MuscleTalk Sponsored IFBB Professional bodybuilder Shaun Joseph-Tavernier will be on the MuscleTalk Stand (G70) at BodyPower this Sunday.  Shaun JT turned pro in 2011 and then rocked the world when he placed a phenominal 5th place at the 202 Showdown at the Olympia in Vegas last September.

Shaun is one of the biggest current names in British bodybuilding and will be avilable to meet his fans for photo signing and having his picture taken.

This year's BodyPower is set to be amazing.  Also on the MuscleTalk stand we'll be featuring British Champion Rene Campbell, arm wrestling with Armed Combat, other champs like Daz ‘Hercuwheels’ Winfield-Stanesby, Oliver Price, Aarron ‘Lambo’ Lambert and Luke ‘Granite’ Bagster, discounted 1 Rep Max clothing, Liquid Sun Rayz competition products and MuscleTalk merchandise. You can also meet the guys and girls behind MuscleTalk.

Visit the MuscleTalk stand – G70 – at the BodyPower Expo this Friday-Sunday at the NEC!

The BodyPower Expo at the NEC is this weekend. The MuscleTalk stand (G70) will be buzzing. With us on Saturday and Sunday will be British Champ and superheavyweight bodybuilder Oliver Price. Big Oli is also known for numerous acting roles including as Duke Nukem, the computer game character and Oli will be on hand for photos with his fans.

Oli will be in great shape as he’s getting ready for a guest spot at the 2012 UKBFF MuscleTalk Championships in a few weeks and then he’s onto the Arnold’s in Spain and the British Finals at SportEx in Manchester in October when he’s set to rock the stage.

Alongside Oliver Price, the MuscleTalk stand will feature British Champion Rene Campbell, arm wrestling with Armed Combat, other champs like Daz ‘Hercuwheels’ Winfield-Stanesby, Aarron ‘Lambo’ Lambert and Luke ‘Granite’ Bagster, discounted 1 Rep Max clothing, Liquid Sun Rayz competition products and MuscleTalk merchandise. You can also meet the guys and girls behind MuscleTalk.

Visit the MuscleTalk stand – G70 – at the BodyPower Expo this Friday-Sunday at the NEC!

BodyPower Gets Ever Closer!

You can almost count the number of days until the return of the BodyPower Expo on your hands!  It will not be long until visitors can enjoy the hundreds of fitness exhibitors, dozens of interactive feature areas and countless big name professional athletes and industry recognised fitness experts on show.

Always striving to deliver the best visitor experience, BodyPower has introduced new interactive feature areas into their ever expanding expo. New for 2012 is the exclusive 'Beach Body' area, strength and conditioning zone 'Physique Elite' and the 'Healthy Eating Village' where leading industry experts will be on hand to advise on the best tips and techniques to get you in unbelievable shape for this summer!

The show will also boast an unrivaled list of world class athletes. Latest confirmed names at the show include UFC competitor Michael 'The Count' Bisping, transformation legend Kris Gethin, Fitness model Courtney Prather, Olympian Darren Campbell and fitness coach Harry Ranson. In addition to this impressive athlete list, the expo has announced their new Friday Masterclass Programme. Guests will have the opportunity to particpate in a range of exclusive masterclasses with sporting legends such as Mr Olympia Phil Health, BJJ World Champion Braulio Estima and World’s #1 Fitness Model Gregg Plitt.

BodyPower is shaping up to be the UK's best sport, fitness and nutrition expo to date!

Do not miss out on this superb fitness filled weekend.

Tickets on sale now: Call 0844 5810817 or visit www.bodypowerexpo.co.uk.
Discounts available on advance bookings

Meet Rene Campbell at BodyPower on the 18th - 20th May

on the MuscleTalk stand (G70)

Fit Body Promotions presents British Bodybuilding Champion, TV star and model Rene Campbell at BodyPower.  Come and meet her for a chat, signed photos and have your photo taken with her on the MuscleTalk stand (G70).

On the stand, MuscleTalk will also be bringing to BodyPower other top names in bodybuilding, strength and fitness as well as arm wreslting with Armed Combat.

See you there!

Dare you test your might against friends, families or the Armed Combat Team?

The guys from Armed Combat will, once again, be teaming up with MuscleTalk for this year's BodyPower Expo on 18-20th May.  Pit yourself against them or come and try arm wrestling with family or friends.  Prizes available for the best arm wrestles of the weekend!

The brand new transparent Hexagon Arm Wrestling Table will be open to everyone!  Meet the Armed Combat Team; mini competitions will be held throughout the weekend with a range of great prizes including supplements and gym clothing.

Great photo opportunities from this exciting event, with a spectacular opportunity to join the ever-growing Armed Combat Elite!

More information here

Join Armed Combat at BodyPower on the 18th - 20th May

on the MuscleTalk stand (G70)

We have the results of January 2012's Shape-Up Competition!

Female Winner: Becks

Female Runner up: ChrissieB

Male Winner: W1ll

Male Runners up: Chuckstardeluxe, Boss Redd, Walkie

Check out their fantasic progress stories and pics (as well as the other entrants) in the Shape-Up sub-forum (this is located within the main Progress Journals forum).

The next Shape-Up competition will be in September!

The UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance

Protecting consumer choice for gym and sports participants

Sports nutrition industry unites against Government ‘health tax’

3 April 2012.  An alliance of UK sports nutrition companies has today condemned plans by the Chancellor to impose VAT on sports nutrition drinks and pledged to fight what it has dubbed a ‘health tax’.

Under surprise proposals announced by the Chancellor during the Budget, some sports nutrition drinks will be subject to the 20 percent rate of VAT for the first from 1 October.  Some sports nutrition drinks have previously been zero-rated for VAT.  The Government has announced it will hold a shortened consultation of just six weeks on the tax increase and has claimed in what the alliance is calling a “deeply flawed” impact assessment that it expects the cost to each business to be an average of £40.

The UK Specialist Sport Nutrition Alliance (UK SSNA) has condemned the Chancellor’s proposals – claiming the tax increase will constitute a tax on health and nutrition at a time when the UK is facing an unprecedented obesity crisis and preparing to host the Olympics.  The alliance has warned that imposing additional costs on consumers could result in them purchasing unsafe, unregulated and untaxed products online – or otherwise being penalised for following Government advice to be more active.

The alliance has also claimed the Treasury has underestimated the effect of the tax increase and is not allowing sufficient time for consultation.

Chris Whitehouse, Campaign Director of the UK SSNA, said:

“With the Olympics around the corner and an ever-growing national problem of obesity, it makes no sense for the Government to hike up the cost of products designed to promote good health.

“By cutting the length of its consultation, the Government has nailed its colours to the mast and clearly expects to force this through with Parliament away for the Easter holidays.  This measure is ill-considered, unwelcome and will either push consumers away from healthy products or towards alternatives they find on the web that will be unregulated and quite possibly unsafe.  The Government should be allowing the standard 12 weeks of consultation to ensure it has fully considered all the implications of its decision.”

Robin Holiday, Managing Director, CLF Distribution, the largest independent UK distributor of sports nutrition products, said:

“This is an extremely disappointing decision by the Chancellor that will penalise members of the public looking out for their wellbeing.  In the year that we’re hosting the Olympics it seems quite bizarre that the Government should be trying to impose a health tax, when other less healthy food and drinks such as milk shakes, drinking chocolate and Jaffa cakes continue to be zero-rated for VAT.”

Gary Anderson, Performance Director for British Bobsleigh, said:

"Sport Nutrition is particularly important to a bobsleigh performance athlete, as part of the overall support to our squad we value the input of USN. As a weight controlled sport, competing in sometimes difficult environments it is essential that our athletes are able to access adequate nutrition.

“The energy expenditure of our athletes is high and refuelling appropriately is crucial. 

During training we encourage athletes to maximise the recovery process and get optimal results and nutritional intake is paramount in this area."

The UK SSNA has launched a petition that it hopes will generate 10,000 signatures on an open letter to George Osborne, calling for him to reverse his decision (http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/vatonsportsdrinks).

Notes

The UK SSNA is an alliance of UK-based sports nutrition companies that produce and distribute sports nutrition drinks.  The Alliance was formed on 29^th ~March 2012 to campaign against the Government’s decision to introduce VAT at a rate of 20 percent on sports nutrition drinks from 1 October 2012.

Members include Atlantic Multipower, Bodybuilding Warehouse, BodyTemple, BulkPowders, Cellucor, CLF, Energy Active Ltd, Glanbia, HighFive, Kinetica, MaxiMuscle, MyProtein, NBTY, Performance Nutrition, Powerhouse-Fitness, Predator Nutrition, QNT UK, Reflex Nutrition, Sci-Mx, Smart-Tec PhD Nutrition Ltd, US Nutrition, USN and Weider Publishing.

For further information or comment from Chris Whitehouse or Robin Holiday, please contact Chris Rogers on 020 7793 2536 / 07720 054189, or email Chris.Rogers@whitehouseconsulting.co.uk.

Last week a number of companies, including MuscleTalk, formed the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (UKSSNA) with the aim to stop the Government introducing VAT on sports drinks.  We've already had temendous backing from the public, but there's still a lot to be done.  The Alliance has commenced a number of measures including speaking to HMRC, involving the press and rallying support.  But there are a few simple things which YOU can do to support us and help make an impact:

1) Sign the on-line petition now.  This can be found here: http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/vatonsportsdrinks

2) Urge others to spread the word about this campaign and get them to sign the petition.  Please post the link to the petition on internet forums and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and tell people down your gym or at work.  You can even complete the form for other adults provided that you have their permission.

3) Write to your MP and urge others to do so too.  You can find out who your MP is by looking at the list here (enter your postcode in the box in the top corner) and then you can adapt one of our sample letters below to express your views.

We only have until 4th May to make ourselves heard, but we do have a very real chance of turning this around if we unite and if we make a big enough noise.  Don't just sit back and moan about this: do something while you can!

Check back in the Blog for updates on the UKSSNA and the VAT on sports drinks issue.

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Sample letter to MP 1:

Dear Mr(s) XXX

VAT: Sports Nutrition Drinks

I refer to the announcement at March 2012's Budget by the Chancellor where it was proposed that VAT will be added to sports nutrition drinks from October 2012.

There are a number of reasons why I feel this proposal is very bad move for the UK. These include:

1) The VAT increase will be passed onto the consumer at a time where financially most households are struggling.
2) This price rise will inevitably mean a reduction in demand for sports supplements; companies’ profits will be reduced leading to a reduction in tax revenue from industry which will significantly offset the proposed increased revenue from the VAT.
3) Don't you feel we should be encouraging sports and fitness at a time where cardiovascular and other diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle are prevalent.
4) In 2012, of all years, where the sport-loving eyes of the world are on the UK, do we really want to be discouraging our own population to take up sport? The UK should be using the Olympics as a platform to encourage sport and exercise.
5) If milkshakes, drinking chocolate and Jaffa Cakes are to remain VAT-free then it seems ludicrous that healthy sports drinks should be taxed.
4) Encouraging a physical lifestyle to youths not only has physical positives, it helps keep them off the streets; the UK is at a time where youth crime is high; why discourage positives?

I would like my views on the proposal to levy VAT on sports nutrition drinks to be noted by both you, my MP, and the Treasury and I would be greatful for any comments on this issue.  I also note the extrordinary short consultation period of just 6 weeks for this proposal; shouldn't there be a minimum of 12 weeks?  What are the reasons for this?

Many thanks and kind regards.

Yours sincerely

Signed

Your name

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Sample letter to MP 2:

Dear Mr(s) XXX

VAT: Sports Nutrition Drinks

I refer to the March 2012's Budget by the Chancellor where it was proposed that VAT will be added to sports nutrition drinks from October 2012.

I wish to object strongly to this proposal because I feel this sends a very negative signal when we should be encouraging sports, fitness and a healthy lifestyle, especially in the year of the London Olympics.  20% is not a 'small increase' as the treasury claims!  This will hit households hard at a time where financially things are tight.  Surely the price rise will inevitably mean a reduction in sales and companies’ profits will be reduced leading to less tax revenue and loss of jobs which will have a negative impact on the economy.

Also, what seems exceptionally ludicrous is that milkshakes, drinking chocolate and Jaffa Cakes remain VAT-free!  What sort of message does this send out?

Thanks and I look forward to your comments.

Yours sincerely

Signed

Your name

Following on from my blog entry yesterday, when the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (UKSSNA) was formed including MuscleTalk as one of its founding members, the official petition to stop VAT being added to sports drinks has now been set up.  You can sign the petition here.

From 1st October 2012, the Government proposes to levy VAT on all sports drinks: this includes our protein, carbohydrate, meal replacement and weight gain formulas which are currently zero rated VAT and always have been.  Ironically, milk shakes, drinking choclate and Jaffa Cakes have no VAT and there are no plans to add VAT to them.  So, it appears the Chacellor wishes to penilise us for being healthy.

We object to this along with other major sports nutrition companies.  We've already witnessed an outcry from the public so we urge you to take a few seconds to click the link to thr petition, sign it and spread the word on Facebook, Twitter and other social network sites as well as to your friends at work, down the gym and on other internet forums.

I realise there is some negativity from people who feel that we have no chance to change the Government's position on this; but there is a very good chance and we can do it: but we can only do it if we have the backing from the public.

Sign the petition against the proposed VAT on sports drinks here

Check back in this blog for further updates about the UKSNNA and how we're fighting the Governement on this issue.

In the March 2012 budget, the Chancellor announced his proposal to charge VAT on sports nutrition drinks.  Currently there is no VAT on some of the major sports and fitness supplements like protein and carb powders.  With just a 6 week consultation period, the Government proposes to add 20% to our supplements from 1^st October 2012.  This will hit us hard with an extra £8-10 on an average tub of whey and it will be you, the end user, bearing this cost!

What is outrageous is that those of us who choose to look after ourselves and keep healthy are being penalised for it.  In the year of the London Olympics, no less!

On Thursday 29^th March a number of leading companies, manufacturers, distributers and retails – including MuscleTalk – met up and formed the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (UKSSNA) designed to stop the Government introducing VAT on sports drinks.  Firstly, we’re aiming to get the consultation period increased from 6 to at least 12 weeks, then we’re going to rally the public behind us to make the Government reconsider, but we have to act fast.

Companies who formed the UKSSNA include Holland & Barratt, MaxiNutrition, Myprotein, Reflex Nutrition, PhD, Predator Nutrition, Kinetica, Weider, CLF, Cellucor and several others including MuscleTalk.

MuscleTalk, being the only web-forum backing this, will be used as a platform to disseminate information to the public and to rally support.  The UKSSNA will be starting a petition this weekend and we’ll be promoting it.  Please write to your MP and spread the word in your gym, on social media sites and other fitness forums.

This will affect your wallet, so we urge you to back us.  Please share this link.

What are our chances?  In truth, we really do not know?  But there is a good chance as, with a coalition Government, there’s not ever been a situation like this.

Check back on the MuscleTalk Blog for regular updates.