Exercised: The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health
Daniel Lieberman
'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
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About Daniel Lieberman
Reviews for Exercised: The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health
Bill Bryson
bestselling author of The Body
Myth-busting, illuminating, brilliant - Lieberman will completely change the way you think about your body
Professor Alice Roberts
presenter of Our Incredible Human Journey
Entertaining and informative... The book is full of helpful tips - you'll build muscle faster by extending muscles under load rather than contracting them; the kind of chair you sit on doesn't matter as long as you strengthen your back muscles and move regularly - conveyed in a humorous and sympathetic style
Steven Poole
Guardian
Part user manual for the human body and part detective story exploring our evolution, Exercised will change the way you think about exercise, diet and your own wellbeing
Neil Shubin
author of Your Inner Fish
A surprising, erudite and revelatory look at the natural history of physical activity and why exercise is both so necessary for us and so unnatural. A must-read for anyone with a working body and mind
Gretchen Reynolds
New York Times-bestselling author of The First 20 Minutes
A fascinating read, and one that could nudge you toward a healthier (and longer) life
Amby Burfoot
editor of Runner's World
Excellent - well written, amusing and touching on the lives of all who read it
Richard Leakey
FRS
Eye-opening, mind-expanding and potentially body-shaping
Paul Wilson
Men's Health
Daniel Lieberman’s work is so incredibly impressive
Steven Bartlett
Diary of a CEO