Health guru Dr Michael Mosley has outlined two simple exercises he says can help with weight loss. The doctor, who is renowned for offering diet tips, has proved increasingly popular over the years.
His programmes have won a number of awards, and he was named "medical journalist of the year" by the British Medical Association for a ground-breaking programme on Helicobacter pylori. Dr Mosley regularly features on ITV This Morning and spoke about the importance of combining diet and exercise during a recent appearance on ITV's flagship daytime programme - as the Liverpool Echo reports.
He said: "I don’t think exercise alone is going to help you lose weight but it improves your mood if nothing else. The data suggests if you combine it [diet] with exercise that’s a great way [to lose weight]. And one of the things you want to do, and this is the importance of protein - you need at least 50g of good quality protein a day - that preserves your muscle.
"The things you want to do when you lose weight is lose fat and not lose muscle and that was the danger of going on a really low calorie, low protein diet - tea, juicing - is that your body needs protein and if it’s not getting it from your diet, it’s getting it from your muscles."
Dr Mosley said two key exercises to help with weight loss goals are "press ups and squats". Both exercises can be done in most places in your home - and the health guru spoke about the benefits of the two exercises during an episode on the BBC Radio 4 podcast, Just One Thing.
He said: “I’m doing something I try to do every day - press ups. We all know aerobic exercises like running, walking, swimming, cycling is good for your heart and lungs.
"On top of that, there is just one thing I recommend you add to your daily routine; resistance exercise like press ups. There’s fascinating new research on the benefits of strength workouts, how a few minutes of daily resistance exercises - where you don’t need any special equipment - can boost your brain as well as your muscles.
“There are two forms of strength exercise that I find particularly effective and easy to fit into my life. The first is press ups, one of the best low-cost ways of building upper body strength.
“Not only do press ups keep you toned, but there is evidence resistance training can improve your sleep. The second form of resistance exercise I recommend you try doing on a regular basis is the squat. As we discovered, it is one of the best exercises around for improving your brain function in surprising ways.”
Dr Mosley said he usually tries to do press ups and squats first thing in the morning. He said: “I try to do 40 press ups most days. I also love walking and cycling, and I also make myself do the occasional run.
“[For press ups and squats] I do them first thing when I get out of bed, because if I don’t do them then, I’ll probably forget to do them later in the day. They give you a full body workout, help your heart, and may even boost your brainpower."
