Lockdown life has seen many people put on weight, but one expert is here to warn of the need to stay in control of your waistline.
With the forthcoming National Diabetes Month (taking place in November), Dr Michael Mosley has explained why men should be particularly vigilant about weight gain, while also reminding of the benefits of a healthy meal plan for all.
Dr Mosley explains that we know Covid-19 symptoms seem to be more severe in people with diabetes, which could be down to increased body weight, any pre-existing heart trouble and hypertension. Excess body weight, in particular, is associated with breathing problems, and these are likely to be made worse by Covid-19 infection. He explains that if you suffer from type 2 diabetes (or suspect you might) you may decide to commit to a rapid weight loss plan which can lead to a normalisation of blood sugar levels and bring down of risk of Covid-19.
If you are concerned, Dr Mosley added that there is an easy trick to assess your overall health. We know waist to height ratio is a useful indicator of health – ideally your waist circumference should be at most half of your height. Grab a piece of string that is as long as you are tall. Fold it in half and see if it fits around your waist. If it doesn’t, don’t worry. We come in all shapes and sizes, but an increased waist circumference can indicate a higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, so reducing your waist circumference to half your height will likely improve your long-term health and boost your immunity.
And, if you want to lose weight, Dr Mosley created the Fast800, which includes The Very Fast 800, the New 5:2 and Med-style diets. He has also launched natural and convenient shakes for a post-lockdown health reset; the 200-calorie shakes are high in protein and containing 26 vitamins and minerals, alongside an ingredient-list of natural foods and can be built into your daily meal plan. The shakes are founded on scientific evidence suggesting low-carb, fibre and protein-rich Mediterranean-style diets offer some of the best quality nutrition.
It is a cause close to Dr Mosley’s heart, who devised the Fast800 programme after finding out he had type 2 Diabetes like his father, who died from complications of the disease at the age of 74.
Michael explained: “It was a wake-up call, so I took part in a BBC2 Horizon documentary to find out if I could reverse my diabetes without medication. I went to the US and learned about fasting, and lost 22lbs, reversing my diabetes, and my blood sugar levels, and weight have stayed the same ever since.”
And why 800 calories?
“800 is the magic number,” Michael advised. “Every big weight loss study is now based on 800 calories, which is high enough to be sustainable and give you everything you need, and low enough to lead to rapid weight loss and other beneficial health changes.”
Find out more at www.thefast800.com
