Yet another one of my cheap weekend breaks.....

Today I have been researching my next weekend away and I think I have decided on Scotland again. I love it so much up there and my last break was incredible, climbing Ben Nevis and camping in the Highlands. There’s nothing like heading into the great outdoors and explore nature at its best. My friend and I had searched on mybudgetbreak for cheap weekend breaks to Scotland and we managed to do it on a budget. Sleeper coach to Scotland, camping for accommodation and the odd train here and there made it quite a cheap holiday. This time, I’m determined as ever to get up there again on a budget, only this time, I want to head to Arran, one of Scotland’s incredible islands off of it’s West Coast.

Airline taxes - a government ploy?

I've been focusing on a few other different things recently and not spending enough time on my blog. There's so much going on at the moment but I've finally got round to finding time and writing a post.

As a quick update, I started at the gym (woohoo), although I went in the other day and one of the regulars was joking that they needed to focus their attention on the rats and cockroaches instead of a silly school promotion that is currently running. Needless to say, I won't mention the gym by name as I have still have 12 months left with them! Still it does what I need it to.

I've been travelling around everywhere recently, both for meetings and pleasure. There's so many amazing places in the UK. I just wish I had time to get out there and see it all. I was having a discussing with a friend the other day about the state of the aviation industry in the UK and how ridiculous it is. With the highest taxes in the world, it makes me wonder if it's a ploy by the British government to try and keep people staying in the UK for their holidays and spending their money in the UK to help the economy. It wouldn't surprise me anyway.

The problem is that you only pay one set of expensive taxes when you go abroad. If, however, you are flying within the UK, say London Heathrow to Glasgow, for example, not only do you have to pay for it when you depart Heathrow, but because Glasgow is still in the UK, if you fly back, you have to pay the ridiculous taxes again.

I always wonder whether there is anything the UK public could do as a stand against such high taxes, apart from simply not flying of course. For many though, it's just not the case and we all still have to fly for whatever reason. If you've seen an online petition or anything against APD and similar government taxes, let me know and I'd be happy to promote it. Anything to help us get away on holiday for less money. I often feel that I save up my money only to simply pay it to the government in one way or another.

Anyway rant over...

So a lot has changed since this time last year

Bearing the incredible heat of the Middle East is never fun in Summer but we’re not having a bad Summer here in the UK either. From taking luxuriously exotic holidays to the Far East, to enjoying short breaks in the UK and Europe, my life has changed dramatically, but all for the better.

Since being back in the UK, I’ve been snowboarding, coffee sampling, been to music festivals, climbed Ben Nevis and so much more. There’s only a few more weeks left of the Summer holidays but I plan to make the most of them. At the top of my list are a number of trips out into the UK countryside and most importantly the coast. I’ve only been to Brighton once but I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to going back and enjoying it once again.

However, it turns out that London is not the cheapest place on earth to live. Inundated with bills, increasing transport fares and the general high price of everything has just added to the fact that you need to be on good money to really enjoy London. Granted there are a good number of free things to do in London but there’s only so many times you can wander around some of London’s fantastic markets and not buy anything. Even enjoying views from Hampstead Heath comes at a price as you pay for transport there and lunch, whether it’s a picnic or a slap up meal.

But it’s not just that. I love the gym but that too is expensive. I got a quote for my local Fitness First and it was £60 a month, after the £100 for the first month. As much as I love working out, it’s sadly not money I have to part with. So it’s a daily run around the Common and a bit of circuit training on the way around which is helping to keep me in shape during these hard times. On the nutrition side, again, it’s not cheap but when you shop around, you can get some great deals on workout nutrition, like Activate Nutrition’s Diet Protein Plus or their ZMA capsules.

So if you don’t live in London but want to, I have one word for you. Plan. It’s can be an expensive place and to really experience it, money is important. When people tell you that money doesn’t make the world go round, they are lying to you. It’s one of the most important things in the world.

Update from my new London pad

It's, yet again, been a long time since I last updated my blog so I thought I would post an update.

It's been a busy few weeks. I've finally moved to South London into a great little flat with a few friends. Right on the bus routes too.

I've hiked up Ben Nevis. We took one of the cheap UK breaks ideas we found online and headed up north on an overnight sleeper coach. It was pretty impressive and I would definitely do it again. Although a little more expensive than the normal coach, it's much cheaper than flying or the train, especially the sleeper train. It also saves a days travelling because you wake up feeling refreshed so it's a great option for those limited by time.

We stayed at the Glen Nevis campsite, at the base of Ben Nevis, and is just a short taxi ride or longer walk into Fort William. Plenty of facilities there and loads of space. They leave lots of spaces available for those who turn up on the day without a reservation.

After all my gallivanting around the UK, I'm finally getting settled which means I can end the month long lack of gym going! I've been for a few runs but no weights and no protein so I'm not looking my best. Give it a month of proper gym work though and I'll be back as good as new.

I'm already starting to look at my next holiday. I want to do something pretty special so I was thinking either a fly-drive in Florida or California or a trip to Australia to see some of my old friends and enjoy Queensland. It's one of my favourite places on earth but flights to Australia are so expensive now. Taxes and APD from the UK is ridiculously expensive.

My next few months in the UK

Just two more weeks until I move and I have so much to do and loads of forms to fill in. Still, I'm taking July off and taking a few trips and enjoying Summer in the UK (if we have one!)

For a start I've just booked to go to Scotland and I'm so excited! I've never done much of Scotland before so I'm taking a friend up to hike up Ben Nevis. It's one of those cheap holiday breaks that I found on mybudgetbreak that is going to wipe me out but it's going to definitely be worth it. Apparently it takes 7-8 hours to hike up Nevis and back so I will be worn out.

I'm making the most of the Megabus overnight sleeper coach though. They are brand new and about £30 each way from London to Glasgow so at least I know I will get some rest. I just hope I don't get travel sick! Then it's a train from Glasgow to Fort William and we're camping too. I haven't been camping in years so I'm also really excited about that.

Summer in London

So the weather is kind of starting to pick up. We've had some nice weekends recently, then yesterday wasn't great but today looks like it's going to be a good one.

So hopefully this is the start of something good as most of my weekends this Summer are already booked up with festivals and events. Not all necessarily in London but most are. There's a real atmosphere in London during the Summer and it's quite exciting. Hoping to see some outside cinema, music festivals, there's so much to do.

And then there's the food. A friend of mine is a real foody so he knows all the cool and quirky places in London to go which means that I've got some nice restaurants to look forward to as well.

I'm also heading outside of London too. A quick cheeky weekend in Clacton, and one in Manchester and then a jazz festival in Marlborough so lots more to look forward to. Thank goodness I live in the heart of London as otherwise I don't think I would be able to do as much as I want to do. I'm sure there will be lots of drunken evenings after work along the Southbank, that's for sure.

So while Australia starts getting cooler, London (hopefully) will start warming up and all the Aussies will be flying over just in time. It's a shame I missed so much of last year's Summer and the Olympics. I can't believe I was travelling when it all happened. Everyone was talking about how friendly and social the country was. 

Two posts in two days

So sadly, Hong Kong is definitely a no-go. I’ve been restricted access to our flight booking portal. No, not because I’ve been naughty, but because I am resigning! Woohoo! So gradually I need to start getting my stuff sorted.

It’s also an Arabic bank holiday which means that Etihad and Air Seychelles, who I was hoping to fly with via Abu Dhabi, are going to have chocka block flights. It’s probably best I save my money anyway as it gives me the chance to invest it more wisely. I’ve done plenty of travelling over the past year so it’s probably about time I calmed the hell down and saved my pennies. I could have got an agent rate in HK but the hotels were still quite expensive. The whole trip would probably have cost around £600-700 which is far too much money than what I can actually afford at the moment.

I’m hoping that my new company will pay for my gym membership so that I don’t have to! That would save me a fortune, so obviously I want a good one. I really need to get my fitness up and invest in a sports holiday. As I’ve already discussed, I think Virgin Active is the way to go. Although a friend posted on Facebook the other day (when he tagged himself at the Virgin Active in Milton Keynes) that all hair straighteners and men wandering around naked should be banned from all male changing rooms. And I couldn’t agree more.

So I have a number of investment opportunities coming up and desperately need to get a meeting set up with an accountant. To help me work out the best way of doing it. It’s not just simple stocks and shares through a trading company though. They are friends and my own companies so a lot of thought needs to go in, as to how best to utilize my money.

I don’t think I will be getting a car for a while. As much as I would love one, London, for me, is the place to have a car, especially as I want to be pretty central. Public transport in London, although we complain about it a lot, is actually pretty great and I’m happy with it. The fares could do with being reduced though and as for the train fares in the UK, well they are just ridiculous!

Bye Bye Hong Kong

So sadly, I don’t think Hong Kong is on the cards at the moment. It’s one place that I have always wanted to go, however, it’s going to cost me a small fortune to get there and it would only be a weekend break so I think my money is probably better spent elsewhere. I have a number of different projects to work on and want to save up money as well to try and get myself out of debt and get a mortgage. I’ve still got a long way to go but as Tesco says, every little helps.

That was a subtly good marketing campaign wasn’t it. A well used phrase in society, add Tesco to the beginning of it and bam, you have a tag line that people will then start remembering. Every time I use it, I always think of Tesco now.

Anyway, I’m in the process of changing jobs as well. Again, very much in the early stages but fingers crossed for something good. I’m hoping to join Virgin Active as my new gym because, well, it’s a cool brand isn’t it, and I want to be associated with it. Still there is a couple around the area I am looking to move and it would mean I could also go to the Brighton and Manchester ones when I went to visit friends. I’m still on the protein, tribulus and ZMA tablets at the moment although I haven’t really put all my effort into getting fit which is kind of bad!

I missed my best friend’s birthday so I am hoping to take her to a spa for the day. Somewhere nice with a bit of champagne perhaps and then treat her to the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, followed by some delicious food at the diner next door. I don’t think she has been and if you haven’t already, it’s definitely worth it. Monday nights are the cheap nights but with lovely leather seats and sofas, you’ll end up falling asleep, it’s so comfortable!

Hong Kong

It's been a while since I last updated my blog. Very bad on my part.

I've been back from Thailand for a couple of days now and had an amazing time. I stayed at the InterContinental in Hua Hin which I would definitely stay at again. The location, although a two and a half hour drive from Bangkok airport was right on the beach in a prime spot of real estate. The property was beautiful and the staff were absolutely faultless. A quick £3 tuk-tuk ride into the main bar area led us to a much more chilled out and less seedy side of Thailand. I was still surprised at the number of older men with younger women but I really didn't feel like it was sleezy at all. I would much prefer it over somewhere like Pattaya.

Back home and I'm still looking at changing jobs with some exciting prospects in the pipeline so we will have to see what happens there. I only managed to get to the gym once whilst on holiday so I'm also desperate to get back into the swing of things and start taking my protein and zma again, despite not really having any holidays to look forward to. Still, Summer time in London is always good, even if it does rain half the time.

So at the end of another working week, nursing a terribly sunburnt back and shoulders, and I'm planning my next adventure. Hong Kong. In 30 hours that is.... Just 30 hours in Hong Kong and in only 2 weeks time. I've never been but I'm very excited. We will have to see what happens.....

Fitness and diet regime are finally paying off...

Another weekend is here! Woohoo! Finally I can tell everyone that my workout regime is actually really working and it’s all thanks to circuit training. I’ve really seen some noticeable improvement in my physique and I realised that I wasn’t actually eating enough, so when I was doing cardio, my body would burn off the calories the next day from my muscles instead of my fat.

I’ve also been taking ZMA and Tribulus supplements (as well as my protein shakes) and I think they are helping. If anything, the ZMA is definitely helping me get some deep sleep. I read a few posts about people not being able to sleep after taking it but it sends me out like a light and I even struggle to get up the next day!

Just a week to go to Thailand so the fitness results couldn’t have come at a better time. I just hope I am able to keep it up this week and not get to complacent. At the same time, I’m due to go out to a barbeque tomorrow which will mean a good few beers and a night out with work on Thursday which will also mean some more empty calories. I’ll just have to try and rein it in a bit and not go overboard. I’m working on Sunday so I don’t want to get to drunk anyway.

I’m really excited about Thailand and I even get to see a friend of mine while transiting Abu Dhabi airport that I haven’t seen for ages. She’s moving back to Australia so will be great to spend some time seeing her. We timed it well so fingers crossed for no delays and that we get to see each other at the airport.

I’m also starting to look for jobs in London although it’s probably still a bit early. There aren’t many good jobs in my line of work out there but London is the place to have them. If only I could get a US visa and I would be over there in a flash instead.

Finally getting warm

Another update for you. So the great news is that it has finally started to get warmer. Summer is on it's way! the thought of spending lazy Sundays in the park, going for a drink outside on Southbank and being able to walk to work without getting wet is definitely cheering me up.

Before that though, I get to go to Thailand in two weeks. I'm so excited as I've never been before. Economy though, no business class this time :(

Top Gear Cast - sildrome.com

I've just been watching Top Gear as well. It was the episode where the boys were racing to Milan for a football match. Just watching the guys take the Eurostar and the european trains and Clarkson taking the ferry makes me want to travel a bit more. I do love flying but the ferry reminds me of the school trips to France and Belgium for French and History classes. They were the good old days! It's just a shame my partner has expensive tastes and would rather take the Eurostar or fly.

I've also been looking around for another job. Something a bit more international. I would love to be able to travel as part of my job. Not too much. Definitely not so much that the novelty of taking business trips wears off but once every few months would be nice.

Here's an image that should cheer up your day. One of my favourites from Top Gear.

Jeremy Clarkson - fanpop.com

My top three muscle building foods and supplements

In order to build quality lean muscle, nutrition is vital. Many people will put in a lot of hours at the gym only to not get the results they want due to a poor diet. Your diet plays such an important role in the muscle building process that bodybuilder’s believe it is the 80-20 rule, 80% diet and 20% exercise.

A diet designed for muscle growth should contain a mixture high protein sources, complex carbohydrates and good fats such as omegas. Protein plays the primary role in the muscle building process as it provides the amino acids necessary to build muscle. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which are essential to muscle growth.

I have put together a short list of my top three muscle building foods that are affordable as well as being tried and tested.

Peanut Butter

That’s right, as delicious as peanut butter is, it can provide you with the nutrition to build muscle. Peanut butter is an ideal choice for bodybuilders in the off-season where most of the muscle is gained for competition. This is because peanut butter is very calorie dense, contains lots of goods fats and contains proteins. Nuts in general are very calorie dense and help to provide the calories to fuel workouts and promote recovery. Many people make the mistake of the thinking that all fats are bad for you. Most of the fats in peanut butter are unsaturated and are essential to help with natural testosterone production, which goes hand in hand with muscle development.

Oatmeal or porridge

Although oats do not contain much in the way of protein, I have added them to the list as they are the number one choice for breakfast by bodybuilders and athletes. Carbohydrates can be broken down in to two categories, slow digesting and fast digesting. If you are aiming to build a lean muscular physique, then you should be staying away from fast digesting carbs. These are typically simple sugars from things such as, candy, honey, soft drinks, sugary cereals, chocolate and so on. These fast digesting carbs create an insulin spike, which in turns leads to weight gain. Complex carbohydrates digest much slower and provide the body with constant energy rather than a rush of energy like simple sugars. When fuelling workouts it is important to consume complex carbohydrates, especially in the morning, as this will put you in good stead for the day and your workout. Another bonus of oats is the price, you can pay as little as £1.99 for a 2kg bag. A bodybuilders diet can get very expensive so it good to save money when you can. Eat a bowl for breakfast or mix them in with your post workout shake. It is often said that oats for breakfast is the cornerstone of a muscle building diet.

Protein Shakes

This may be a bit of an obvious choice but a protein shake, in particular a Whey protein shake can help yield fantastic results for muscle growth. When we train a muscle group for growth, we are actually breaking down the muscle fibres. After this the muscle fibres repair themselves, becoming bigger and stronger providing that the correct nutrition is in place. During the hour after exercise is when fuelling your muscles with amino acids is particularly important for the best results. Whey protein is one of the fastest digesting proteins there is, which is why it is an ideal choice for your post workout shake. Taking a protein shake straight after a workout allows the muscles to be flushed with muscle building amino acids and will kick start muscle growth.

These three foods are a stable part of my diet. I also include various other meats and fish. Remember, diet is the key to getting results so take the time to prepare your food and the results will follow.   

Lots to update - new gym, new holiday, new budget...

It's been a while since I last posted on here and lots has happened so I thought it was time for an update.

Firstly, it's payday (praise the lord) and that can only mean one thing. My bonus is paid too! I'm so pleased. As much as I would love to be spending in on clothes and trips away, this one has to pay off debt. I'm desperate to get out of it so it's all going there. Which is a shame really but basically that has paid for my trip to the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix. It was amazing! We ended up with some really good seats (South Stand) which was where all the overtaking and action happened. So many people went off in that race and there were some great views across the marina too. But it was expensive, hence why it has taken me so long to pay it all back.

Next update. I quit the gym.......to go to the gym in my building. It's never busy but it's a huge room with plenty of space and a few weights which is perfect for my new favourite activity, circuit training. I've noticed some real improvement since I started circuit training and I combine it with a few weights to get the muscles pumping instead of just cardio. I started with an hour, which was intense but I managed it. Only to then be able to do 30 mins, 2 days later. Still I've had to cut down the time to less than an hour now but it's still working a treat. Beach body, here I come!

I'm now also off to Thailand. Never been but cannot wait. Only Hua Hin mind you. A friend won 9 nights hotel stay (2 in Bangkok and 7 in Hua Hin, although I can only do the Hua Hin part). I know you have to fly into Bangkok anyway but I can only be away for 7 days and private transfers were included in the break. Should be pretty amazing just to chill out and relax for a whole week! Woohoo!

I've also had to start thinking long and hard about my budget for when I move back to London. Some of the places I have seen are pretty rank, but I cannot afford to be choosy. I'm going to be on such a budget as I won't be on a particularly high salary and I'm dreading having to get the tube everyday. I'm hoping to get somewhere that I can walk or even take the bus. I find the underground quite depressing and you get to see so much more of London when you are out and about.

Sad news

Bit of sad news this week. My dog of 16 years (that's right, he was one hell of a trooper) had to be put down. His quality of life was fading away quickly, going blind and walking into things, incontinence, frail bones. It just wasn't fun for him anymore and he had a terrible fit that left him disorientated. Such a sad moment to find out but as one of my friends put it, he's in a better place with all the other doggies in doggy heaven :(

As much as I love dogs, I don't think we will get another one for a while as they are quite a big responsibility and me being me, I love getting away, more so now than ever and the likelihood is that I will be able to do more spur of the moment things without having to worry about a dog to feed and look after.

Next time I also think I will get a dog from a home like Battersea Dogs Home because I always find it terrible to see dogs left in such states. A friend got her dog from a home and she is the most intelligent dog I have ever know. Apart from the fact that she cannot get enough of catching a yellow ball. Only yellow mind you. Dogs are colourblind right? Maybe it's because it's a lighter shade perhaps? Who knows?

I have started looking at the dogs on the BDH homepage though which is making me way another one but I just have to be strong. I wish I had the regular time to go and help out down there and maybe take the dogs for a walk or something but I really don't. It's such a shame really. My life isn't regular enough to be able to do it.

Hong Kong or Washington......

So I'm planning my next holiday! Honkers or DC. Not sure which yet. It depends which works out better for flights, hotel and availability. Both are great city breaks though. I've heard a lot about Airbnb which is like a website offering accommodation in peoples' homes rather than hotels.

It seems like quite a good thing to do, especially if the host lives in the apartment too and is happy to take you out and help show you the sights. I've seen a few really cool places but I think if I were to go for it, I would rather stay with someone that is happy to be a bit of a tour guide and show me around. The accommodation does work out a bit cheaper which is good but at the same time, I do really love staying in hotels.

I know that Washington and Hong Kong are two very different places but if I were to stay in Hong Kong I should be able to get a good hotel rate. DC on the other hand, I think I would prefer to stay at someone's house. I'll be travelling alone and I get the feeling Washington is one of those places that can be done on your own but it might get a bit lonely, especially for those all important photo moments.

Hong Kong on the other hand, I can imagine can be a bit intimidating because it's so hustle and bustley. I don't mind that at all and I think I would feel less 'alone' in HK. I've always wanted to go to both , probably moreso with Hong Kong, despite people telling me that it can be a bit of a dive, however, I know I'm going to love it. I've never been to either so either would be great.

Will have to keep you all updated on which I decide!

The rents

So the parents have been visiting this weekend and actually it's not been too bad except for the fact that we don't have all that much in common. I like being active, sporty and keeping fit, they on the other hand are not so much!

Never mind, I got to see more of the city than I was expecting too and areas that I had never been before which was great. I've got a couple of friends visiting in April so I'm sure I'll be taking a trip with them.

Off to Manchester next week for work and it's going to be a pretty heavy week. 12 hour shifts and no weekend makes me unhappy. Fingers crossed for days off in lieu. Will probably be taking them in March if I get them so would be good to get away and take a break. Perhaps somewhere with a spa. My Manchester hotel has little more than conference facilities and located by the airport so not the most ideal area either. Still, I'm hoping to meet up with a few friends during my rest times.

Very much looking forward to getting into my own bed tonight and not sleeping on the sofa bed. There's only so much of it I can take!

Weekend away

Well I managed to get away for a few days in....Abu Dhabi!!!!

Awesome place but I was on a real budget. It really helps to know someone in the airline industry. Managed to get cheap flights and spent most of the time on the beach which was great! A nice change to the cold and grey here in London. I did end up spending more than I was hoping but it was well worth it. I flew standby which was a little stressful to begin with but once I knew what I was doing it was fine. Definitely the way forward if you can be flexible.

I went shooting which was amazing and it turns out, I'm scarily good at it to the point where the instructor asks me if I'm a police officer! We also found this cool shop that basically imports loads of Japanese goodies and it's all really cheap. I was in heaven. Got a few joke presents and a couple of bits for the dog too. I'm sure he will love tearing them apart.

Came back loving 'Imagine Dragons - Radioactive'. It's a fantastic song and perfect to try and get a few extra reps out at the gym. The video is pretty cool too. My problem is that when I really like a song, I play it over and over again. Which is what I have been doing since I downloaded it on iTunes this morning. Only problem is, I downloaded it to my ipad but now I can't get it on my laptop where I transfer my music to my ipod. Damn technology.

I hope I get it sorted in time for the gym tomorrow. Any ideas anyone? I'm sure I will have it playing over and over again there. Thank goodness for the ipod invention otherwise people will probably start hating me. Some of their other music is good but Radioactive is by far my favourite one. Trying to keep positive about going back to work tomorrow. I need to book another weekend away to look forward to.

Sunday evenings

Sunday evenings for me is that time when you look back at the weekend and what you've done. Whether you've done lots, or just wasted it, this is when you actually realise. For me, what I hate, is when I look back and think, what a waste of a weekend that was. Either because I was hungover so didn't really want to do anything, or when I just didn't achieve anything, it gets to me. Especially with Monday morning looming.

So I make plans for the next weekend. I HAVE to do something with it. Whether it's go out to the coast and go for a bike ride, or see a show or something that will make me proud to go into work on Monday and say, "yep, this is what I did".

It's not so much a case of showing off, I just hate wasting time when I could have been doing something so interesting. Granted, lugging your mountain bike halfway across the country when the trains are messed up on a Sunday is never fun, but there are plenty of other things to explore. The other weekend I took a guide book and walked around London, exploring all the nooks and crannies that most people don't even realise are there in London. It's fun and you learn a lot too.

What I most want to do with my weekend is to do something adventurous. I had a look at paragliding in the French Alps. It was only going to cost £1000!!! I couldn't believe it. By the time I had flown, hired a car, and got up in the sky, that 1k mark had been achieved. Such a shame everything costs so much money!

New Year - New Start

So it's the new year and like all people I have my resolutions, mainly involving food and fitness. I tend to keep to mine though which are no alcohol for six months (a big one but I don't think it will be as bad as people are making it out to be) and no crisps, sweets or chocolate for the whole year. I've done the last one before and it was the initial stages that were difficult to get over. I've had my fair share of chocolate and sweets over the Christmas period so I've grown a bit of a sweet tooth and where I would have a chocolate bar in the afternoon, I'm having to replace it with a tuna wrap. I'll do it I'm sure.

The main aim of this is to get a six pack. I've always been quite fit and healthy and despite having suffered a pulled hamstring before Christmas, I do quite well. However, I do tend to eat junk and it's completely true, 80% of your fitness regime should come from food. It's fair enough to have the extra calories but when it's pure sugar instead of nutrient rich vegetables, that's when you start putting on the gut.

So back to the gym I've gone and with a new workout regime in place, I've also upped my nutrition supplements. I take protein shakes a couple of times a day but a friend recommended Tribulus Terrestris from Activate Nutrition which helps to build muscle by boosting testosterone and increasing endurance during workouts. This means you have more energy and power to lift more or higher weights. I've not noticed any size difference yet, but then we are only a few days in, however, I do feel like I have more energy at the gym, which is great but this could just be a psychological thing. Who knows but then if it's working, which it seems to be, then that's great!