Exercised
The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health
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3.8 • 14 Ratings
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
'Endlessly fascinating and full of surprises. Easily one of my books of the year' BILL BRYSON
The myth-busting science behind our modern attitudes to exercise: what our bodies really need, why it matters, and its effects on health and wellbeing.
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.
'Myth-busting, illuminating, brilliant - Lieberman will completely change the way you think about your body' Professor ALICE ROBERTS, presenter of Our Incredible Human Journey
Customer Reviews
Paleo Dan
Author
American paleoanthropologist at Harvard University, where he holds a named chair of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology. His research combines paleontology, anatomy, physiology and experimental biomechanics in the lab and in the field. Best known for his work on why humans have such unusually large heads, and the evolution of human locomotion.
In brief
If we are born to walk and run, why do most of us take it easy whenever possible?Does running ruin your knees? Should we do weights, cardio, or high-intensity training? Is sitting really the new smoking? Can you lose weight by walking?
Dr L addresses these and many other dilemmas of millennial life in an attempt to make sense of the conflicting, anxiety-inducing information about rest, physical activity, and exercise with which we in the Western world are bombarded every day. Does he succeed? Well, sort of. Given his primary area of expertise is things paleo, he makes a lot more sense on that than individuals like Pete Evans, which isn't saying much. I'm not sure that all of the "myths" he uses as chapter introductions really qualify as myths either. Nothing Sisyphean to my way of thinking. That having been said, he makes some excellent points, which he illustrates with highly readable evidence from his own research and personal experience. The bottom line is, yes, exercise is good for you for most of the well documented reasons already out there, but trying to say it's something we evolved to do isn't really true. Whether one needs to plough through 460 odd pages to find that out is a matter of opinion.
Writing
Crisp, clear professional prose aimed at non-specialist readers. I never felt like Prof L was talking down to me, although I could have done without some of his cheesier anecdotes.
Bottom line
Worthwhile read that proved to me what I already knew, but gave me a better understanding of why, and added a few bells and whistles I didn't know about previously.
Excellent
One of the best and well researched books on the benefits of exercise.