The time-saving weight-free workout

Get fitter with no gym time. This circuit uses only your bodyweight to work your body from head to toe. Do each exercise for 20sec on, 10 sec off, then repeat eight times. Rest for 1min between circuits.

Push plank

Muscles worked: arms, shoulders, core

Kneel with your forearms on the floor, then drive forwards, bending

your elbows and raising your forearms. Finish in the position shown. Return.

Torso rotation

Muscles worked: core, hips

Crouch with your palms on the floor. Twist your hips, taking your knees to either side. You'll carve a core more stable than a banker's income.

Box press-up

Muscles worked: arms, chest

Kneel, place your hands on a box and perfrom a press-up. This works your whole upper body – plus the Ikea crate storing your spare linen.

Spider rock

Muscles worked: core

Sit on the floor and grab your shins. Rock back, then return to the start. Bringing your torso into your legs. The tension chisels out your abs.

The table

Muscles worked: glutes, back

Sit on the floor, legs bent, arms straight and fingers facing forwards. Drive your hips up to add strength to your glutes and back. Lower again.

Lunge

Muscles worked: legs, glutes

Stand with your arms bent then step forwards. Lower until your knee is bent to 90 degrees. Repeat with the other leg for explosive power.

Get constantly evolving workout and nutrition plans personalised for your specific needs and training goals.

Six-pack shopping list

Onions

£1.05 for 1 pack - 0.81 €

The brown skin and external layers of onions are rich in fibre and could be used as a functional ingredient which would help to reduce the risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, type-2 diabetes and obesity.

Spinach

£2 for 520g - 1.54 €

Popeye's secret weapon.

Mushrooms

£1.75 for 700g -1.35 €

For a perfect muscle-building dish, try tuna steak with wild mushroom recipe.

Romaine lettuce

£1.25 for 2 - 0.96 €

Lettuce is a good source of folic acid, which enhances your circulation – the perfect aid to muscle repair.

Avocado

£6.00 for 6 - 4.60 €

Griddle chicken breasts, shred the meat and stuff it into wraps with

slices of avocado, sweetcorn, chilli, tomato and coriander.

Cauliflower

£1.17 for 1 - 0.90 €

Get the most out of this nutritious vegetable.

Sweet potato

47p for 1 - 0.36 €

The two juggernauts of the energy world square up and go head-to- head in this comparison between regular and sweet potato.

Courgettes

36p for 1 - 0.28 €

When people replaced half the meat and rice in their meal for watery veg, they consumed 86 fewer calories and felt just as full.

Vine tomatoes

£1.50 for 1 pack - 1.15 €

Tomatoes protect you against prostate cancer and damage free

radicals.

Butternut squash

£1.20 for 1 - 0.93 €

Butternut squash is high in zinc. Research shows that zinc activates the synthesis of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) – a substance that keeps nerve cells alive and wards off depression.

Carrots

77p for 600g (about 8-10 carrots) - 0.60 €

The orangey compound beta-carotene fights harmful free radicals that are created when you're exposed to the winter sun.  30mg of beta- carotene a day – the equivalent of 375g of carrots – cut the risk of sun damage.

Green olives

79p for 1 jar - 0.60 € 

The natural oil in olives is rich in the "good" monounsaturated fats. Men with more "good" oil in their diets had higher testosterone levels and a stronger sex drive.

Brussels sprouts

£1 for 500g 0.77 €

The isothiocyanates found in Brussels sprouts can lower your risk of ballder cancer by us much as 29%.

Broccoli

97p for 1 head - 0.73 €

Fight cancer, fortify your heart and battle blood pressure.

Celery

83p for 1 heart - 0.65 €

Celery stalks are rich in androsterone. 

Peppers

£1.65 for 3 - 1.27 €

The compound luteolin found in peppers reduced age-related inflammation in the brain and related memory deficits by directly inhibiting the release of inflammatory molecules in the brain.

Red chillies

65p for 1 pack - 0.50 €

The thermogenic (body-heating) properties of chillies are even more  powerful when combined with green tea. Wash down your curry with a glass of the green stuff to burn more fat.

Red cabbage

55p for 1 - 0.47 €

The cyanidin prevalent in red cabbage helps your eyes regenerate rhodopsin – a pigment in your eyes that helps them acclimate to sudden changes in light.

Apples

£1.50 for a bag - 1.15 € 

Avoid the biscuits and have an apple instead. The sugars will take the edge off your sweet craving, and the fibre will sustain you and your willpower.

Asparagus

£1.50 for 1 bundle - 1.15 €

How to get more asparagus in your diet?? 

Spring onions

72p for 1 bunch - 0.55 €

Spring onion is an essential ingredient in this delicious lobster tagliolini recipe. 

Cucumber

40p for half - 0.31 €

This sandwich staple is full of vitamin C to boost fat oxidation. Here are four ways to get more of it in your diet.

Spices

68p for 1 jar - 0.52 € 

Follow our A-Z of spices for flavoursome health benefits.

Chicken breasts

£5 for 500g - 3.85 €

Never want for a poultry recipe again with our 23 ways to eat chicken.

Chicken sausages

£1.50 for 8 - 1.15 € 

For an average 12st (168lb/76kg) man to bulk up, you need to eat about 2.2g of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. So load your plate up with these beauties.

Minced beef

£4 for 900g - 3 €

Try this Browns Bar & Brasserie burger for a tasty and healthy alternative bite.

Turkey breasts

£3 for 350g - 2.30 €

Make this low-fat turkey bolognese by swapping mince for turkey and cut saturated fat by 50%.

King prawns

£2.50 for 250g - 1.93 € 

When people ate 300g of prawns a day, their levels of triglycerides decreased by 13%.

Salmon

£4 for 2 fillets, 3 € 

Get the most from this versatile fish, packed with 'good' oils and all- important Omega 3.

Eggs

£2.88 for 12 large - 2.10 €

Learn how eggs protect your eyesight, curb your hunger, and aid grooming. 

Beef rump steak

£6.60 for 500g- 5 €

Make this delicious Thai beef salad for a meal that's perfect for both your wallet and your waistline.

Tuna

£3.80 for 4x185g tins - 3 € 

Boost your tan, fight jet-lag and cleanse your liver with these four health-boosting tuna recipes.

Walnuts

£1.02 for 100g - 0.79 € 

Walnuts contain twice as many antioxidants as other nuts and can reduce your chance of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. 

Beef jerky

£2.09 for 50g - 1.60 €

As an alternative to a protein shake, have 50g of beef jerky and a handful of grapes. Beef jerky has 25g of protein per 50g and grapes give you a carbohydrate boost that can help prevent muscle breakdown.

Coconut milk

£1 for 400ml - 0.77 € 

Use coconut milk in this recipe for coconut fish curry to give yourself   an energy-boosting, muscle-building meal.

Coconut oil

£6.40 for 260ml - 5 €

Coconut oil has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. It's also the most heat-resistant cooking fat, meaning it won't oxidise during cooking and leave you with a wok full of transfats.

Olive oil

£2.19 for 500ml - 1.70 €

The oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol present in a particularly high concentration in olive oil may help prevent the development of acute pancreatitis.

Vinegar

44p for 1 pint - 0.34 €

Can reduce the accumulation of body fat and weight gain by 10%, according to research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Total spend per week

£75.99 - 58.50 €

The press-up and plank workout

Drop and give 20 minutes

Forearm plank

How to do it: Balance on your forearms and toes and hold for 30-60 seconds, ensuring that your stomach is ‘pulled in’ tight and your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head.

Why you should do it: The 'regular' plank trains all the muscles of your core and upper body isometrically (i.e. they are in contraction but static, with muscles neither lengthening or shortening). Although it's an easy exercise to perform, it’s hard to perform well. Most people let their hips sag, or they don’t keep their stomach tight, which is essential for training the transverse abdominis (the muscle that wraps around the abdomen like a corset and is the foundation of a well-defined six-pack).

Reps and sets: Aim for 3 sets of 30-60 seconds.

T press-up

How to do it: Perform a standard press-up, letting your chest touch the floor. As you come up, twist your body and extend your right arm towards the ceiling until you make a 'T' shape with your body. Then place your right arm back on the floor, and repeat with the left arm.

Why you should do it: After exhausting the muscles of your core with the conventional plank, you then further fatigue them by forcing them to contract while in motion. As well as training the muscles of your upper body (pectoralis major; pectoralis minor; triceps brachii) the twisting motion also comprehensively trains your shoulders – the anterior (front) medial (side) and back (posterior) deltoids.

Reps and sets: Aim for 3 sets of 6 repetitions on each arm (12 repetitions in each set). The pace should be slow and controlled.

Spider plank

How to do it: Get into a plank position on your forearms or hands. Balance on the toes of your right foot as you bend your left knee out and towards your left elbow.

Why you should do it: This plank variation not only trains your transverse abdominis, but by adding the tucking motion you also train your external obliques, your internal obliques and yourrectus abdominis. The later is a paired muscle that runs vertically on each side of the anterior (front) wall of your abdomen. When your body fat is low enough, the lines of separation in this muscle are what give the appearance of a six-pack.  

Reps and sets: Aim for 3 sets of 12 repetitions on each knee. Use a slow and controlled pace, keep your abs tight and don’t let your hips sag.

Knee-tuck press-up

How to do it: Get into a standard press-up position. Then bring your right knee to your left elbow, pause, and return your leg to the start position. Now perform a standard press-up as normal. Repeat the movement, this time bringing your left knee to your right elbow.

Why you should do it: After pre-exhausting the muscles of your core, you then further fatigue them by performing the press-up equivalent of the Spider-Man plank.

Reps and sets: Aim for 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Use a slow and controlled pace, keeping your abs tight at all times.

Aztec press-up

This is an advanced move – only perform it when you are completely confident with the first four exercises

How to do it: Get into a standard press-up position and lower your body to the ground until your chest touches the floor. Then, explode off the ground and quickly touch your legs with your hands. Land back on your hands. Be careful not to faceplant.

Why you should do it: This is a form of plyometric training, which builds elastic strength and explosiveness to and bridges the gap between speed and strength work.

Reps and sets: Aim for 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Use a fast and explosive pace.

Arm-strengthening Dumbbell Workout

The key to a strong, sleeve-filling upper body is nailing the perfect way to target each muscle, from hands to shoulders. Perform this circuit, trying not to rest between each exercise. After finishing the last exercise, recover for no more than 1 minute before repeating.

Concentration curl

Start by sitting with your knees a little wider than shoulder-width and   your feet flat. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and rest the back of your arm against your inner right thigh. Curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder; make sure your upper body is motionless. Do 8-12  reps, then switch sides.

Tricep Extensions

Sit up straight and grab a dumbbell with both hands. Raise it above your head so it's vertical and in line with your spine. Brace your core and lower the weight behind your head until your forearms touch your biceps; then press back up to the start, keeping your upper arms stationary. Perform 8-12 reps.

Wrist curl

Sit with your knees 2ft apart and feet flat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms up, and lean forwards so your forearms rest on your thighs and wrists hang over your knees. Using your wrists only, curl the weights up as high as possible. Now rotate to a palms-down position and bend your wrists up. Do 12-15 each way.

Hammer curl

Sitting on the edge of a bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang by your sides. Keep your back straight and curl the weights up until your thumbs are near your shoulders. Squeeze, then lower. Now rotate your wrists so your palms face backwards and curl again. Do 8-12 reps, alternating grips.

Cross-shoulder extension

Lie back on an incline bench and hold a light dumbbell over your head in your left hand, palms facing in. Support the arm with your right hand. Bend your left arm to lower the weight to your right shoulder; don't bend your wrists. Raise it back up. Do 12 reps, then switch arms.

Standing scaption

Stand holding light dumbbells by your thighs with your palms facing each other. Keep your arms straight, then slowly raise them in front of you at eye level and point to the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions. Slowly lower back down again. Do 8-12 reps to cap off your arm muscle.

Muscle builders

 Chow down these foods for greater gains

Full-fat milk

A glass of the white stuff is rich in CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), which reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. It forces glucose into your muscles and connective tissue cells instead of letting it turn into fat. It's also high in protein and full of vitamins and minerals, but you need to have semi-skimmed or full-fat milk to get the benefit. 

Spirulina

A nutrient-packed green algae, spirulina contains 65% of easy-to-digest protein and is amazingly low in fat. It is also a source of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant important for your post exercise muscle recovery. Add it to your breakfast smoothie, but be warned: everything it touches turns a weird shade of green.

Almond butter

A spoonful of almond butter adds a muscle building protein punch to food and is also rich in magnesium, the mineral needed for healthy muscle contraction. Add a spoonful to your porridge or smoothies. 

Eggs

You may have heard of bodybuilders cooking with only egg whites as a purer protein source, but for those of us who have an aversion to body paint and gold lamé trunks, eating the whole egg is best. Apart from containing all essential amino acids important to build and repair muscles; the egg yolk contains a high level of vitamin D needed to maintain the integrity and composition of muscle tissue. 

Wheatgerm

Not an airborne disease, but a great source of chromium, which improves glucose uptake into muscle cells, giving you extra energy to power through your workout. Wheatgerm's also high in arginine, an amino acid needed for the production of nitric oxide, which enhances blood flow to muscles so more nutrients can get to them. Sprinkle on your cereals or add to protein shakes and smoothies.

Red peppers

Red peppers are rich in vitamin C, which acts as a powerful antioxidant and aids muscle recovery at a cellular level by preventing free-radical damage. Red peppers contain 60% more vitamin C than their green equivalent and are also high in vitamin B6, which supports protein synthesis as well as muscle growth.

Turkey

Contains glutamine, an amino acid found in high concentration in muscle tissue. It increases protein synthesis, which leads to increased muscle mass. A recent study found glutamine also significantly increased growth-hormone levels.

Papaya

This juicy gem contains the compound papain, which breaks proteins down into simple components. These can then be easily utilized by the body. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect in the body and so will also relieve those post workout muscle aches and pains. Serve sliced with chopped ginger and lime.

Edamame beans

Also known as soybeans, they're a great low-fat form of vegetable protein containing all the muscle-building essential amino acids. Cook the beans for a minute or two and throw into salads.

Coffee

The quickest route to more muscle (and, incidentally, the loo) is a shot of espresso. A study showed that caffeine improves endurance-training performance by reducing muscle pain during exercise, which means you can train for longer. So that's no pain, more gain.

Vin Diesel Workout and Diet

His latest film Fast and Furious 6 will be releasing on May 24, 2013 starring Dwayne johnson. He actually has one of the most attainable bodies. He has a different workout from professional bodybuilders as he has to perform a lot of action sequences. If you are out of shape and want to build a body like Vin it probably seems very difficult.Let us look at his fitness training.

 

Height: 5' 11"

Weight: 102 kg (225 pounds)

Age: 45 years (in 2013)

Workout and Fitness Equipments

Vin has a workout plan of 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). On remaining 3 days he perform stretching or yoga exercises in these rest days. His workouts focus on every part of body (Chest, Back, Shoulder, Lower Body and Biceps/Triceps). With his broad shoulders and massive biceps, having a body like Diesel is every guy’s dream.

• Chest: Bench press (decline, flat, or incline), dips, flys (standing cable, incline).

• Back:Chin ups, pull ups, lat pull-downs , rows (seated or bent over)If you can only do one chin-up, try band assisted chin-ups or negative chin-ups.

• Shoulder:Overhead press, upright rows, lateral raises, rear deltoids raises.

• Lower body:Squats, dead-lifts, Romanian, hamstring curls, calf raises.

• Biceps and Triceps: Curls, triceps extensions - any variety you choose, any angle. 

Diet and Supplements 

For his diet Vin consumes 6 to 8 meals per day. He has a well toned body for which a good diet is very important. 

• The calorie intake should be accompanied with a gram of protein intake, multivitamins and omega-3 containing foods but only in small amounts. Organic protein sources include soy fortified foods and egg white. 

• To reduce the fat intake considering that most carbohydrates have fat, fiber, vegetables and fruits should be present in the meals. As Diesel asserts in his diet plan, fat gain is countered with muscle gain practices.

• To maintain a variety of meals, he also takes chicken run as a protein source. Usually, this is served with a variety of carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes. This should be an intake of 180 grams daily.