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Exercised
- Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
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Exercised
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Publisher's Summary
If exercise is healthy (so good for you!), why do many people dislike or avoid it? These engaging stories and explanations will revolutionize the way you think about exercising - not to mention sitting, sleeping, sprinting, weight lifting, playing, fighting, walking, jogging, and even dancing.
“Strikes a perfect balance of scholarship, wit, and enthusiasm.” (Bill Bryson, New York Times best-selling author of The Body)
- 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?
- And how do we make sense of the conflicting, anxiety-inducing information about rest, physical activity, and exercise with which we are bombarded?
In this myth-busting book, Daniel Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and a pioneering researcher on the evolution of human physical activity, tells the story of how we never evolved to exercise - to do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health. Using his own research and experiences throughout the world, Lieberman recounts without jargon how and why humans evolved to walk, run, dig, and do other necessary and rewarding physical activities while avoiding needless exertion.
Exercised is entertaining and enlightening but also constructive. As our increasingly sedentary lifestyles have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and diseases such as diabetes, Lieberman audaciously argues that to become more active we need to do more than medicalize and commodify exercise.
Drawing on insights from evolutionary biology and anthropology, Lieberman suggests how we can make exercise more enjoyable, rather than shaming and blaming people for avoiding it. He also tackles the question of whether you can exercise too much, even as he explains why exercise can reduce our vulnerability to the diseases mostly likely to make us sick and kill us.
What the critics say
"Lieberman’s inquisitiveness as both a researcher and a fitful fitness adherent allows him a distinct vantage on the subject.... Drawing on his expertise and knowledge of the way evolutionary forces work, [Lieberman] takes ideas that have been spun and spun again, often based on shaky information, and cracks them open.... In addition to exorcising myths and detailing what kinds of exercise we’re good at, as well as why these particular activities matter for our physical well-being, Lieberman also gives us permission to be kind to ourselves if we’d rather not bother.... Most important, Lieberman doesn’t judge those who find exercising difficult, even after knowing that they should be doing it, because exercise still isn’t all that fun." (The New York Times)
"Exercised makes important progress in the research topic for which Mr. Lieberman himself has become best known - the physiology of human running...my favorite passage of the book concerns dancing. Dance in many societies is a physical activity connected to ritual, a highly social activity with deep symbolic meaning to its participants. It reminds us that beauty, joy and rites of passage are central to human life, and that physical activity can be exuberant and ecstatic.... I find Mr. Lieberman’s voice of moderation to be welcome in a world where barefoot running and paleo diets have become fads.... Instead of looking to a mythological view of our evolutionary past, we should be looking around us at a broader array of real humans, all of them moving - happily - through their lives. Getting Exercised is a start." (The Wall Street Journal)
"Riveting.... Highly appealing.... Lieberman begins a process of myth-busting about exercise.... An irresistible aspect of Exercised is Lieberman's firm stance that no shame or stigma be attached to those who find it challenging to sustain an exercise program.... Another exceptionally informative part of the book discusses the damage-and-repair cycle brought on by exercise. Lieberman explains more clearly than I've ever read what exercise does to the body, and how the body then begins to repair itself afterwards.... Lieberman makes a superb guide for anyone wishing to understand why it can be hard to commit to exercising, and why we should do it anyway." (NPR)
What listeners say about Exercised
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Heather D.
- 2021-03-07
Great book!
Whether you’re interested in exercise or not, this is such an interesting book. One of the few books I will read again!!’ 👏
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tyler
- 2024-01-07
well done
very comphrehenaive and well rounded book. Daniel Lieberman did a great job promoting the benefits of physical activity. Still, i think the positive effects of having more muscle mass as well as regular resistance training was definitely under emphasized.
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- Possum Nuada
- 2021-04-17
Informative and Entertaining
Excellent account of exercise from an anthropological and scientific perspective. This book was non-blaming and motivating.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- PDubya
- 2022-12-03
Great Insights
I listened to this book while I exercised- walking, running and riding my bike. It was good to hear that I’m not unusual because some days I don’t want to stay moving and would rather sit! Great rationales and advice for why we should stay healthy regardless. Finished the book just as i completed my 5 mile morning run in -20C weather!! Great read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- josh finlayson
- 2021-04-22
Y - E - S !
I'm a 30 something that's always had a vested interest in health. As I've aged I've been keenly aware of all the contradictory information that's out there. E.g. Walking is the magic bullet to weight loss; no just kidding it will make you gain more weight and you're just spinning your tires.
The authors do a wonderful job of separating the facts from the fiction. with the added benefit of showing their work.
Anyone who is curious about: our evolutionary biology, biomechanics, and health need this book in their library.
Great book period. Also the doctor interviews quite well. You can find the interview on CBC radio one. It's how I was roped in. Enjoy.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Justin R Trupp
- 2022-02-15
overall quite good. very long and detailed.
author did a good job of explaining advanced biology in an easy to understand way. the last chapter "what types of exercise should you do" is the best and by far the most important part of the book. recommended reading both this book as well as "Burn" by Herman Ponzer. they pair well together and investigate health from 2 different, but complimentary perspectives
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- Shane Duquette
- 2022-09-30
Fantastic All Around
Great content, engaging writing, practical advice, and wonderful narration. Every chapter begins with an interesting story, including stories of the author travelling the world to visit hunter-gatherers.
The author appears to be a bonafide expert. I'm well-versed in resistance-training research and keep in touch with some of the top experts. If Lieberman had made a grievous mistake, I would have known. He didn't. And that's all the more impressive because resistance training seems to be the area of exercise where he has the LEAST expertise. That gave me more confidence in his advice in the areas he's actually a world-class expert in.
This seems like a great book.
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- Deepndave
- 2021-01-16
Reinforces the message why we should exercise
Just like his other two books, this book was also entertaining and informative. Because of his knowledge about human evolution he is able to provide evolutionary evidence.I recommend his other two books as well.
I am in my 20s and I consider exercise as a long term investment to my health and my future children’s health. In fact, I owe it to my older self. It got me out of depression and restored my self esteem.
Things I am going to change going forward after reading the book:
I got an exercise ball as office chair.
I intend to reduce heavy lifting and focus more on cardio.
To the author, i have read all three of your books. Next topic to consider is change in our diet.
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- Kindle Customer
- 2021-03-17
An edifying and fascinating read.
Highly recommend this book. Explains so much of human behavior especially regarding physical exercise.
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- Anonymous User
- 2023-05-27
Excellent and Informative
Loved the chapter format that addressed each exercise myth chapter by chapter. Very informative book that I thoroughly enjoyed
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