Exercised

The myth-busting science behind our modern attitudes to exercise

In industrialized nations, our sedentary lifestyles have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and diseases like diabetes. A key remedy, we are told, is exercise – voluntary physical activity for the sake of health. However, most of us struggle to stay fit, and our attitudes to exercise are plagued by misconceptions, finger-pointing and anxiety.

But, as Daniel Lieberman shows in Exercised, the first book of its kind by a leading scientific expert, we never evolved to exercise. We are hardwired for moderate exertion throughout each day, not triathlons or treadmills. Drawing on over a decade of high-level scientific research and eye-opening insights from evolutionary biology and anthropology, Lieberman explains precisely how exercise can promote health; debunks persistent myths about sitting, speed, strength and endurance; and points the way towards more enjoyable and physically active living in the modern world.

Author Biography

Daniel Lieberman is Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. He is a leading figure in the field of human evolution and its relevance to health. He is renowned for his research on the evolution of running, which he also enjoys himself – sometimes barefoot, earning him the nickname ‘the Barefoot Professor’. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, many of them in Nature and Science. His previous books include The Story of the Human Body. He lives in Massachusetts.