Every now and again I'll update you with my own schedule, just to give you an idea of how a club player can do it. Hopefully it will give you some context to my tips.

After upping my calorie intake slightly last time to get more lean muscle I found all that happened was that my weight went up by 1kg and my body fat up by 3%. This could be to do with missing several 5-a-side and sprint sessions too.

Every now and again Ill update you with my own schedule, just to give you an idea of how a club player can do it. Hopefully it will give you some context to my tips.

Thanks to my last programme I have now lost 6kg in weight and 4% body fat.

Even though it's off season things are starting to get a little bit more specific for me. My focus has moved onto strength building rather than general fitness.

In 2001, the American Heart Association advised that eating too much protein increased the risk of heart, bone and liver problems.

A bit of a problem for those on the Atkins Diet, but what has it got to do with cricket?

In short, sports players need to eat more protein than the average person does. This is because too little protein can lead to a reduction in strength and prevent increases in performance.

Liam Plunkett recently revealed his secret to keeping his energy levels up during a long day in the field.

Jelly Babies and Wine Gums

Is it worth club cricketers following suit?

Probably not. Why?

• Club cricketers tend not to spend as long in the field. So there is less need for such a boost.
• Sugary sweets give you a short term energy boost that is followed by a 'crash' as the body tries to compensate for the sudden jump in blood sugar levels. This means you get hungry and tired and your performance may drop.

I'm sure you have seen wild claim adverts like that almost every day. How do you separate the facts from the snake oil?

It's not easy.

Getting it wrong could be expensive.

You could always ask someone who knows. You could investigate the facts for yourself to see how things match up.

But the real key to remember with these types of claims is: 'If it's too good to be true, it probably is'.

England and Kent batsman Rob Key is an extremely talented player (ask King Cricket). It can also be said that he has sometimes carried a little extra weight.

He still managed a Test double century, so surely being a bit of a podge is no barrier to success?

It's bad news I'm afraid.

Chances are you are nowhere near as talented as Rob Key (and even the tubby faced maestro has shed some pounds in order to fight back into England contention).

Yesterday we talked about supplements in cricket and decided if you were going to use a supplement, the best one is creatine.

But creatine is certainly not a magic bullet. Before you start any supplementation plan you need to be aware of the facts, the benefits and the risks.

What the heck is creatine anyway?

What with all the words written about the Pakistan doping controversy, I thought it would be interesting to get a club cricket angle on it all.

After all, if you can find legal ways to supplement for Shoaib then perhaps you can use them yourself as a club player?

One thing you need to keep in mind is that most club players don't need any supplements - legal or not. A combination of a good diet, focussed training and a well-planned fitness routine is more than enough to skyrocket your performance.

Has your cricket club got a coach?

I'm talking about the senior section here, not the colts or youth teams. If not, have you ever considered why not?

I know that at the clubs I have played the answer to both questions is 'no'.

Did you know that Greg Chappell is a strict vegan? I didn't until today when I read that he has also decided the Indian national side will stay off meat for the Champions Trophy.

Is it a good idea, or is at another crackpot scheme in the Buchanan boot camp mold?

For India it makes sense if, as reported, the quality of meat cannot be trusted in hot weather. But Chappell has been a vegan for years and in a variety of conditions, would it make a difference to his game?