Dr Michael Mosley shares 'weird' exercise that 'burns more calories'

Dr Michael Mosley has shared a "simple and weird" exercise that can help you lose weight and improve back pain.

Dr Mosley is the founder of the 5:2 diet and is also well known for his Fast 800 weight loss tips. He regularly shares his top tips to improve your health and wellbeing and aid in fat burning.

But he has now shared one exercise that not only burns more calories, but can also help with your back pain. The health expert said the "simple and weird" practice of walking backwards can have major health benefits, including giving your brain a boost, GloucestershireLive reports.

Speaking on his Radio 4 show and podcast he said: “It takes more energy and burns a few more calories than going forward. But most of all it helps with those twinges. I sometimes get in my lower back and knees.

"Now, this is a technique that’s been used in physiotherapy for decades to rehabilitate lower leg injuries. It can improve your gait and mobility. And there are a surprising number of good scientific studies showing that walking backwards can even sharpen your memory and problem solving skills."

Dr Mosley said he himself was surprised when he first heard the top trick. He added: "When I first heard about this, I was genuinely intrigued that something so simple and frankly weird, could have such a big effect. It can be done on a treadmill, but with care and a clear path, you can do it safely in your own home or outside."

Referring to other studies, the doctor added: "A South African study found that healthy volunteers lost an average of 2.5% of their body fat when they added backwards walking to the excise regime. Why might that be? Well, backwards walking uses muscles that are less active during forward walking such as your calves and shins as well as your quadriceps.

"That large muscle at the front of your thigh. A small Texan study found that blood lactate levels were three times higher when walking backwards. And that is a measure of how hard the muscles are working.

"And what is perhaps more surprising is that reverse walking seems to boost short term memory researchers from the University of Roehampton in the UK, asked 100 volunteers to watch a video then walk either forwards backwards or stand still. Bizarrely. The walking backwards group consistently remembered more about the video than either of the others."

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