We hear so much about the diets and work outs of female celebrities in Hollywood, but the man whose body I most admire has given up his secrets to that physique. And it sounds like really hard work.

Your body is incredible. What training do you do?
I started training intensively in the gym two years ago to get into the right shape for X-Men Origins. It meant my body got bigger and bigger during Australia, and [director] Baz Luhrmann said: ‘I’m not sure if we can cut our film together because you keep changing.’ I train for an hour and a half a day, five days a week – weights, treadmill, rowing, everything. Then I do what my trainer calls ‘a play session’ on the sixth, which previously would have killed me in itself.

What about diet and eating?
It’s all about eating. I get up at 4am and eat egg whites, then every three hours after that. I have a combination of protein or steamed vegetables and brown rice. Then after midday, no rice or carbohydrates. It’s just vegetables and meat or fish.

You must be incredibly disciplined.
I’m not going to live this way for the rest of my life. I do have treats, I love dark chocolate, beer and red wine. I love going out for dinner and do cheat sometimes.

Metro UK

It’s good to hear that Hugh really does suffer for that body, because if he tried to claim that it was the result of running around after his kids or a fast metabolism, then I would just have to roll my eyes. Do we ever believe it when a celebrity says that? They make it sound too easy.

Now, to talk my husband into adopting this regime…he has the beer part down!

The studio behind his new X-Men spin off Wolverine know that body is well worth publicizing – they’ve released promotional shots for the upcoming movie and in at least two of them make excellent use of a shirtless High. I’m not sure about the grimacing facial expressions, but I guess this is Hugh as Wolverine, not Hugh as the world’s sexiest man alive.

Hugh Jackman is shown shirtless at the beach on 10/13/08. Credit: Bauergriffinonline.