Man lost almost six stone in two years after committing to one simple exercise

A man has claimed he lost a whopping six stone by sticking to one key exercise.

You might think it'd involve something ultra sophisticated. Perhaps it's one of those machines at the gym you're too intimidated to try out?

But no, it's actually something really basic.

Joseph Graham, 32, began documenting his weight loss journey on TikTok and quickly gained a following.

His preferred form of exercise used to be running, but after his mother's death and the closing of gyms in COVID, he lost his momentum.

"I began overeating and consuming sugary drinks and snacks. My weight had climbed to 247 pounds [17 stone], and I wasn’t happy with who I was as an individual or the way that I was living," he explained.

"I was most disappointed by the fact that my children were witnessing me spiral downward."

So what exercise brought Joseph's weight down in the end?

It's a skipping rope.

Yep, that thing you used to do in primary school? That's this man's secret to slimming success.

Joseph, from New York City, said: "I skip to maintain my fitness, both physically and mentally, because I feel like moving your body plays a huge role in one’s mindset on a daily basis."

In 2021, Joseph's brother got him a Crossrope - a weighted rope - and they began exercising.

Evidently, the father of three wasn't the only one using skipping ropes as a way to burn fat.

The market for jump ropes was valued at $1.95 billion (£1.5 billion|) in the year Joseph joined the trend.

Jump rose exercises have been credited with boosting heart health, improving balance and building endurance.

Michelle Olson, a professor of sports science at Huntingdon College in Alabama, said: "When coupled with a calorie-reduced diet, reported changes in body weight and body fat range from approximately 3 pounds to as high as 7 pounds in eight weeks."

In addition to his jump rope regime, Joseph has been going to sleep between 9.30pm and 10.00pm.

With sugary food and drinks also expelled from his diet, he's been using his late mother and his children as inspiration.

Feeling inspired to get into skipping rope yourself?

Here's what Joseph advised.

Start by practicing the 'basic skip' - where your feet don't get too high off the ground, your arms don't leave your side and the movement all comes from your wrists.

"Work at it gradually."