Harvard University paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman says it is incorrect to say that physical activity is normal. Despite this, he stresses the importance of movement for our health.
Mark Twain, who lived to the age of 75, once said he did all the exercise he needed by acting as a coffin bearer at the funerals of his friends who practiced regularly.
Or maybe those words came from Senator Chauncey Depew, who died at the age of 94.
However, even if not everyone expresses it with such humor, they are not the only ones who, throughout history, have not loved exercise very much.
And it’s not uncommon, said Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard University paleoanthropologist and author of Exercisein The Harvard Gazette.
We are programmed to avoid unnecessary effort, not for triathlons or treadmills, he said. Hence, it is a myth to say that it is normal to exercise.
Humans, he points out, never evolved to exercise and, from a scientific point of view, it’s a strange activity.
That is, although we have evolved to move, to be physically active, “exercise is a particular type of physical activity: it is a voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness”.
It is a new “invention”, the researcher pointed out (note that “new” is relative: daily life for Lieberman includes the Stone Age).
It would be unreasonable, for example, for a subsistence hunter or farmer to spend unnecessary extra energy running five miles in the morning – he would lose precious calories he needs for priority activities.
“We have these very ingrained instincts to avoid unnecessary physical activity,” explains the paleoanthropologist.
Today, however, “we think people are lazy if they don’t exercise. But they’re not lazy. They’re just normal.”
But that’s not to say that exercise isn’t very beneficial; it just explains why it is so difficult for many of us to do enough.
And Lieberman thinks understanding this can help us do more.
“Since drug and marketing exercise obviously doesn’t work, I think we’d better think like evolutionary anthropologists.”
Fortunately, that’s exactly what it is, so here are four of his recommendations:
1. Don’t be mad at yourself
Don’t feel bad about not wanting to exercise, your instinct is not to do more than you need to.
But we are also rational beings.
We are aware that we have built a world that has benefited us immensely but, as it no longer forces us to be physically active, it has put our health at risk.
It is a world where it has become necessary to do more than necessary.
Numerous studies have shown this.
If we learn to recognize these instincts, we can overcome them more easily, says Lieberman.
“When I get up in the morning to go for a run, it’s often cold and it’s really hard because I don’t feel like exercising. My mind gives me every reason to put it off. Sometimes I have to force myself to get out the door.”
“My point here is to be compassionate with yourself and understand that those little voices in your head are normal and that everyone, even ‘exercise fanatics’, struggles with them.”
“One key to getting exercise is getting through it.”
2. Don’t forget two things
There are only two reasons why we have evolved to be physically active: to satisfy needs and to gratify ourselves socially.
“Most of our ancestors went hunting or gathering every day because otherwise they would have starved to death.”
“The other times they were physically active were during fun activities like dancing and playing.”
For them, as for us, fun had social benefits.
After years of study, the paleoanthropologist recommends having this same mindset when it comes to exercise.
“Make it fun, but also necessary.”
And one of the best ways to achieve both of these goals is to turn physical activity into a social activity, for example by joining a running group.
“The obligation will make it fun, social and necessary.”
3. Don’t worry too much
“The last anthropological approach that can help is not worrying about how much time and exercise is needed,” suggests Lieberman.
He points out that we have this picture that our ancestors were actually incredibly strong … after all, they had to lift giant boulders and hunt down heavy beasts.
But the expert guarantees that this is far from the truth.
“Our ancestors were reasonably but not overly active and strong.”
“They also didn’t run every day, or regularly; they probably did once a week or something.”
Also, you don’t have to go that far into the past to find out, as there are still people with similar lifestyles.
“Typical hunter-gatherers only engage in about 2 ¼ hours a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.”
“They are not extremely muscular and spend as many hours sitting as we do, almost 10 a day.”
The message is that while there is the minimum recommended, a little bit of physical activity is extremely healthy.
“Knowing this, I believe, can help people feel better when they get at least some exercise rather than nothing at all.”
Studies show that 150 minutes of exercise per week – 21 minutes per day – reduces mortality rates by about 50 percent, he adds.
But it is essential not only to do it, but also …
4. Don’t stop doing
“We invented the concept of retirement in the modern Western world and, along with that, the idea that once you reach 65, it’s okay to take it easy.”
However, “we have evolved to be physically active for life”.
This activity, in turn, helps us live longer and stay healthy as we age.
“This is because physical activity activates a wide range of repair and maintenance mechanisms that counteract the effects of aging,” he explains.
Proof of this are today’s hunter-gatherers, who tend to live nearly as long as their counterparts in Western industrialized societies.
The difference, he notes, is that your “health expectancy” (the number of healthy life years) almost matches your life expectancy, while in industrialized societies it is common to fear that you will spend incompetent years before you die.
“As people age in the West, they tend to lose a lot of strength and power, and that makes basic tasks more difficult. And when that happens, people become less active. When they become less active, they become less capable.”
“It’s a truly disastrous vicious circle.”
So overcome your instincts, even if your mind is reluctant to help you, and keep moving, even if you don’t need it anymore.
And if the exercise bores you, do it like in the Stone Age: start dancing!
– This text was published in https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/curiosidades-63139375
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Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
