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.
Publisher: Penguin Books LtdISBN: 9780141986364Number of pages: 464Weight: 337 gDimensions: 198 x 129 x 26 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Endlessly fascinating and full of surprises. Lieberman strikes a perfect balance of scholarship,wit and enthusiasm for his subject. This is easily one of my books of the year'- Bill Bryson
'Myth-busting,illuminating,brilliant - Lieberman will completely change the way you think about your body'- Professor Alice Roberts
'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'- The 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
'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
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