Workouts that can turbo-charge a low-carb lifestyle

Throughout our low- carb series for the Mail, we have talked about improving diet as a route to better health, particularly for type 2 diabetes, but what about the role of exercise? Most of my patients think of exercise as a way of losing weight when, in fact, some studies show exercise alone isn’t always the best way to get rid of those extra pounds. to be really effective there needs to be some change in your diet.

this is partly because it takes so long to exercise those pounds off. Depending on your weight, you would need to jog continuously for five hours to lose just one pound in body weight and not eat any more than usual.

the good news is that taking regular exercise is really helpful in improving your health in nearly every other way I can think of.

Let’s start with type 2 diabetes. For many people the basic problem is that their insulin — the hormone that controls blood glucose — doesn’t work as well as it did.

Amazingly, exercising regularly can restore the effectiveness of your insulin and so improve type 2. In part, this is due to your muscles getting better at burning sugar.

Interestingly, many of my patients notice their type 2 improves in the spring when they get out more, gardening, cycling or walking. Patients at my surgery organise a weekly park walking group to cash in on this.

Aside from type 2, most doctors agree that even brisk walking helps improve blood pressure and can even make medication unnecessary in some cases.

But it goes far beyond that: older people who exercise and so maintain their muscles better may live longer.

Indeed, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2014, involving men aged over 55 and women over 65, found that those who had less muscle mass were more likely to die prematurely. Apart from the obvious physical benefits, exercise can help us psychologically, too. how many of you have noticed feeling brighter or calmer after exercise?

We now know that going for a run or a gym session releases natural ‘happy hormones’ called endorphins.

Years ago, after a stressful day at the practice, I learnt to go to the gym before going home because my wife, Jen, commented how much better I was to live with.

Many studies have shown significant improvements in mental health for those who work out or keep fit, too.

So what sort of exercise should you try? Start with a form of exercise that is realistic and that suits you. It needs to be done at least a few times a week.

Personally, I like to mix different types of exercise. I run outside about three times a week and do a yoga session and then weights in the gym once a week to try to maintain muscle mass.

My average patient with type 2 diabetes is 63 and weighs 16 st –— going to the gym in Lycra is not always an appealing option for them.

But how about brisk walking as a start, or even climbing your stairs more often? My mother is 83 — in the winter she makes sure to climb her stairs regularly to maintain her strength.

however, being older doesn’t mean not going to the gym: last week the Mail’s good health section featured the story of one of my low-carb patients, Brian Clark, who at 81 felt able to join a gym after many years of not taking any formal exercise, and now regularly does weights!