X-Men star James Mcavoy has dismissed reports suggesting his new buff look is the result of gobbling 6,000 calories a day.

The Scottish actor has taken to Instagram to clear up rumors he has been reading about the lengths he went to bulk up.

"Seeing a lot of articles saying that I ate 6000 calories a day to get bigger and leaner," the 38-year-old star writes. "Just to set the record straight in case anyone decides to give this a go. I have never done this.

"The quote is taken from an interview I did for a movie called Split, not the one I’m on right now, which is called Glass. The interview was done at the beginning of the year and me saying, 'I ate 6000 calories a day', is inaccurate, was meant as a joke and is being widely used out of context."

James goes on to explain that he gained more muscle weight and "got leaner" by "not counting a single calorie", explaining his trainer had him consuming more, but "nowhere near the 6000 calorie mark". Instead they counted "macros" - molecules the body uses to create energy, primarily fat, protein and carbohydrates.

The actor adds: "I think (it's) probably a healthier way of tracking intake. I'm sure most people would never dream of copying the advice of some article/s on the internet about some actor but I know some would and id (sic) be gutted if they laboured under bad advice or worse yet seriously harmed their health...

"this IS NOT how I got the results I got. please don't copy. enjoy your workouts or non workouts. stay healthy and eat well to enjoy if you can! All the very best."

Glass is McAvoy's follow-up to multiple personalities thriller Split.