How can someone aged 48 look like this?

Does that look like someone with peak testosterone levels for their age?

First of all just because science says your T levels are meant to decline that doesn’t mean they have to. Hugh Jackman gets into incredible shape for his role as Wolverine. He actually reached his physical peak in his 40’s which is an amazing achievement.

And if there are any suspicious readers I can honestly say I believe Hugh is not on steroids. He is 6ft 2 and weights 86 kg in his movies. He is actually short about 3 kgs off his potential fat-free muscle mass limit.

Whats the approach that is allowing someone as busy as Hugh to look in such good shape. According to Hugh beside his intense training routine, he says nutrition has been the most important factor to him. For Hugh to get into such good shape while keeping his energy levels high he practices intermittent fasting. He does a 8:16 eating routine. Which means he has an 8 hour eating window and then he does a “fast” for the rest.

Can intermittent fasting be used for middle-aged men to get into shape and increase their hormonal levels as well?

Hell yes, actually it is one of the smartest ways to do so. Fasting has many hormonal benefits. This study suggests that starvation-induced enhancement of growth hormone is brought by an increased frequency of growth hormone release and longer and more pronounced periods of somatostatin withdrawal.

Intermittent Fasting has been shown in this study from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism to decrease the hormone, Leptin. This decrease in Leptin causes an immediate stimulation of testosterone secretion. This means your blood testosterone levels will skyrocket.

I have actually started the same fasting routine as Hugh. Why? Because I am always looking for smarter ways to improve my health and physique and Hugh has the same height as me and has a very similar physique. Ill keep you posted on how it goes.

Check out this video to listen to his diet interviews

Some main points to remember about fasting:

An Intermittent fasting study

Intermittent fasting allows your body a daily opportunity to burn excess body fat without losing muscle mass.

IF is the easiest way to prevent insulin spikes.

With just a 24 hour fast, you can elevate your growth hormone levels by up to 2000%. ( study

Fasting induces autophagy, which is the process where your cells remove toxins and estrogenic chemicals from them.

There is no such thing as starvation mode

Here is a great introduction video to fasting to get you started

Did Hugh take supplements?

According to his interviews and statements by his trainers, Hugh took protein powders, BCAA’s and creatine.

Drinking low-calorie protein shakes is vital for a mass building phase. Hugh carried protein shakes with him everywhere, he even kept them on his bedside table just in case he woke up in the middle of the night.

Did Hugh train during his fast?

Yes, he did, but he would make sure to take some BCAA’s before training. And he would break his fast immediately after training which is highly recommended. With BCAAs we are getting maximal benefits with regards to muscle protein synthesis for a minimal caloric load. This will prevent us from tapping into our muscles as a source of energy during our fasted state.

Is fasting for you?

Unlike other diets where you have strict rules but with fewer results, fasting gives you some room to have fun with your diet and be more experimental. There are no hardcore rules when it comes to fasting. You can mix it up with an 8-hour eating window to a 4-hour eating window and you actually don’t even have to fast every day. After some practice, you can even go on a 24 hour fast which I have been doing on the last Sunday of every month. Fasting can lead to a positive impact on your hormonal health and even lead to more testosterone production. Its a great way for rapid weight loss without losing any muscle mass as well.