to worry about; they are a great way to quickly get nutrients straight to your muscles after a workout because your body doesn’t have to spend time digesting them. It’s important that you buy a well respected and trusted brand however, as there are some lower quality products on the market.

No! It’s a popular misconception that cutting out carbs is sure-fire way to improve your physique. But it’s not sustainable and is likely to make you feel pretty tired and lethargic, as well as potentially slowing down your metabolism. It’s important to get the balance right for your body. Focus on low GI carbs which are lower in sugar and will be slowly absorbed by your body with a gradual energy release over time.