Ben Shephard’s new six-pack may have thrown a spanner in the works for his home dinners, much to his wife Annie’s dismay. The popular This Morning presenter, at the ripe age of 50 and celebrating 21 years of marriage with Annie, is sporting a physique that could make many men half his age envious. Striking a pose on the Men’s Health UK magazine cover, he flaunts a physique just as impressive as it was back in 2012, complete with enviable abs.

Revealing his fitness regime to Men’s Health UK, Ben explained: “Abs really are made in the kitchen. I became aware of it when I went through this [the cover shoot] in 2012!” He continued detailing domestic compromises: “My wife does most of the cooking, and I’m turning around saying, ‘I’ve got to have enough protein.’ We came up with an agreement that I would get what I needed in terms of protein during the day, so I could enjoy our dinners. You can leave stuff out that you don’t necessarily want, but we still want to share that moment in the evening”, reports The Mirror.

As for hitting the big 5-0, Ben doesn’t seem to be wallowing in self-pity; instead, he’s chasing life with vigour.

Expanding on his outlook, he stated: “I’m much more conscious of the fact that I’ve probably got less time ahead of me than I have behind me – that’s the reality of it. I was working with [fellow presenter] Alison Hammond last week and when she turned 50, someone said to her, ‘Welcome to the fifth floor.’ That felt like a lovely way of describing it – you’re still looking up to those other floors, but looking down as well.”

Ben, an avid runner and gym-goer, juggles his fitness routine with television appearances on shows like This Morning and Tipping Point. He’s been particularly motivated by trying to match the fitness levels of his sons, Jack and Sam.

He admitted he has enjoyed showing his sons, 18 and 19, that he can keep up with them when they go for a run.

He shares: “I think I value the condition I’m in now more than in 2012. I’ve got more lean muscle, that’s for sure. There are parts of my body that are bigger. I think my body fat is a little bit higher than it was then.

“Back then it was probably single figures and I think I’m about 10.5% to 10.8% now – which is extraordinary when you think I’m 13 years older.

Through the years, Ben has gained a “deeper understanding” of how to push himself towards increasing lean muscle mass and decreasing body fat.

He reflects: “To get stronger, physically and mentally, is definitely harder the older you get. In my forties, I was still on the attack. In my fifties, I’m on the defensive. It’s all about how I prolong things now – not going out and smashing it left, right and centre.

“Poving to yourself you have the discipline to do something, proving you can be accountable to yourself is incredibly seductive and infectious. The more you get of that, the more you want it.”