Dr Michael Mosley's free resistance training routine, built around daily press-ups and squats, targets belly fat more effectively than cardio exercise, according to the late health expert. The method, shared on his Radio 4 'Stay Young' programme, offers benefits that include improved memory, better sleep, and a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
Dr Mosley's daily routine for strength and fat loss
The television personality and author, who developed eating plans including The Fast 800, 5:2, The Way of Life and The Fast 800 Keto, died in June 2024 while on holiday in Greece. He left behind guidance on foods and exercise to address health concerns from diabetes to stubborn fat.
Speaking on the show, Dr Mosley described his own training routine: "Today I'm doing something that will not only help me stay strong but should also improve my memory, my sleep, my waistline, make me look good and perhaps even help me live longer. I've been doing press-ups." He added: "I try to do at least 30 of these every day, followed by at least 30 squats. Resistance exercises are the quickest and simplest way to improve your muscle mass."
Why resistance training beats cardio for belly fat
Dr Mosley explained that scientific research has demonstrated resistance exercise targets the abdominal region more effectively than cardio. He noted that without resistance exercises, muscles start to decline after the age of 30, but studies have shown that in just 12 weeks muscle mass can increase by up to 10 per cent and strength by up to 150 per cent.
He said: "Resistance exercise can also help you lose fat, particularly around your belly. Researchers at Harvard University followed around 10,000 men for 12 years and they found minute-for-minute strength training targets belly fat better than cardio." He added that belly fat produces chemicals that can negatively affect blood sugar levels, while muscle cells soak up blood sugars like a sponge when exercised.
Long-term health benefits of building muscle
The benefits extend beyond fat loss, with Dr Mosley noting that a review of studies on the over 50s found resistance training was especially good for memory and executive function. He also cited a study showing that for every 10 per cent increase in skeletal muscle, there was a 10 per cent reduction in the risk of pre-diabetes.
Dr Mosley, then 66, revealed he regularly ran and walked briskly alongside his daily 30 morning press-ups and squats, though he admitted he wasn't particularly keen on gym workouts. Professor Abigail Mackey from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark advised him: "I think that heading into old age if you really want to go in with the best conditions possible for maintaining independent living for as long as possible then you need to be using weights which for most people means having access to a gym. The squats and the push-ups are excellent because they train so many muscles."
