Rugby star’s battle to get over-55s in shape
profile, the train driver with type 2 diabetes came off his medication and sent his condition into remission and the lady with obesity lost 1.5st whilst also feeling more energised and less bloated.
And they did all this by ignoring conventional healthy eating advice and not counting calories. Then Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, called to tell me that he’d “relatively easily” lost 94lb in 10 months after following my diet and lifestyle plan.
Part of Tom’s weight loss was putting saturated fat-laden butter in his morning coffee. He told me that understanding the science that fat
(specifically saturated fat) was not going to give him a heart attack, but would instead provide energy, and due to its satiating effect help him lose weight – and more importantly reduce his risk of chronic disease and need for medications – helped him stick to the plan more than anything else.
Dr Aseem Malhotra, MBChB, MRCP, is honorary consultant cardiologist at Lister Hospital, Stevenage. He is co-author with Donal O’ Neill of international best seller The Pioppi Diet, a 21-day lifestyle plan. He is donating all personal royalties from the sale of the book to charity. RUGBY star Jonathan Davies is unable to run following his glory days but is urging other over-55s to follow in his footsteps and train to stay in shape.
The BBC rugby pundit, who played for Wales in both rugby Union and League in the 80s and 90s, had to stop running eight years ago due to an injured knee.
It is not only the pressure of being in the spotlight which has made him determined to keep fit and healthy but also watching close friends being struck down by health problems. Jonathan, 56, who had a hip operation when he was 50, says: “I really miss running. But I bike and use a cross-trainer in my garage or work out in the gym. And I get out for a game of golf. I have to train more because of my hip.”
He even popped to the gym in Paris before the France-Wales game at the start of the month. “Martyn Williams, another former international, went for a run in Paris and commentator Eddie Butler is older than me but he did an hour’s walk,” he says.
“A friend who is a driver had a heart attack because he thought he was fit and I have seen mates have strokes. You’ve got to keep mobile.
“You have to keep on going. My mum, Diana, is 80 this year. I don’t want her just sitting in the house, it’s vitally important.”
Jonathan does bike rides for Cardiff’s Velindre Cancer Centre. Yoga and Pilates also help. A survey by healthcare organisation Nuffield Health shows one in 10 Britons over 55 says fear of injury stops them joining a gym. Jonathan, who backs Nuffield’s campaign to encourage over-55s to exercise, says: “Maintaining bone and muscle strength is critical, not only to ensure we can continue to live life to the full physically, but also to maintain mental health.
“It’s worrying that almost half of us over-55s don’t believe exercise is important.”