Exercise myths busted: Practical steps to sustain your health

Admit it, exercise isn't everyone's favorite pastime. Of course, our ancestors weren't hitting the gym by choice — our evolution has wired us to stay active, and this natural activity actually slows down the aging process. The good news is that you can achieve the benefits without feeling like you're "exercising." In today’s episode, Prof. Daniel Lieberman debunks exercise myths. He also teaches us how exercise impacts our health and how learning from our evolution can unlock the secrets of a longer life. Daniel Lieberman is a paleoanthropologist at Harvard University. He’s the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology. He’s best known for his research on the evolution of the human mind and the human body. If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction 01:34 Quickfire questions 03:22 The Rudyard Kipling view of our ancestors 04:54 Is exercise good for us and why do most of us hate it? 06:19 For millions of years, people were physically active for 2 reasons only… 15:38 Our bodies have evolved to save calroies and preserve energy 18:31 It’s normal to think your life is normal 22:27 We need to exercise because we don’t move enough! 34:00 Diet, exercise and sleep can prevent these diseases… 39:54 The active Grandparent hypothesis 43:10 Study of men matriculating as undergraduates at Harvard University 49:44 How can we enjoy keeping physically active? 01:00:00 The importance of weights exercise 01:06:43 Summary Mentioned in today’s episode: Three generations of HSPH researchers explore health benefits of exercise from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Stanford marshmallow test experiment, a summary from Simply Psychology We also mention Daniel’s book Exercised: The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health, and you can find it here. Episode transcripts are available here. Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here